Gus Casely-Hayford & Sonia Solicari: What Will We Leave Behind?

If future generations wanted to understand who we were, what would they find? A smartphone? A favourite mug? A shelf of beloved books? A room preserved in time?

Museum leaders Gus Casely-Hayford (V&A East) and Sonia Solicari (Museum of the Home) explore the objects, collections and spaces that tell the story of our lives. In Objects & Us: Why Things Matter, Casely-Hayford examines the artefacts that shape our understanding of ourselves and our shared history, while Solicari’s Real Rooms uncovers the remarkable interiors that have been preserved as snapshots of identity, memory and belonging.

At a time when so much of life is lived digitally, this thought-provoking event asks what deserves to be remembered, who gets to decide, and what future generations might learn from the traces we leave behind.

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Events last one hour unless otherwise stated, followed by a book signing in The Clearing. Our official bookseller is Waterstones.

Folkestone Book Festival is our annual celebration of stories, ideas and conversation by the sea. Curated by novelist Sophie Haydock (The Flames, Madame Matisse), this year’s festival brings together more than 60 events across two weeks, welcoming world-class writers, thinkers and storytellers to Folkestone.

Discover another event, browse the bookshop, explore Folkestone’s vibrant arts scene, independent cafés, bars and galleries, and share the experience with a friend. The best festivals are as much about the conversations between events as those on stage.

The Festival is part of Folkestone is a Library, our ambitious town-wide celebration of reading, writing and storytelling, helping make Folkestone one of the UK’s most exciting literary destinations.

We believe great conversations should be for everyone, which is why every event includes a £5 Cost of Living Ticket, available with no questions asked.

Please help us spread the word. Together, we’re building a thriving community of readers, writers and curious minds.

Folkestone Book Festival is proudly supported by Eurotunnel, Canterbury Christ Church University, Holiday Extras, and the Friends of Folkestone Book Festival. Creative Folkestone is supported by Arts Council England, Folkestone & Hythe District Council and Saga. Founding Funder The Roger De Haan Charitable Trust.