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WHAT IS BRITGRAD?
BritGrad - the British Graduate Shakespeare Conference - is an interdisciplinary, academic conference held annually at the Shakespeare Institute, part of the University of Birmingham, in the heart of Stratford-upon-Avon. Since 1999, BritGrad has brought together postgraduate researchers from across the world to share their work, develop their professional network, and engage with leading voices in Shakespeare, early modern, and Renaissance studies.
Each year, postgraduate delegates are invited to present papers or creative workshops on any topic related to Shakespeare, Renaissance, or early modern research. The range of panels is intentionally broad and interdisciplinary - encompassing literature, history, performance, film and television, cultural studies, politics, music, art history, pedagogy, and beyond. Final-year undergraduate students are also welcome to attend as auditors.
BritGrad is shaped by its environment: an active hub of early modern scholarship within the heart of Shakespeare's hometown, Stratford-upon-Avon. Here, attendees can access the specialised research libraries and archives of Shakespeare Institute and Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, explore Stratford’s historic sites, or attend performances at the world-renowned Royal Shakespeare Company.
The conference is hybrid, allowing online participants worldwide to take part in panels, plenaries, and academic discussions.
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A defining feature of BritGrad is its programme of plenary lectures delivered by field-leading experts - scholars, directors, actors, and practitioners whose work shapes contemporary Shakespeare and Renaissance studies. Previous speakers include Prof. Farah Karim-Cooper, Sir Gregory Doran, Prof. Simon Palfrey, Erica Whyman OBE, Dr. Chris Laoutaris, Prof. Laurie Maguire, Dr. Andy Kesson, Dr. Paul Edmondson, Dr. Paul Prescott, and many others.
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Alongside academic panels, attendees are invited to join social events, excursions, and informal gatherings that help build a genuinely warm and collaborative community. BritGrad’s ethos centres on accessibility, collegiality, and the celebration of early career research.
Whether attending online or in Stratford-upon-Avon, BritGrad offers postgraduate researchers a space to present their work in a supportive environment, connect with international peers, and engage critically and creatively with what Shakespeare, the early modern period, and Renaissance culture continue to mean today. The conference is designed not only to strengthen academic profiles and CVs, but to encourage new conversations, new friendships, and new ideas.
