Imladris – Upcoming Tolkien-related events

Upcoming Tolkien-related events

Each year various special days, events, talks, seminars, conferences, festivals, exhibitions, tours and more are organised focused on the life and works of JRR Tolkien.

The following list gives you an idea of the variety of events happening in 2022.

Note: I have focused mostly on UK-based or online events (English language). I've provided a link in the Recommended Websites section for foreign-language events. All times are UK (GMT or BST) unless otherwise stated. 

PRIOR EVENTS IN 2022  

Tolkien Toast l SPECIAL DAY
3 January
Celebrating JRR Tolkien’s birthday
https://www.tolkiensociety.org/society/events/toast/

Tolkien Reading Day l SPECIAL DAY
25 March
https://www.tolkiensociety.org/society/events/reading-day/

Birmingham Fantasy Worlds Weekend l FESTIVAL
Birmingham (UK)
https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/events/cwg-cultural-programme/fantasy-worlds-weekend.aspx

International Congress on Medieval Studies l CONFERENCE
University of West Michigan, Kalamazoo (USA)
Features the “Tolkien at Kalamazoo” sessions, usually held in May.
https://wmich.edu/medievalcongress
https://www.facebook.com/groups/119241118286629/

Tolkien in Vermont conference at UVM l SEMINAR
University of Vermont (USA)
https://www.facebook.com/tolkienvt/

Tolkien Lecture on Fantasy Literature l LECTURE
Annual lecture given at Pembroke College, Oxford (UK)
https://tolkienlecture.org/  

2022 Lecture - Rebecca F. Kuang on “Goodness, Beauty, and Truth: The Value of Art in Times of Crisis.” You can view the lecture here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBj5EVDuLzw

2022 UPCOMING EVENTS

16 June – 11 July 2022 l ONLINE GAMING EVENT
The Lord of the Rings Online Midsummer Festival 
https://www.lotro.com/home 

19 June 2022 @ 10-11am l GUIDED TOUR
Origins of Middle-earth: J.R.R. Tolkien and Sarehole Guided walk
Sarehole Mill, Birmingham (In-person)
https://www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/sarehole/whats-on/origins-of-middle-earth-j-r-r-tolkien-and-sarehole-guided-walk-f07d42ff-e10e-4471-ada8-c8ce1096d8e2

25-26 June 2022 l FESTIVAL
Bradford Literature Festival
Bradford (In-person)
https://www.bradfordlitfest.co.uk/
https://www.bradfordlitfest.co.uk/events/?genre=tolkien

Saturday 25 June 2022 @ 10:30am - 11:30am l LECTURE
Tolkien: The Great Tales Never End
Catherine McIlwaine, John Garth, Grace Khuri
Lecture Theatre, The Dye House Gallery, Bradford College
https://www.bradfordlitfest.co.uk/event/the-great-tales-never-end/

Saturday 25 June 2022 @ 11:45am - 1:00pm l LECTURE
Where Did Tolkien Find His Inspiration?
Catherine Batt, Alaric Hall, John Garth
Lecture Theatre, The Dye House Gallery, Bradford College
https://www.bradfordlitfest.co.uk/event/where-did-tolkien-find-his-inspiration/

Sunday 26 June 2022 @ 11:45am - 12:45pm l LECTURE
The Worlds of JRR Tolkien: The Places that Inspired Middle-Earth
John Garth
The Dye House Gallery, Bradford College
https://www.bradfordlitfest.co.uk/event/the-worlds-of-jrr-tolkien-the-places-that-inspired-middle-earth/

Sunday 26 June 2022 @ 4:00pm - 5:00pm l LECTURE
Inspired by Tolkien
Samantha Shannon, Courttia Newland, David Barnett
The Dye House Gallery, Bradford College
https://www.bradfordlitfest.co.uk/event/inspired-by-tolkien/

Sunday 3 July 2022 l SEMINAR
Tolkien and the Gothic
Tolkien Society Seminar (Virtual)
https://www.tolkiensociety.org/events/tolkien-society-seminar-2022/  

