Feature 9 July 2025

Fellowship news and events

Six people stand in a row, smiling, in front of a colorful street mural featuring a large face. They are dressed in smart-casual attire and appear to be attending an event or gathering outdoors.

Summary

Stay in the know with Fellowship: get a recap of the Fourth Fellows Festival, discover an exhibition of RSA Journal covers currently at RSA House, learn about the relaunch of an RSA network, and more.

Fourth Fellows Festival shows the power of connection 

Fellows Festival 2025 proved to be the biggest, boldest and best yet, with gatherings taking place across the UK and in the US, Canada, Japan and Oceania. 

Now in its fourth year, the Fellows Festival is the highlight of the RSA’s event calendar. Twelve festival events took place – from 15 to 21 May – with Fellows meeting in person or online to hear from inspiring speakers, to collaborate and to co-create.  

RSA Chief Executive Andy Haldane said that the festival’s geographical range made the overall theme – the power of connection – particularly appropriate. “We started life as a coffee house – a place for bringing together people from different backgrounds, disciplines and professions to make good things happen. More than 270 years on, and that is still what we are doing.” 

The seven UK festival events examined different aspects of the power of connection. Here is a summary of what happened. 

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Banner with "BECOME A FELLOW TODAY" in bold, and text about RSA Fellowship benefits. Left side shows a vertical strip of diverse, monochrome portraits in purple, orange, and teal squares.
Banner with "BECOME A FELLOW TODAY" in bold, and text about RSA Fellowship benefits. Left side shows a vertical strip of diverse, monochrome portraits in purple, orange, and teal squares.

Bath: Southwest Fellows explored connection through an intergenerational exchange considering the question: what does the future ask of us? Participants enjoyed a reflective wander and a writing workshop, while producing a creative manifesto. Speakers included writer and poet Louisa Adjoa Parker, Founder of ROCsalt network Michael Hammer and House of Imagination Director Wayne Lindsay. 

Birmingham: The Birmingham festival included contributions from David Leech and Mike Wistow – co-Founders of Wood for the Trees, who shared how they are connecting people with nature to inspire fresh thinking. Big Brum demonstrated the power of theatre to engage marginalised communities, while Kaleem Hussain brought together civic leaders to consider how we create more peaceful communities through local action. 

Brighton: A key focus for Fellows at the Brighton festival was exploring regional prosperity through the lens of the RSA’s Prosperous Places work, drawing on expertise across a range of sectors. Speakers included Tom Stratton, RSA Chief of Staff, Jacob Taylor, Deputy Leader of Brighton and Hove Council, Cara Courage, Culture, Communities and Place Consultant, and Lloyd Gofton, Director of the Sussex Dolphin Project. 

Cardiff: Welsh Fellows explored the power of connection through poetry, prose and policy writing. Participants also considered body language, hearing loss, neurodiversity, the power of silence and being with nature. Speakers included poet Kate North, theatre director Iwan Brioc, author and poet Guinevere Clark, and Chair of the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales David Clubb. 

Edinburgh: The power of connection could not have been stronger at the Fellows Festival in Edinburgh. Delegates heard from Professor Linda Bauld about health and policy in Scotland, author Sue Palmer on the importance of love and play in childhood and from the Playful Green Planet stewards about the work they are doing in Dundee.  

London: The RSA’s flagship festival event took place across RSA House, involving sessions in the Great Room and Durham Street Auditorium, plus an extensive fringe arts programme. Speakers included Baroness Armstrong, Chair of the Independent Commission on Neighbourhoods, Patrick Hurley, MP for Stockport and Baroness Fox, Founder of the Academy of Ideas. 

Manchester: The Manchester festival took place at Home Manchester, an arts centre, cinema and theatre complex. A wide range of speakers covered connection from the perspective of theatre, singing, dancing and the different ‘masks’ we wear for work and home. 

Watch sessions from the London festival at RSA House.

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A display of various RSA Journal covers and pages arranged in a grid on a white wall, featuring different designs, colors, and images, including artwork, portraits, and text.

An exhibition of RSA Journal covers can currently be viewed at RSA House. Highlights include copies of the covers of some of the earliest editions of the Journal. But the exhibition also showcases more recent Journal cover designs, such as the Astrid award-winning illustration of famous Fellows for the 270th anniversary issue. The exhibition, which was unveiled at the Fellows Festival, will have a semi-permanent presence – and will be updated over time.


Join the discussion at Circle Live 

We’re excited to introduce Circle Live Events – a new way to bring communities together in real time, wherever they are. Built to foster deeper connection, learning and engagement, Circle Live Events allow Fellows to host dynamic, interactive experiences directly within the Circle platform. 

Leading the way is the Responsible AI Network (RAIN), whose Circle Live Discussion Group and Book Club is already up and running and meeting on a monthly basis. Each session focuses on a book, research paper, report or news article suggested by network members. 

A colorful abstract painting shows overlapping silhouettes of people in various vibrant hues, including blue, green, pink, orange, and purple, creating a sense of diversity and unity against a textured background.

Sessions are hosted by Tania Duarte, co-leader of RAIN, and you don’t need to be an AI expert to join. Each RAIN Circle Live event aims to provide a space for learning, understanding different perspectives, and building community around a shared interest in ethical and responsible technology. 

