Briony’s picks for BRAZEN
Dearest Bugle reader,
It’s my birthday. Rather than you giving me a gift, I thought I’d give you one.
I’m going to be honest with you. The techSPARK team have excelled themselves with the BRAZEN schedule (9 - 13 November), now it’s our chance to repay their ambition by BOOKING TICKETS and getting involved.
BRAZEN is Bristol’s city-wide festival of technology, creativity and culture. Run over five days, with multiple venues and four tracks, it has a line-up that genuinely made me stop scrolling, several times.
Here are my personal picks, organised by what I care about most.
But if you don’t give two hoots what I think, just check out the schedule for yourself or the speaker list. I implore you!
For the wellness-curious
Haptic Yoga from Beat Blocks might be the most unexpected thing on the programme and I’ve already got my ticket. Held in the Crypt(!) at St Nicholas Church, it combines haptic floor technology (music you can feel through your body) with yoga and somatic movement. [multiple sessions Mon - Fri, bookings via Yuup]
For those who care about impact
Two speakers I wouldn’t miss for anything:
Guy Singh-Watson, founder of Riverford, has spent decades building a business that proves you can do things differently and still succeed. After hearing him at Entreconf earlier this year, I can say with confidence that his voice on leadership, purpose, and the relationship between business and the land is one I find genuinely nourishing and thought-provoking. [Thurs 12, 10:05 - you’ll need a Summit ticket]
Satish Kumar, activist, author, and former monk, has been making the case for a more human, more ecological way of living for over 60 years. I last heard him speak in a tent at River Cottage. If you’ve never encountered his spiritual, energising and inspiring work, this is your chance. [Weds 11, 12:00 - 12:30 - you’ll need a Summit ticket]
Data centre dilemmas: unpacking AI’s social & environmental impacts looks like a cracking session hosted by Triiodos. [Wed 11, 6:00 - 8:00pm]
KPMG is hosting Conversations on AI: Can Bristol's Reputation for Innovation, Creativity and Sustainability Shape the Course of AI for Social Good? [Nov 10, 5:30 pm]
For the regional ecosystem watchers
The Community track is where I’ll be spending time with my Bugle hat on. The programme includes sessions from Bristol Creative Industries, the Met Office, and the RWA, with conversations covering everything from entry-level AI talent to the future of Bristol Harbour.
Don’t miss the engineering lab bus tour either - what a unique chance to get behind-the-scenes access to Open Bionics, Smartbox and WASE in one afternoon. Genuinely extraordinary. [Monday 9 Nov, multiple tours, just google BRAZEN bus tour, Community track]
For the celeb-speaker moment
Margaret Heffernan is the author of Wilful Blindness and one of the sharpest thinkers on leadership, organisational culture, and the stories we tell ourselves. She will make you uncomfortable in the best possible way. {Fri 13, 09:30 - 10:00, you’ll need a Summit pass]
Dame Dawn Childs is the first woman to hold several senior RAF engineering posts, former leader at Gatwick, Merlin and National Grid, and now CEO of data centre company nLighten. She is exactly the kind of trailblazer this city should be celebrating loudly. [Wed 11, midday]
And Roni Size. A live episode of the Nothing, Something, Nothing podcast, with one of the founders of drum & bass and the Mercury Prize-winning collective Reprazent. Bristol music royalty, live at BRAZEN. [Fri 13, 4:00 - 5:00, Community track]
For the spectacle + insta potential
Bristol: Built by Dreamers at St Mary Redcliffe is a 30-minute holographic show created by Holotronica - the Bristol team whose technology has featured in Beyoncé and Lady Gaga productions and London’s 2025 New Year’s Eve celebrations. Seven nights only. Bristol’s past, present and future brought to life inside one of the city’s most beautiful buildings. Bring the family. [multiple sessions, book via Yuup Fri 6/11 - Fri 13/11]
If you believe Bristol really is Greater, you’ve got to see it.
Oh, and I haven’t selected anything from AI day but believe me when I tell you it’s jam-packed with interesting content.
How to get involved
The Summit track requires a day pass or full week pass. The Community track is largely free. The Live experiences are ticketed separately through Yuup.
Browse the full schedule at brazen.eventive.org/schedule and book what calls to you.
See you out there 🎺
Briony
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