Soho Summit 2023: Full schedule announced

This spring, Porsche and Soho House will unite for the first-ever Soho Summit. A festival of ideas populated by a host of high-profile creative minds from the worlds of design, art, technology, fashion and sustainability, the unique event will take place at Soho Farmhouse over the course of two days in late April (26 to 28) and be open exclusively to members. 

Here’s everything you need to know. 

What is the Soho Summit? 

The Soho Summit powered by Porsche is a two-day event jam-packed with keynote talks with fashion designers and actors, panel discussions with sustainability experts, immersive experiences, and hands-on creative workshops. Whether you come for the day or stay for the duration, expect screenings with auteur filmmakers, gala dinners, and unexpected conversations with like-minded people. There will be installations by globally renowned artists, connections over food and music, and creativity. 

When and where will it be held? 

The Soho Summit will take place at Soho Farmhouse in Oxfordshire on Wednesday 26 and Thursday 27 April 2023.

Soho Farmhouse is nestled in 100 acres of Cotswolds countryside. A treasure trove of mini-break potential, there are cabins, huts and cottages, as well as a spa, pools, and multiple restaurants and bars. 

For the Soho Summit, Soho Farmhouse’s grounds will be divided into four zones: Experimental and Immersive for surprising art installations and creative journeys of discovery; Talks and Panel Discussions where you’ll catch edifying conversations with keynote speakers; Workshop and Create for interactive classes and workshops with leading artists and designers; and Porsche Art of Dreams Space with an art installation commissioned by Porsche. 

See the full schedule below: 

Thursday 27 April

GLASSHOUSE SCHEDULE

10.45 to 11.15am – Yinka Ilori in conversation with Russell Tovey
Multidisciplinary artist and designer Yinka Ilori talks to actor Russell Tovey about the inspiration behind his Soho Visionaries commissioned sculpture, ‘Beacon of Dreams’, which will be featured at the Soho Summit. After the talk, head down to the oak tree where Ilori unveils the piece. You must have a spot on the guest list to gain access to this talk.

1pm to 3pm – Guest Chef Lunch: Native at Glasshouse
Head to the Glasshouse for lunch with the team from Native. Championing sustainable cooking, founders Ivan and Imogen have a strong passion for foraging and growing their ingredients to get the best of what nature has to give. This all comes together to show a unique outlook on British heritage cooking. 

Tickets are £60 per person and include a welcome drink and four-course menu featuring Black Bream Ceviche, Roast Lavington Lamb with wild garlic, and Rhubarb and Rosemary Meringue Pie. Please note: as this is a set menu with no variations, exceptions will only be made for vegetarians and those with allergies. Please email courtney.howlett@sohohouse.com with any allergy requirements no later than Thursday 20 April.

You must have a spot on the guest list to gain access to this lunch. This is the only event where members can book to attend with a plus-one. Please book via the app. 

HAY BARN SCHEDULE

10am – Nick Jones: ‘The secret histories of Soho House’
In conversation with Jo Whiley

Kicking off our talks in the Hay Barn is Founder Nick Jones on all things Soho House with TV and radio host, Jo Whiley. Members also have the chance to ‘Ask Nick Anything’ as part of an interactive Q&A segment.

You must have a spot on the guest list to gain access to this talk. If you have bought a bedroom package, you do not need to book a place via the app. 

11am – Richard Browning demonstration
Richard Browning, the inventor of the Iron Man-esque jet suit, will be flying into Soho Farmhouse to demonstrate the full power and spectacle of his creation. He’ll also be free to answer any burning questions from members. 

11.15am – Jeremy O. Harris in conversation with Sinéad Burke
Jeremy O. Harris is an American playwright known for his works such as Daddy and Slave Play. Sinéad Burke is a disability educator, advocate and author who champions accessibility, equity and social justice. Together, they discuss their shared interest in representation and their mutual love of fashion. This conversation is not to be missed.

Soho House has partnered with Sinéad Burke’s consultancy, Tilting the Lens, to implement accessibility at the Summit. This will include BSL interpreters for our talks, ramps and hand rails on the main stage, and subtitles on all cinema screenings. We will also encourage panelists, facilitators and leadership to begin their engagement with a visual description of themselves to accommodate those who are blind or have low vision. 

You must have a spot on the guest list to gain access to this talk. If you have bought a bedroom package, you do not need to book a place via the app. 

12.45pm – Sir Paul Smith in conversation with Dermot O’Leary
Legendary British fashion designer Sir Paul Smith sits down with broadcaster Dermot O’Leary to talk about what it takes to build a heritage brand with a lasting legacy.

You must have a spot on the guest list to gain access to this talk. If you have bought a bedroom package, you do not need to book a place via the app. 

