Bigger, bolder and free: BRILLIANT Festival returns to Liverpool to inspire the North West’s educators

The BRILLIANT Festival, where education, technology and industry meet to shape the future of learning, returns to the Exhibition Centre Liverpool on 11 November 2025.

Free to attend and already the largest event of its kind in the North West, BRILLIANT will bring together more than 1,500 educators, over 110 expert speakers and 100 exhibitors, all committed to transforming teaching and learning through creativity, innovation and technology.

Headline speakers include Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram, Chief AI Officer Tiffany St James, actor and artist Johnny Vegas, historian and education reformer Sir Anthony Seldon, AI Educator Dan Fitzpatrick, and Dr Fiona Aubrey-Smith, author and thought leader in digital education.

Exploring themes from AI and creativity to design and digital inclusion, the festival will highlight the key challenges and opportunities shaping modern education. Central to the event is a focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) and the skills students need for the jobs of tomorrow.

Attendees can also experience the ‘Classroom of NOW’, an immersive showcase of technology-driven learning, giving teachers a first-hand look at the classroom of the future.

The day will also include the BRILLIANT Awards, celebrating innovation and excellence across six categories including Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Design, Maths, and Industry Engagement.

Lead sponsors include Compass, Google for Education, hi-impact, and the University of Liverpool, joined by major organisations such as Unilever, Kyndryl, Barclays Bank, and the BBC. Educational partners include The City of Liverpool College, University of Chester, Liverpool John Moores University, and University of Salford.

The festival is a major moment for the Liverpool City Region, positioning it at the forefront of how the UK prepares young people for the new world of work. It showcases the region’s ambition to help students and educators navigate a future defined by rapid change, new technologies, and a volatile, complex and ambiguous global landscape.

Located at the heart of a region with more than 3,500 educational organisations and 150,000 education professionals, BRILLIANT offers outstanding continuing professional development opportunities for teachers and leaders across all stages of education.

Festival Director, Martyn Collins, said:

Education needs to evolve fast, and the BRILLIANT Festival 2025 lineup reflects that. We’re showcasing the most exciting developments in inclusive pedagogy and emerging technologies that are reshaping how students learn and how teachers teach.

The STEAM revolution is here, and BRILLIANT is where we light the fuse, empowering educators and preparing young people for the world of work.