Frequently Asked Questions
The School is not an academic conference, and is aimed at members of the public and A-level students interested in this important genre. No prior knowledge of fantasy fiction is required, just an interest in the field and willingness to learn.
The School will take place from Tuesday 23rd - Thursday 25th September 2025.
Sessions will start at 9.30am each morning, and end at approximately 5.30pm on Tuesday and Wednesday, and at 3.30pm on Thursday.
A final programme will be available in summer 2025.
No, unfortunately we are only able to accept applications for in-person attendance from those who are able to attend all three days of the School. However, those who can only attend some of the sessions will be able to watch online via a livestream.
Yes, we plan to livestream the School so that anyone who can't come can listen to the talks remotely.
On Wednesday 24th September, Nigel Newton CBE, Founder and Chief Executive of Bloomsbury Publishing, will introduce an afternoon showcasing Bloomsbury fantasy fiction. The audience will have the opportunity to listen to successful Bloomsbury authors, and ask them questions, as well as hear from the publishing team who bring their books to the market.
The afternoon will finish with a drinks reception and an opportunity to purchase selected Bloomsbury books.
You must submit your Expression of Interest by Thursday 17th April 2025.
We will notify all applicants whether they have been successful or not by Friday 16th May 2025. You will then have until Friday 23rd May 2025 to let us know if you would like to accept this, after which we will assume you are no longer interested, and will allocate your place to another applicant.
If your application was not successful in the first round of allocations, we will give you the option to join a waiting list should any places become available.
Thanks to generous sponsorship from Bloomsbury Publishing, the School, including light refreshments and lunch, is free of charge for attendees. However, you will need to organise your own travel and accommodation, and cover the cost of these.
Cohen Quad is centrally located on Walton Street, Oxford, and easily accessible by bus and train. We recommend that you use public transport to travel to and from the venue as roads in Oxford are frequently congested, and parking is expensive. We will provide a map of central Oxford and the venue to those who accept a place on the School.
Cohen Quad has been designed to be accessible. If you are offered a place at the School, we will send you a booking form where you will have the opportunity to give details of any access requirements. We will try to ensure that we meet the needs of all attendees.
If you are offered a place at the School, we will send you a booking form where you will have the opportunity to give details of dietary requirements. We will endeavour to provide suitable alternative options for those who need them.
We anticipate that there will be more demand than places for the School, so urge you before applying to consider carefully whether you can commit to attending all three days. However, we understand that unforeseen events can change your plans, and in this case, ask you to notify us by email as soon as possible so that we can release the place to someone on the waiting list. Our email address is: bloomsburyfantasy@ell.ox.ac.uk
If you have any questions not covered above, please contact bloomsburyfantasy@ell.ox.ac.uk.
