Brandon Sanderson delivers the 2026 Tolkien Lecture

The lecture will take place on Tuesday, May 19th at Oxford Town Hall at 6 PM BST.

Brandon Sanderson grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. He lives in Utah with his wife and children and teaches creative writing at Brigham Young University. In addition to completing Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time, he is the author of such best­sell­ers as the Mistborn saga, Warbreaker, the Stormlight Archive series begin­ning with The Way of Kings, The Rithmatist, the Skyward series, the Reckoners series beginning with Steelheart, and the Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librar­ians series. He won the 2013 Hugo Award for The Emperor’s Soul, a novella set in the world of his acclaimed first novel, Elantris.

Is this event in-person or online?

The lecture will be in-person but a recording will be available on our Youtube channel.

Is the venue accessible?

Oxford Town Hall is an accessible building with lifts and an alternative access avoiding the main entrance steps. For more information, please see their website: https://www.oxfordtownhall.co.uk/about/accessibility/

Is this event open to people from outside Oxford University?

Absolutely! We look forward to welcoming everyone who wants to come.

Do I have to pay to attend?

No, the lecture is free to everyone. However, if you are able, please consider purchasing a donation ticket which will help us cover the costs of running the lecture this year and in the future. All donations are greatly appreciated.

How many tickets can be reserved at once?

Tickets may be reserved one at a time and must be associated with the name and email address of the ticket holder.

What happens if tickets run out?

Once tickets run out, there will be an option to join a waiting list. If tickets become available again – if people cancel nearer the time because they can no longer attend – then we will release tickets to those on the waiting list in the order they signed up.

How long does the event last?

The lecture will last one hour, including a Q&A.

Is the lecture about Tolkien?

The lecture series is held in honour of Tolkien, and the enormous contribution to fantasy he made whilst a Professor at Pembroke College, but the subject of each lecture is more broadly on fantasy literature. Lecturers may or may not speak about Tolkien directly.

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