2.30pm – Max Richter in conversation with Nihal Arthanayake
Composer, pianist and producer Max Richter is a titan of the contemporary music landscape. He arranges, performs and composes music for stage, opera, ballet and screen. Over the course of eight solo albums, he has amassed more than one million sales and one billion streams. In this talk, radio host Nihal Arthanayake interviews him about his incredible career to date.

You must have a spot on the guest list to gain access to this talk. If you have bought a bedroom package, you do not need to book a place via the app. 

3.45pm - In conversation with Emma D’Arcy
House Of The Dragon star and Golden Globe-nominated actor, Emma D’Arcy, discusses the life-changing role of Rhaenyra Targaryen.

You must have a spot on the guest list to gain access to this talk. If you have bought a bedroom package, you do not need to book a place via the app. 

4.45pm – In conversation with Michèle Lamy 
Cabaret performer, fashion designer, artist and cultural icon Michèle Lamy talks all things unabashed creativity.

You must have a spot on the guest list to gain access to this talk. If you have bought a bedroom package, you do not need to book a place via the app. 

5.30pm – In conversation with Andrew Scott 
Critically acclaimed BAFTA-winning and Golden Globe-nominated actor Andrew Scott discusses the power of building a meaningful body of work.

You must have a spot on the guest list to gain access to this talk. If you have bought a bedroom package, you do not need to book a place via the app.


BARWELL BARN SCHEDULE
Want to learn about performance art? Intrigued about mood boards or how to create a portrait? Check out our workshops:

10am – Workshop: framing your art with Amie Dicke
Dutch artist Amie Dicke hosts this workshop where the focus is on framing and where to place your attention in the given context.

You must have a spot on the guest list to gain access to this workshop. Please book via the app. 

12pm – Workshop: portrait making with Curtis Holder
British artist Curtis Holder shares his insight into how to make a portrait and connect to a sitter. Guests can join him in a group live drawing session.

You must have a spot on the guest list to gain access to this workshop. Please book via the app.

2pm – Workshop: mood boarding with Priya Ahluwalia
The designer and founder of fashion brand Ahluwalia takes guests through building a mood board, explaining how she curates primary and secondary imagery to represent inspiration for different things.

You must have a spot on the guest list to gain access to this workshop. Please book via the app. 

4.30pm – Workshop: performance art with Bernat Daviu
Join Barcelona-based, Soho Visionaries artist Bernat Daviu in a participatory workshop where you can help develop a new part-painting, part-performance artwork in real time. You must have a spot on the guest list to gain access to this workshop.

Soho House and Porsche have come together to support and spotlight creative pioneers driving culture forward. The inaugural Soho Visionaries series will amplify the voices of three local artists who are shifting the agenda right now. 

You must have a spot on the guest list to gain access to this workshop. Please book via the app. 

8pm – Soho Summit gala dinner
The Soho Summit finishes with a special four-course gala dinner with entertainment from pop superstar Anne-Marie and guest DJ Jodie Harsh. Tickets cost £150 per person and include an arrival drink, dinner, and wine and beer throughout the evening.

You must have a spot on the guest list to gain access to the dinner. If you have bought a bedroom package, you do not need to book a place via the app. 

MILL ROOM SCHEDULE

To attend any of the talks below, please book a spot via the Soho House app. 

11am to 11.40am – The soft power of smart storytelling
Featuring leaders from the worlds of fashion, luxury motoring and hospitality, this panel discussion focuses on the power of telling meaningful editorial stories around heritage brands, and how – if done correctly – they can propel a business to success.

The panel speakers are: Teo van den Broeke (Soho House), Ted Gushue (Type 7 by Porsche), Vanita James (Burberry), and Lucy Yeomans (DREST).

Please book via the app.

12pm to 12.30pm – Creating clothes for an uncertain future
Soho House and Porsche have come together to support and spotlight creative pioneers driving culture forward. As part of the ‘No Passengers’ video series, we’ve shone a spotlight on the work of Vollebak, a truly future-forward fashion brand. During this talk, Steve and Nick Tidball, the brothers behind the company and the creators of the Apocalypse Jacket, discuss how they design clothes for an uncertain future. 

Moderated by Sagal Mohammed, Soho House Content Editor.

Please book via the app. 

2pm to 2.30pm – Inside the art of designing alternative universes
Soho House and Porsche have come together to support and spotlight creative pioneers driving culture forward. As part of the ‘No Passengers’ video series, we’ve delved into the world of multi-hyphenate creative designer and filmmaker, Dr Nelly Ben Hayoun-Stépanian. She is also the founder of International Space Orchestra, the world’s first orchestra of NASA space scientists and astronauts. In this discussion, she shares her futuristic mindset and explains how the power of creativity and design can construct a positive future in alternative universes.

Dr Hayoun-Stépanian is joined by Sue Dhaliwal (Territory Studio) and Lauren Rogers (MARS Volume). Moderated by Sagal Mohammed, Soho House Content Editor.

