Sir Andrew Motion to give Romanes Lecture

Professor Sir Andrew Motion will describe how the arts gave him 'his life' as he presents a staunch defence of the arts and humanities at Oxford University's historic Romanes Lecture on Thursday 2 June 2011. Professor Sir Andrew Motion, who served as Poet Laureate from 1999 to 2009 and is currently professor of creative writing at Royal Holloway, University of London, will assess the likely impact of the government's policy on arts and humanities on the future social, economic and cultural well-being of the nation. He will also read out four short poems to demonstrate why the arts and humanities should matter in the twenty-first century and talk about his personal experiences. The Romanes Lecture is an annual public lecture at Oxford University. The first was given in 1892 by William Gladstone. Subsequent speakers have included Theodore Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Sir Isaiah Berlin, Iris Murdoch, Edward Heath, AJP Taylor, Tony Blair and Sir Paul Nurse. "Andrew Motion has made an outstanding contribution to British poetry and its role within contemporary culture" Professor Sally Shuttleworth This year's lecture will take place at 5.45pm on Thursday 2 June 2011 at the Sheldonian Theatre in Oxford's city centre.