Sunday 3 July 2022 @ 10-11am l GUIDED TOUR
Origins of Middle-earth: J.R.R. Tolkien and Sarehole Guided walk
Sarehole Mill, Birmingham (In-person)
https://www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/sarehole/whats-on/origins-of-middle-earth-j-r-r-tolkien-and-sarehole-guided-walk-281aea6d-bee7-408e-9e36-27592e399112

4-7 JULY 2022 l CONFERENCE
International Medieval Congress 2022
Leeds University (In-person or virtual)
https://www.imc.leeds.ac.uk/imc-2022/

Dr Andrew Higgins, the Tolkien sessions organiser, has listed the Tolkien-focused programme here: http://wotanselvishmusings.blogspot.com/2022/05/tolkien-sessions-at-leeds-imc-2022-full.html

Saturday 9 July – Saturday 17 September 2022 l EXHIBITION
Magic of Middle-earth exhibition
Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum (In-person)
https://www.museumsworcestershire.org.uk/2022/05/27/middle-earth/

13-17 July 2022 l CONFERENCE
Once And Future Fantasies Conference 2022
Centre for Fantasy and the Fantastic (CFF) / International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts (IAFA)
University of Glasgow (In person)
https://fantasy.glasgow.ac.uk/index.php/onceandfuturecon/ https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/once-and-future-fantasies-conference-tickets-242828134487

Sunday 24 July 2022 @ 10-11am l GUIDED TOUR
Origins of Middle-earth: J.R.R. Tolkien and Sarehole Guided walk
Sarehole Mill, Birmingham (In-person)
https://www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/sarehole/whats-on/origins-of-middle-earth-j-r-r-tolkien-and-sarehole-guided-walk-20056c46-2611-4aee-bd0d-6c5bba05d7cf

Friday 29 July – Sunday 1 August 2022 l CONFERENCE
Mythcon 52: The Mythic, the Fantastic, and the Alien
Albuquerque, New Mexico (In-person or virtual)
https://mythsoc.org/mythcon/mythcon-52.htm

Sunday 7 August 2022 @ 10-11am l GUIDED TOUR
Origins of Middle-earth: J.R.R. Tolkien and Sarehole Guided walk
Sarehole Mill, Birmingham (In-person)
https://www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/sarehole/whats-on/origins-of-middle-earth-j-r-r-tolkien-and-sarehole-guided-walk-5dc13b3e-e81f-4aee-8afe-95e89f34732b

Sunday 14 August 2022 @ 10-11am l GUIDED TOUR
Origins of Middle-earth: J.R.R. Tolkien and Sarehole Guided walk
Sarehole Mill, Birmingham (In-person)
https://www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/sarehole/whats-on/origins-of-middle-earth-j-r-r-tolkien-and-sarehole-guided-walk-676727cc-d446-4e41-ab29-5bdf6d96c010

19 August – 12 December 2022 l EXHIBITION
J. R. R. Tolkien: The Art of the Manuscript
Haggerty Museum of Art (In-person)
https://www.marquette.edu/haggerty-museum/tolkien.php https://www.eventbrite.com/e/j-r-r-tolkien-the-art-of-the-manuscript-tickets-224292042537
https://www.marquette.edu/haggerty-museum/

1-4 September 2022 l CONFERENCE
Oxonmoot
Oxford (In-person and virtual)
https://www.tolkiensociety.org/events/oxonmoot-2022/

1 September 2022 @ 7pm l ONLINE LECTURE
HistFest - Tolkien and the Lord of The Rings: The Discussion
http://histfest.org/lord-of-the-rings-the-discussion/

Thursday 8 September – Friday 9 September 2022  l CONFERENCE
Mythical Pasts, Fantasy Futures: The Middle Ages in Modern Visual Culture
Online
https://www.marquette.edu/haggerty-museum/tolkien-program-series.php
https://www.getty.edu/visit/cal/events/ev_3528.html

Thursday 22 September 2022 l SPECIAL DAY
Hobbit Day
Celebrating Bilbo’s and Frodo’s birthdays

Thursday 22 September 2022 @ 5-6:15pm CDT l ONLINE LECTURE
Editing the Tolkienian Manuscript (Carl Hostetter)
J.R.R. Tolkien: The Art of the Manuscript Lectures (Limited in-person and virtual)
https://www.marquette.edu/haggerty-museum/tolkien-lecture-series.php

