The 2024 President’s Medal winner, Elif Shafak, spoke at the Showcase which was a highlight for many who enjoy her array of published work
The Lower Ground Floor Spaces in Action
A year of events
The vast array of events that have taken place over the past year demonstrate the flexibility of the new spaces, as well as the Academy’s commitment to ‘opening up’ to engage new and larger audiences.
"The Wolfson Foundation is pleased to have provided significant funding toward the transformation of the lower ground floors of No 10-11 Carlton House Terrace. We recognise the critical importance of the social sciences and humanities to society. This is their home in the heart of London: a home where research can be presented, discussed, and celebrated, where the public can access expert discussions on pressing issues of our time and where academics can convene alongside policymakers.
"These spaces have exceeded what we originally envisioned, and we have enjoyed attending a number of events in the elegant new spaces, including the British Academy/Wolfson Symposium, where we celebrate our current Fellowship and Professorship award-holders. We look forward to seeing how the British Academy continues to use these spaces to help research have impact and reach new audiences."
Paul Ramsbottom OBE, Chief Executive of the Wolfson Foundation, the principal funder of the Capital Redevelopment Project
Public events
In the year following September 2024’s Open House event, the Academy hosted 23 public events across three seasons, alongside the annual Summer Showcase. Over 3,700 people have attended these Public Events held in the lower ground floor spaces, and an additional 800+ people have attended events online.
Public Events have attracted new audiences to the British Academy, with 65% of surveyed attendees having never attended an event at the British Academy before. Moreover, 74% of surveyed attendees did not have an occupation in academia or research. The programmes included arts-focused events, highlighting the Academy’s commitment to connecting SHAPE disciplines and promoting creative knowledge exchange. 43% of delivered events featured or promoted the arts.
The seasons of events, running from September 2024 to May 2025 were:
Each of these seasons included a LATE, featuring panel discussions, 10-minute talks, workshops and craft areas, as well as multi-media performances. The pictures below demonstrate the breadth of capabilities of the audio-visual technology installed.
Highlights from 'The Human Experience' Late
Photos (clockwise): Digital artwork, Inner Worlds by Patricia Townsend; Professor Eric Clarke FBA - Music, emotion and consciousness; Dr Michael Diamond DJ Set; and a panel discussion on 'The Power of Laughter' with Professor Robin Dunbar FBA and Dr Sarah Kate Merry, chaired by Professor Sophie Scott FBA.
Summer Showcase
The 2025 Summer Showcase was held for the first time incorporating the lower ground floor spaces, allowing for increased capacity. The event attracted increased numbers of under 35s, and 66% of surveyed attendees had not attended an event at the Academy before. Attendees highlighted that they enjoyed the vast range of research topics available and the accessibility of the event.
“It was great to see such a range of research. I thought the level of debate and length of exhibitions was ideal.”
“The great multitude of topics, all of which help you in staying open-minded. It is also great fun.”
“The showcase is accessible and engaging for a broad audience, including families and young adults, due to interactive elements and short format talks.”
In 2026, this event is being relaunched as the British Academy’s Ideas Festival and will take place 19-20 June 2026.
Following the success of the CLOD Ensemble performance at the Autumn Donor Celebratory event in November 2024, the group returned to the SHAPE Room at the Academy for our 2025 Summer Showcase
2024 British Academy Book Prize winner, Ross Perlin, discusses the importance of linguistic diversity with Bridget Kendall Hon FBA
LYR, featuring British Poet Laureate Simon Armitage Hon FBA, singer-songwriter Richard Walters, and multi-instrumentalist Patrick Pearson, presents Blossomise Live
Dr Pamela Odih (British Academy / Leverhulme Small Research Grant recipient) introduces internationally renowned MC Rider Shafique, premiering a poem giving tribute to the late Benjamin Zephaniah Hon FBA
At the Antarctic Echoes exhibit, attendees could craft their own 'more-than-human' story via a story cube, using different methods and materials
Activities across the Academy
From the biannual Fellow’s Week to a range of policy conferences and roundtables – teams across the Academy are making use of these spaces to bring together Fellows, academics, policymakers, donors, and the public, to engage with the social sciences and humanities.
This year has seen multiple conferences, made possible by our enhanced capacity to host in these event spaces. As well as the inaugural SHAPE Conference, conferences on Policy Histories, Global (Dis)Order, Just Transitions for Antimicrobial Resistance, and Equitable Partnerships, amongst others, were hosted by our Policy and International Teams.
The Research Funding Team have celebrated award holders during the Wolfson Symposium, to bring together researchers awarded Wolfson Fellowships and Professorships, a Wellcome Small Research Grant Conference, and a Researchers at Risk event, among others.
Highlights across the Academy
Photos (clockwise): Workshop at SHAPE Conference; Panel Discussion at SHAPE Conference; Professor David Cannadine FBA speaking at the Policy Histories Conference; Ross Perlin received 2024 British Academy Book Prize Winner's Award; Photography by Arko Datto commission based on the 2023 British Academy Book Prize Winner 'Courting India' by Nandini Das, and the Prizes and Medals Ceremony.
Early Career Researcher Network
The Early Career Researcher Network has expanded nationwide across the four devolved nations, and now has over 8,000 members. This network seeks to not only strengthen SHAPE subjects more broadly, but to support early-career researchers (ECRs), regardless of location, institutional affiliation, lack thereof, or financial situation. It helps to bridge gaps in access that researchers may have, strengthen their skills, grow their networks, and empower ECRs personally and professionally.
This team hosted four events in these spaces across the year, including their London Cluster Celebration, an Academic Book Publishing Conference, and the National Post Doctoral Conference.
Highlights from ECRN events
Photos (clockwise): Professor Mike Heffernan FBA speaking at the ECRN London Cluster Event; people at ECRN London Cluster Event; a Presentation on Researchers and AI at the Academic Book Publishing Conference; presentation on Open Access Books Guide at the Academic Book Publishing Conference; a panel discussion at the Academic Book Publishing Conference; and a panel discussion at the ECRN London Cluster Event.
What's next?
Find out about future events happening at the British Academy on our events webpage. We have many more seasonal public events on the horizon, as well as the 2026 British Academy Ideas Festival on 19-20 June 2026.