RE Conference 2026: Creativity, Imagination & the Arts
Focal Points for Inspirational Ways of Knowing in RE
Mere Court Hotel | Knutsford | Thursday 21st May 2026
It’s with pleasure to announce our annual conference for primary RE leads on Thursday, 21 May, 2026 at Mere Court Hotel, near Knutsford. This year’s theme is Creating, Imagination and the Arts aiming to give focal points for inspirational ways of knowing RE.
Religion and the arts are historically intertwined. The arts have often taken religious ideas as their inspiration, and equally, provided a medium for which to express religious thought, worship and celebration. In the RE classroom, through a range of disciplinary lenses and skills, the arts provide a wealth of opportunity and richness to examine how beliefs, rituals and practices may change in different times, places, communities and cultures.
Join us to share this inspiring day with RE Today’s National Advisers and Editor of RE Today, Lat Blaylock. Guiding an exploration of how the arts are reflected across world religions, in both national and global contexts. Lat will offer ways to use this medium to excite and engage pupils creatively and provide opportunity for expressing their own personal knowledge.
Meet our Guest Speaker: Lat Blaylock
Lat Blaylock has taught RE for 12 years in multi-religious Leicester, and has made nine series of programmes for RE with the BBC. He is the initiator of ‘Spirited Arts’, a strategy to enable creativity in RE: over 400 000 pupils have taken part in these competitions in recent years. He meets over 4000 teachers per year through his training and consultancy work, which has a reputation for practicality and inspiration.
“I love RE because it enables young people to think deeply about their own beliefs, and also gives them the skills to disagree respectfully. RE is great where it sets high standards of learning and also energises pupils’ own spiritual reflection.”
“As a classroom teacher I always enjoyed an argument as much as a moment of stunned silence. As an RE adviser, I love the opportunities the job gives me to work with teachers towards more of this kind of RE, both rigorous and imaginative.”
“My own RE obsessions include using art and image in RE and connecting religions and worldviews to politics and ethics. I think the future of the subject will, for example, engage more with religious responses to climate justice, anti-racism and questions about wellbeing. I love taking the biggest questions to little people: let’s have more profound RE for 5 year olds as well as recruiting more A level students.”
This conference would be suitable for those who teach or lead religious education across the primary phase, perhaps coming in partnership with those who lead on science as you consider how one subject may support the learning in the other through careful curriculum mapping.
All takes place in the beautiful setting at Mere Court Hotel, Warrington Road, Knutsford, Knutsford WA16 0RW. The day will begin at 8.45am arrival and registration and concluding at 3:45pm. Places are limited, so don’t delay, book today!
Need more information? Contact our Christian Distinctiveness Officer, Jen Mcilveen.
Investment
£160 per booking, second booking £100.
Includes two-course delicious lunch and refreshments throughout the day.
Meet our Keynote Speakers
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Jamie Woodhouse
Volunteer, Sentientism
Jamie is working to develop Sentientism (“Evidence, reason and compassion for all sentient beings.”) as a worldview and as a global movement. He hosts the Sentientism Podcast and YouTube and has published articles and presented academic seminars on the Sentientism Communities that so far span over 100 countries.
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Bethan Fowler
Education Networks Manager, Understanding Humanism
With a background in teaching in primary and secondary settings, Bethan now works in the the Understanding Humanism team, managing their educational programme and networks, including the school speaker and teacher training programmes.
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Michael Harvey
Director, God and the Big Bang
Michael has helped a numerous businesses and individuals unlock growth and unleash potential. In 2004 Back to Church Sunday was birthed and Michael started to work with churches throughout the UK and eventually throughout the English speaking world. He has spoken to thousands of church leaders in his Unlocking the Growth Seminars. Michael has been instrumental in developing the God and the Big Bang project since it’s beginning.
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Abi Falkus
Schools Development Officer, God and the Big Bang
Abi started working with the project After completing her degree in Biological Science at the University of Exeter and a Masters in Climate Science at King’s College London. Abi has always loved exploring the deeper questions of both faith and science and loves encouraging curiosity in all those around her.