Thursday 13 October 2022 @ 5-6:15pm CDT l ONLINE LECTURE
Tolkien’s Faith and the Foundations of Middle-earth (Holly Ordway)
J.R.R. Tolkien: The Art of the Manuscript Lectures (Limited in-person and virtual)
https://www.marquette.edu/haggerty-museum/tolkien-lecture-series.php

28th – 30th October 2022 l SEMINAR
Space and Time in Tolkien’s Work 18th Tolkien Seminar
Deutsche Tolkien Gesellschaft e.V. (Virtual)
https://www.tolkiengesellschaft.de/47244/tolkien-seminar-2022-call-for-papers-en/

Thursday 17 November 2022 @ 5-6:15pm CDT l ONLINE LECTURE
Whispering leaves: How Tolkien’s manuscripts reveal the secrets of his creativity (John Garth)
J.R.R. Tolkien: The Art of the Manuscript Lectures (Limited in-person and virtual)
https://www.marquette.edu/haggerty-museum/tolkien-lecture-series.php

TOLKIEN-FOCUSED COURSES

Several online places run short Tolkien courses that start at various times during the year.

The World of J.R.R. Tolkien lecture series on Audible l NEW

Part of the Audible “The Great Courses” series, Dr Dimitra Fimi explores J.R.R. Tolkien, his life and his works in a series of ten lectures.

https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/The-World-of-JRR-Tolkien-Audiobook/B0B8T6B5GF
https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-World-of-J-R-R-Tolkien/dp/B0B8T564C3/
http://dimitrafimi.com/tolkien-course-at-audible/

Tolkien Heads: The Man, the mythology & Middle-earth l NEW

A four week online pop-up learning community.

Week One:  Tolkien’s Life led by John Garth  
Week Two: Tolkien’s Creation of Middle-earth led by Stephen Yandell
Week Three: Tolkien and Beowulf led by Chris Vaccarro 
Week Four: Tolkien and Faith led by Tom Emmanuel

https://homebrewedchristianity.lpages.co/tolkienheads/

SPACE (Signum Portals for Adult Continuing Education) l NEW

Signum program of online short (one month) courses delivered through Signum’s new launchpad, Blackberry.

https://signumuniversity.org/non-degree-programs/space/
https://blackberry.signumuniversity.org/

Signum University

Signum University Is the first dedicated online educational institution concentrating on Tolkien Studies. They run qualifications such as a M.A. in Language & Literature and a Graduate Diploma. They also provide “Anytime Audit” for those who just want to dip into what is available.

https://signumuniversity.org/departments/language-literature/tolkien-studies/
https://signumuniversity.org/classes/anytime-audit/
https://signumuniversity.org/classes/future/

Oxford University

Each year Oxford University runs a Summer School which offers short week-long courses. This year’s Tolkien-focused courses are full, but to give you an idea – John Garth is teaching “An Introduction to Tolkien's Mythology” and “Tolkien and C.S. Lewis in Oxford” whilst Dr Martin Ovens is teaching “Owen Barfield and the Oxford Inklings: Philosophical Explorations.”

https://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/about/summer-schools

Coursera

Vanderbilt University (Nashville, Tennessee) offer a massive open online course (MMOC) run by Professor Jay Clayton called “Online Games: Literature, New Media, and Narrative.” This MOOC focuses on The Lord of the Rings Online MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online Game). The MOOC has been online for many years and has several start dates over the course of a year and is a great introduction to Tolkien whilst covering literature, gaming and media theory.

https://www.coursera.org/learn/interactive-media-gaming  

RECOMMENDED WEBSITES 

I highly recommend the fantastic Tolkienists website, run by Erik Mueller-Harder, for keeping up to date on all Tolkien-related events: https://tolkienists.org/events/  

The International Tolkien Fellowship is also highly recommended. They have two FB pages, one for news/publications and one for event information:
https://www.facebook.com/itf.newsandpubs
https://www.facebook.com/groups/internationaltolkienfellowship/

I also recommend subscribing to Marcel Aubron-Bülles’ Roving Ranger newsletter for all the latest updates on events: https://twitter.com/the_tolkienist/status/1429499632720269313