Expression of Interest for IF Oxford 2025

1. Starting your Expression of Interest for IF 2025

 

Please see if-oxford.com/get-involved before you get started.


IF Oxford 2025 will take place 18 Oct — 2 Nov 2025 (TBC) and our audiences have come to expect a brilliant range of activities across topics and formats. Events take place using dozens of venues, with digital and print output representing the work of cultural and scientific organisations. 

 

Any public event is a complex operation, so the team will guide you through the production and the safety steps to help you create our great Festival.


The first stage is the Expression of Interest, designed to capture enthusiasm from people who might be involved in the 2025 science and ideas Festival.

For examples from the past several years, please previous IF Oxford programmes and reports: if-oxford.com/past-festivals

 

The Expression of Interest form can be saved and submitted later. Ensure to press the "save and continue later" at the bottom of the survey. Feel free to share the link with your team.

 

Important Dates & Deadlines

📌 Expression of Interest

Submit your EOI form now to confirm participation (this survey)
🗓 Deadline: Friday, 18 April 2025

📞 First-Stage Development Calls
Book your one-on-one call as soon as possible to discuss initial event planning.

🗓 February – May 2025

📌 Event Details Submission
Programme – Event confirmation, copy, images, and logos
Logistics – Event setup requirements (electricity, water, PA system, lighting...) - second survey sent early March
Finance – Invoice participation fee payment

🗓 Deadline: Friday, 16 May 2025

🎭 Programme Production
🗓 June – July 2025 -The programme will be finalised and launched on Thursday, 21 August 2025.

⚠️ Risk Assessments & Insurance
🗓 Deadline: Friday, 18 July 2025 - Ensure all risk assessments and insurance documents are submitted.

🚛 Event Logistics & Schedule
May – August 2025 - Discussion and preparation of event logistics.
🗓 Final Deadline: Tuesday, 27 August 2025


If you want to be involved and have a passion to share your work with thousands of people, tell us now! Whether you have a firm plan for activities or not, the Festival team can work with you to discuss ideas and options.   

This Expression of Interest should take around five minutes to complete, so please do it as soon as you are able. This way, we can schedule the development conversation and get to the fun bit… 

Please note, this form is not a contract and filling it in does not commit you to being part of the Festival.  It is simply a way for you to express your interest in being involved and to start a conversation. 

If you have any further questions, please contact: info@if-oxford.com


 

1. Your primary contact details *

Primary contact
First name
Last name
Position / role
Organisation
Department
Mobile phone number
Email address
Social media accounts
 

2. Your secondary contact details *

Secondary contact
First name
Last name
Position / role
Organisation
Department
Mobile phone number
Email address
Social media accounts
 

3. Please outline your area of work / innovation in 100 words or fewer.
Please provide any links to your online media, eg. film / audio clips or to your own website.
Other supporting information can be emailed to info@if-oxford.com *

 

4. Do you have a clear idea of what you will do in the Festival this October, eg. take part in a multi-participant family zone or run a stand-alone event?

This doesn’t need to be very specific and don’t worry if you do not have a clear plan yet – give us any information about what you might like to do here and we’ll ask you for more detail later.  *

 

5. What level of support do you require for your event/hands-one activity?

The Festival charity has to cover marketing, operational and venue costs, so needs to charge most contributors a participation fee.  If this is a real barrier for your involvement, please indicate in the comments box.
You might consider an application to an external funder (the Festival team can help you with this), please see:
if-oxford.com/get-involved *

 

6. Have you booked a meeting with the team to discuss your involvement in IF 2025?

The next step in the preparation process is to arrange a video or phone call with Dane, the Festival Director, or Lisa, the Festival Manager.
This meeting is an important opportunity for us to understand and refine your ideas into Festival events, provide guidance on the location of the event or activity, confirm its suitability for different age groups, and explain the next steps in the organisational process. Even if you have organised an event with us before, we kindly ask that you schedule this meeting to ensure everything is well-prepared together.

You can book your meeting now using this link:

https://calendly.com/lisa-if-oxford/45min
  *