Territory Studio is a multidisciplinary creative specialist that blends design, storytelling and technology to deliver animation, visual effects and digital experiences for TV, film, games and brands.

MARS Volume is London’s premier virtual production and in-camera VFX studio. Hollywood-level virtual production, made accessible.

Please book via the app. 

CINEMA SCHEDULE
 
To attend any of the below screenings, please book as usual via the app. 

11am – The Biggest Little Farm and Farmhouse Forest panel discussion
The Biggest Little Farm chronicles the eight-year quest of John and Molly Chester as they trade city living for 200 acres of barren farmland and a dream to harvest in harmony with nature. Through dogged perseverance, they uncover a biodiverse design for living that exists far beyond their farm, its seasons and our wildest imagination.

Following the screening, you are invited to stay for a panel discussion with Jamila Brown, Soho House Head of House Foundations; Catherine Bottrill, CEO and cofounder of Pilio Group; Zain Tarawneh, cofounder of Green Future Project; and Mo Helmi, founder of Tricoastal Scapes. Together, they will discuss the conception, process and progress of the Farmhouse Forest, a newly planted reforestation initiative that’s part of the larger UK-wide effort to rewild land lost to human development.

2pm – Sleep with an introduction from Max Richter
Max Richter gives an in-person introduction before the screening of his documentary, Sleep.

The film follows the acclaimed composer and musician and his creative partner, artist and BAFTA-winning filmmaker, Yulia Mahr, as they navigate an ambitious performance of his celebrated eight-hour opus ‘Sleep’ at an open-air concert in Los Angeles.

Emmy-nominated director, Natalie Johns, weaves in Mahr’s personal archive and performance footage from Berlin, Sydney and Paris to create a rich portrait of a shared artistic process, along with contributions that illuminate both the science and story behind the work.

4.15pm – If These Walls Could Sing and a Q&A with Mary McCartney
If These Walls Could Sing gives exclusive access to the most famous and longest running studio in the world, Abbey Road Studios. In this personal film of memory and discovery, director Mary McCartney guides us through nine decades to tell the stories of some of the studio’s most iconic recordings – and the people who made them happen.

Following the screening, McCartney joins us for a live Q&A.

AT YOUR LEISURE 

‘Beacon of Dreams’ by Yinka Ilori 
Located by the oak tree,  Ilori’s Soho Visionaries commissioned sculpture will be a permanent feature on the farm landscape. 

‘Remember Your Dreams’ by Cyril Lanecelin 
‘Remember Your Dreams’ by Lyon-based visual artist Cyril Lanecelin is a special commission from the Art of Dreams by Porsche – a new global series of art and design experiences. Previously on display in Paris and Singapore, the immersive piece creates artificial landscapes that let the audience explore new dimensions and unseen environments. During Soho Summit, the artwork will be unveiled at the Lazy Lake, inviting members to become part of the special art experience, so don’t forget to check it out. 

Porsche vintage car display 
We will be hosting a special display of vintage Porsche cars outside the farm’s Mill Room throughout the Soho Summit. Head over between talks to see them up close and learn more about the heritage of Porsche. 

Soho Home interior design drop-in

When: Thursday 27 April
Where: Soho Home, The Woodshed

Drop in to our interior design pop-up to hear more about Soho House interiors, and get the chance to enjoy a complimentary consultation with Soho Home’s interior design service team. Whether you have a burning question to be answered, or you’re looking for tips on how to bring Soho House’s style into your home, they can help with everything from colour and pattern to layout.

Soho House and Soho Friends members also receive an exclusive increased member benefit of 25% off Soho Home throughout the Summit. Visit Soho Home in The Woodshed to shop the collection.

Friday 28 April

11am – In conversation with James Norton 
Happy Valley star James Norton discusses the role that everyone has been talking about, plus his much-hyped performance in the West End adaptation of Hanya Yanagihara’s A Little Life.

You must have a spot on the guest list to gain access to this talk. Please book via the app. 

SOHO SUMMIT SHUTTLE SERVICE
We will be arranging a Soho Summit shuttle that will leave from White City House in west London on Thursday morning and return later that evening. Return journey tickets are £30 per person and you can book two tickets maximum. The journey time is approximately one hour and 50 minutes.

White City House to Soho Farmhouse: pick-up is at 7.30am. Please arrive at the pick-up point at 7.15am – buses will be leaving promptly at 7.30am and will not wait for latecomers.

Soho Farmhouse to White City House: pick-up is at 8pm. Please arrive at the pick-up point at 7.45pm – buses will be leaving promptly at 8pm and will not wait for latecomers.


Soho Farmhouse is open as normal to members. Areas of the Soho Summit are open for browsing and events can be booked via the Soho House app. To book a bedroom, click here.