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Tickets £18 – £20
Running time 2 hours with interval
Seating allocated seating
Suitable for 14 +
Following the global conversation that erupted after the screening of the TV show Adolescence, the MENtalk festival has invited songwriter, author and campaigner
Billy Bragg to headline a conversation about how today’s political big players are shaping ideas of masculinity and the impact of social media and AI on boys and young men.
He’s joined by radio broadcaster and journalist DJ Nihal Athanayake, author of Let’s Talk: How to Have Better Conversations, and special guest, the internationally celebrated writer Laura Bates, whose book and project Everyday Sexism became a viral sensation. Her latest book The New Age of Sexism: How the AI Revolution is Reinventing Misogyny, uncovers shocking and worrying facts that we all need to understand as we help young people – and ourselves – navigate the world. This fascinating and urgent discussion chaired by Nick Isles, Director of Policy Institute for Men and Boys, will be of crucial interest to everyone involved in raising children or understanding the jeopardies of the online world.
Our host and panel
BILLY BRAGG
SONG WRITER AND ACTIVIST
Stephen William Bragg (born 20 December 1957) is an English singer, songwriter, musician, author and political activist. His music blends elements of folk music, punk rock and protest songs, with lyrics that mostly span political or romantic themes. His activism is centred on social change and left-wing political causes.
Billy is releasing a new book – “A People’s History” – it’s the story of one of Britain’s leading singer-songwriters and political activists as told in the words of fans.
To be published in October 2025 by Spenwood Books of Manchester, UK, Billy Bragg – A People’s History is a paperback book containing over 700 fan memories of seeing Billy in concert, on a demonstration or on a TV show. It also includes more than 50 contributions from Billy and many images from his personal archive.
photo credit: Murdo Macleod
Laura Bates
Writer and founder of the Everyday Sexism Project
Laura Bates is an activist, writer, speaker and journalist. She is the founder of the Everyday Sexism Project, an ever-increasing collection of over 200,000 testimonies of gender inequality. The project raises awareness of sexism, provides a cathartic and empowering space for survivors’ stories to be heard and believed, and uses those stories to create real-world change in partnership with politicians, businesses and organisations from the United Nations to the Council of Europe.
Nihal Athanayake
Writer and Radio and TV Presenter
Nihal Arthanayake is a British broadcaster, journalist, and DJ, known for his work on BBC Radio 5 Live and his insightful interviewing style. He has won several awards, including the BBC Radio and Music Awards’ Interview of the Year in 2019. Beyond radio, he’s a published author, with his book “Let’s Talk: How to Have Better Conversations” released in August 2022.
Nick Isles
Director of Policy Institute for Men and Boys
Nick is a writer, and advocate for responsible capitalism and was the former Chair of the High Pay Centre. He has a background in corporate strategy and social policy, and has authored influential work on business ethics and the future of work.
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