Byre World Returns for 2025-26

The School of Modern Languages and the Byre Theatre are pleased to announce the return of Byre World - an annual series of talks, workshops, and performances bringing the School of Modern Languages' global cultural studies research to the local community.

Running since 2015 in collaboration with the Byre Theatre in St Andrews, all Byre World events are open to all members of the University and the general public. 

Events range from curated film screenings to poetry readings, from debates and interviews, to interactive arts-based activities and performances. Most events are delivered in collaboration with creative practitioners or other partners.

Events announced

The first three Byre World events have already been announced and we hope to see you there:

Translating Mothersland - 23 September 2025
Novelist Shahzoda Samarqandi and translator Shelley Fairweather-Vega join Dr Sarah Gear to explore translation’s role in amplifying Central Asian voices.

Summoning the Spirit - 1 October 2025
Discover how 19th-century séances sparked a creative revolution. Dr David Evans explores spiritualism’s impact on British and French culture.

East German Cinema and the Holocaust - 27 January 2026
Screening of Sterne [Stars] by Konrad Wolf (1959) followed by Q&A with Seán Allan (St Andrews) and Elizabeth Ward (Leipzig).

Future events

More Byre World events will be announced in due course - check the Byre Theatre website for details.