From the history of happiness to the healing power of dancefloors, discover new perspectives on living – and feeling – well.

Join us for a vibrant evening of conversations, performances, workshops, and exhibits exploring wellness in all its complexity, drawing on the latest research in the humanities and social sciences. Explore the architecture and extensive art collection of the Academy’s historic building, as you uncover new ways of thinking about living – and feeling – well.

Discover how ideas of happiness have evolved across cultures and time with a panel of leading historians; celebrate the transformative power of the dancefloor with a live DJ performance; experience the mental benefits of fibre crafting in a drop-in creative workshop; and learn how birdsong, sleep, sport, and grief shape wellbeing in unexpected ways with bite-sized talks from our funded researchers.

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Important Information

This event takes place in person only.

A full programme with timings will be circulated with registered attendees ahead of the event.

As tickets are free, we release more than the available seats to account for no-shows.

Entry to the Late is first-come, first-served. We recommend arriving early to avoid disappointment.

A ticket does not guarantee entry to the main event space (SHAPE Room). If it reaches capacity, you'll be directed to the bar next door to watch a live stream.

Entry to each activity within the event is also on a first-come, first-served basis.

Talks in the SHAPE Room and Lee Library will have live subtitles delivered by 121 Captions.

See information about the accessibility of the venue (https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/about/accessibility-at-the-british-academy/).

If you have any questions about this event, please refer to our Public Events FAQs (https://protect-eu.mimecast.com/s/ZNywCV1KUvWglTQU5zR?domain=eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com). If your question is not answered, please email events@thebritishacademy.ac.uk.

The British Academy is a registered charity, number 233176.

Programme

Conversations

Good vibes only? Exploring happiness through history

Professor Claire Langhamer FBA, Professor Richard Whatmore FBA

How has our understanding of happiness changed over time? Discover how different cultures and societies have imagined happiness – from good fortune and virtue to pleasure and prosperity – with our panel of leading historians. Find out what these shifting ideas reveal about our obsessive pursuit of happiness today.

Eat, sleep, work, repeat: rethinking wellness at work

Dr Tom Vickers, Dr Simon Willems, Professor Ying Zhou, and Dr Amelia Horgan (chair)

What really makes a job feel “good”? Discuss how wellbeing fits into work today with our panel of researchers, as they explore what a good working life looks like. They’ll examine the promises and pitfalls of workplace wellness, who has access and who is excluded, and the impact of new technologies.

Where we gather: spaces of wellbeing

Anjali Prashar-Savoie, Dr Patria Roman-Velazquez, and Emma Warren (chair)

From nightclubs and salsa bars to markets and bingo halls, explore how the spaces where people gather shape identity, belonging, and collective wellbeing. Drawing on research and activism, delve into the role these spaces play for youth, queer, and migrant communities in London – as sites of joy, refuge, and resistance – and what is at stake as many continue to disappear.

Ten-Minute Talks

The joy of football: play, emotion, and wellbeing

Dr Mark Doidge

As the 2026 Men's World Cup fades into history, it can seem that the game of football is a global machine focused on victory, spectacle, and money. For many across the world, it is a far simpler phenomenon. Drawing on Dr Mark Doidge’s work with refugees, explore the pleasures of football and its importance to social, physical, and mental wellbeing. Take a journey from the Jungle in Calais to the parks of the UK to discover the role of football plays in providing a sense of normality and fun for the players.

Sniff your way to a good night’s sleep

Professor Sasha Handley

The use of different smells to improve sleep-quality is a billion-dollar industry and it has captured the interest of TikTok’s #sleepmaxxers. But this is not just an influencer-driven fad. Explore the long and surprising history of sleep-promoting scents with Professor Sasha Handley. Those hoping to use scents to promote healthy sleep today are part of a rich historical tradition dating back to the early modern period.

Why does birdsong make us happy?

Dr Eleanor Ratcliffe

Why do some birds make us happier and calmer, while others stir powerful memories and emotions? Drawing on over a decade of research, discover how birdsong shapes our wellbeing, connects us to others, and deepens our relationship with nature. Following the talk, take part in a guided creative activity and craft

Description supplied by the event organiser.