Oxford has long been at the centre of fantasy writing and been home to such authors as William Morris, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Diana Wynne Jones, Susan Cooper, Alan Garner, Philip Pullman, and R.F. Kuang. Bloomsbury Publishing has been championing fantasy genre and have brought to our bookshelves works by J.K. Rowling, Susanna Clarke, Alan Moore, Sarah J. Maas, and many more. The Fantasy Summer School 2025, organised by the University of Oxford, and supported with a philanthropic donation from Bloomsbury Publishing, continues the tradition and brings together the expertise of scholars, publishers working with fantasy, and authors, including Bloomsbury fantasy author and Oxford alumna Samantha Shannon.
The School is aimed at anyone with an interest in fantasy literature aged 16 or over, who wants a general introduction to the main writers and texts. Over the course of three days of lectures and talks, you will learn more about the past, present and future of the fantasy genre from leading scholars, writers, and publishing team in the field. Please keep in mind that although writers may find the sessions of interest, this is not a practical creative writing course. Please also note that we will not be issuing certificates of attendance for this event.
* Places for in-person attendance have now been allocated, but you can register for online attendance above. We'd like to highlight that capacity is restricted due to streaming limitations, and so we may not be offer a spot to everyone who is interested. However, sessions will be recorded for release later in the year. Thank you for your understanding.
If you have any questions, please check the FAQ page or email bloomsburyfantasy@ell.ox.ac.uk.