For topics beyond AI, monthly Circle Live events are being developed as ‘Coffee House Drop-ins’ – an informal online gathering inspired by the original RSA coffee house conversations. The sessions are a space for curious minds to connect, share and spark ideas. 

Finally, plans are also under way for a Journal version of Circle Live. ‘RSA Journal Conversations’ will be a quarterly online gathering where Fellows from around the world come together to reflect on, unpick and explore a thought-provoking article from the latest Journal. 

Head to Circle for more information on all Circle Live events.  

Jess Robson is RSA Global Community Manager 

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More award wins for the Journal 

The Journal has continued its winning streak of successes, by triumphing in the Astrid Awards, which recognise outstanding achievement in corporate design. 

In total, the RSA and its publishing partner, Wardour, won four awards across Astrid’s video and magazine cover categories: Grand Award and Gold Award for the Journal’s ‘Can democracy survive AI’ video (Issue 2 2024); Bronze Award for its Courageous Governance cover (Issue 2 2024); and Honours for its cover celebrating the RSA’s 270th anniversary (Issue 1 2024). 

A black and gold badge reads "2025 Winner ASTRID Awards 2025" in bold, stylized text against a black background.

Vicky Kington, RSA Director of Content and Communications, described the award successes as “another fantastic accolade” for the Journal. 

“We are delighted that the design of the Journal’s videos and covers has been recognised in this way. It is a demonstration of the effort and inspiration that goes into the Journal – both in print and in its increasingly innovative digital output.” 

Over the past two years, the Journal has won in 12 categories at major global award programmes. It is also shortlisted in the 2025 Corporate Content Awards and Internal Communication and Engagement Awards – with both ceremonies taking place as this edition of the Journal was going to press. 


Survey shows support for the Journal 

The latest Reader Survey has shown strong support for the Journal, with  

88% of respondents describing it as an important part of their Fellowship. 

For the 2024/25 survey, 12% considered the Journal an ‘extremely important’ component of their Fellowship, 31% said it was ‘very important’, 34% of ‘average importance’ and 12% ‘slightly important’. 

Fellows agreed that the Journal is accessible, includes high-quality design and content, introduces new ideas and new writers, updates readers on the RSA’s work and inspires involvement with the RSA. 

The survey also confirmed that Fellows want to be able to read the Journal both in print and online. Forty-two per cent of respondents said their preference was for both formats, while 34% selected ‘print only’ and 20% ‘digital only’. 

However, the survey also showed that 48% of respondents have never accessed a Journal article online. We are aiming to significantly reduce this percentage and, in response to the feedback, will be launching a brand  

new digital title in July. In answer to open questions in the survey, Fellows praised the Journal’s high-profile interviews, suggesting that the recent redesign of the print publication had made the content more engaging and accessible. 

We want to thank all those Fellows that took the time to complete the survey. This month we launch the new Journal website, visit today to enjoy a brand-new Journal experience: www.rsa.org.uk  

A donut chart shows the importance of the Journal in a fellowship: 31% say very important, 34% of average importance, 12% extremely important, 12% slightly important, and 12% not at all important.

Mentoring scheme extended 

The age range for those taking part in the RSA’s Fellowship Mentoring Programme has been extended to include those aged up to 35 years old in response to Fellow demand and feedback, and also to increase the impact of the programme. 

Introduced in October 2024, the Mentoring Programme allows  

mentees to gain one-on-one guidance from an experienced Fellow, while mentors help shape future leaders and contribute to an intergenerational exchange of ideas. It has proved a very popular initiative with more than 150 Fellows volunteering to become mentors. 

Previously, the focus has been on supporting mentees aged 18–25, but now mentorship can be accessed by young professionals aged 26–35. 

Those Fellows already registered as mentors should consider updating their profiles to add ‘young professionals’ to their choice of mentorship. Meanwhile, Fellows aged 26–35 who would like to register as mentees should do so as soon as possible so they can be matched with a mentor and begin their mentoring journey. 

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Network relaunched to address international development challenges 

Abstract illustration of a diverse group of people represented by overlapping, colorful circles and ovals, arranged in rows on a light blue background. No facial features or details are shown.

The RSA’s International Development Network has relaunched after a long period of dormancy. At a time of major global disruption and a critical turning point for international development, the network has been revived so that those working in the field can come together to discuss the pressing challenges we face. 

Three relaunch events have already taken place, with more than 150 Fellows, policy leaders and practitioners joining from across continents to explore what is at stake and what must come next. A strong message emerged: the current aid model is no longer fit for purpose.  

But this moment also presents a generational opportunity to rethink global cooperation, which is where Fellows can contribute. The three network leads – Oz Hassan, Alan Harding and Ian Thomas – are now gathering ideas for the next phase of events from September 2025. 

According to Hassan: “The RSA’s Coffee House tradition offers an ideal forum for probing, transdisciplinary exchanges – connecting insights and innovations from across the Fellowship.”  

Current ideas being considered are an event highlighting women-led grassroots projects, a session exploring the role and perspectives of development agencies in Asia-Pacific, and an end-of-year celebration. 

Those on Circle can follow this link to join the International Development Network.


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