We can't believe it is the end of the academic year! To reminisce we share some of the year's highlights, from the dodo to the digital age. We also look ahead to next year's 'Humanities and Identities' series and are pleased to announce that we will be part of the nationwide festival of the humanities Being Human.

Although term has ended there is still lots going on over the summer, with events exploring Bob Dylan, eighteenth-century garden design and the relationship between music and dance in choreography. We will be back with our next newsletter in October and in the meantime wish you a lovely summer holiday!

News and Blogs

TORCH to be part of Being Human

We will team up with the Ashmolean Museum for a late night opening in November exploring the art and science of hope and fear, which will be the official closing event for the nationwide festival of the humanities. Read more here.

Five portraits from the University of Oxford breaking the stereotypes

TORCH Early Career Fellow Dr Ruth Scobie writes for Art UK about a new University initative to celebrate diversity in Oxford portraits. Read more here.

Reminder: Humanities & Identities

We are looking forward to our Annual Headline Series for 2016-17 Humanities & Identities. It will explore multiple research areas relating to diversity including race, gender, sexuality, disability, class, and inequality. Ideas are sought for projects including an outdoor exhibition and online trail. Please submit ideas by 1 August. 

Reminder of Opportunities

Facing the Future
Nominate someone who makes a difference to feature in a new University portrait as part of the Diversifying Oxford Portraits project. Deadline: Friday 8 July. 

Share Your First World War Research with an International Audience
We welcome proposals for new perspectives on the War and its impact through either a blog post or short (audio/video) podcast. Deadline: Monday 1 August.

Highlighted Events

Skippin' Reels of Rhyme

18:30-20:00, Thursday 30 June, Holywell Music Room

A concert celebrating Bob Dylan's poetry featuring Allegra Giagu (mezzo-soprano), Nicole Panizza (piano), and Hannah Sanders (soprano).

The English Garden Exhibition

8 July - 4 September, Blackwell Hall, Weston Library

Items from the collections of the Bodleian Library tell the story of eighteenth-century garden design, creativity, and tourism. A programme of talks and other events will accompany the exhibition.

Exploring the Rhythm

19-22 July, St Hilda's College

Choreographer Kim Brandstrup, cellist/composer Oliver Coates and renowned pianist Joanna MacGregor lead a workshop with dancers on the relationship between music and dance in choreography. 

Telling Tales, Writing Stories

9:30-19:00, Friday 9 September, Radcliffe Humanities

A colloquium exploring the ways in which stories have been told from antiquity to the present day. From the spoken word to the written, from danced performances to bardic recitals, from dub poetry to the big screen of cinema, narrative is at the heart of artistic forms.

Looking back on 2015-16

As we reach the end of the academic year 2015-16 we look back at some of our highlights from this year, from the dodo to the digital age. Visit our blog to see 2015-16 in numbers.