Conversations in Creativity: Johnny Vegas with Graham Duff

Event Details

Saturday

3pm

Age

All ages

Venue

Reel Cinema

How to attend

Bookable

Price

£0 – £15 (Pay What You Feel)

Join actor, comedian, writer and artist Johnny Vegas in live conversation with award-winning writer, producer and broadcaster Graham Duff.

Friends and creative collaborators for more than twenty years, Johnny and Graham first worked together on the cult BBC comedy Ideal, created and written by Graham and starring Johnny as the unforgettable Moz. Since then, they have shared countless creative adventures, public conversations and projects, developing a unique on-stage chemistry that combines humour, honesty and unexpected insight.

At the National Festival of Making, Johnny and Graham will explore the twists and turns of Johnny’s remarkable career, from his early training in Art and Ceramics and rise to national fame, to his recent return to making and exhibiting artwork. Together, they will discuss creativity, working-class culture, finding inspiration, embracing failure, and the importance of making as a way of understanding ourselves and the world around us.

Known for his candid and often deeply personal reflections, Johnny brings a rare openness to conversations about art, life, mental health, identity and creative practice. Guided by Graham’s wit, curiosity and long-standing friendship, audiences can expect stories that are both hilarious and heartfelt, alongside insights into the experiences and influences that have shaped one of Britain’s most distinctive creative voices.

Whether you’re a fan of Johnny’s comedy and television work, interested in his growing artistic practice, or simply curious about the creative process, this promises to be a memorable and entertaining afternoon.

This talk is a Conversations in Creativity event delivered with Creative Lancashire, and presented in partnership with University of Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council.

Please note: Seating is limited and advance booking is essential – there will be no walk ups for this event.


Price Guidance

We are offering this talk on a ‘pay what you feel’ basis, with the option to select the price that feels most appropriate to you. Whatever price you choose will give you the same experience.

The price options are: £0, £5, £10, £15

No proof of status is required – it is self-administered on a trust basis. We hope those who can will pay the standard ticket price, and the affordable options will be accessed by those who need them.

The National Festival of Making is delivered through a combination of public funding, partnerships, sponsorship and ticket income. Revenue from ticket sales is reinvested into Festival of Making CIC to support the delivery of future commissions, workshops, talks and cultural programmes, helping us keep much of the festival free and accessible to all.

Tickets now available!

About Johnny Vegas

Johnny Vegas is a British actor, writer and comedian whose creative world has expanded in recent years to include a deeply personal ceramics practice. Drawn to clay from a young age, he originally trained at the Potteries in his early twenties before his career in comedy took over.

Returning to ceramics later in life has allowed him to reconnect with a long-held passion, finding in it a balance and focus that complements the pace and unpredictability of his work on screen. His pieces are characterised by their honesty and personality: they are hand-built, often playfully shaped, and grounded in traditional craft values. Rather than chasing perfection, Johnny embraces irregularity, celebrating the evidence of the maker’s hand.

Johnny’s ceramics have gained national attention, with collectors drawn to the authenticity and charm of his work. Each piece is a testament to his belief that creativity should be accessible, joyful, and rooted in the simple pleasure of making. Johnny is currently exhibiting at Venice Biennale as part of an art collective from The Old Fire Station in Port Sunlight.

About Graham Duff

Graham is a prolific scriptwriter and script editor. He wrote all 53 episodes of Johnny Vegas’s BBC sitcom ‘Ideal’: winner of 3 Royal Television Society Awards. He also wrote the Sky Arts horror anthology series ‘The Nightmare Worlds of HG Wells’ starring Ray Winstone, as well as co-writing the BBC2 sit-coms ‘Hebburn’ starring Vic Reeves, and ‘Dr. Terrible’s House of Horrible’ with Steve Coogan. For Radio 4, his wrote Mark Gatiss’s long running sci-fi sit-com ‘Nebulous’, as well as adapting Alexei Sayle’s short stories for the comedy drama series ‘The Absence of Normal’.

He’s the author of 3 books: ‘Foreground Music: A Life in 15 Gigs’, ‘The Future’s Here To Stay: The Singles of the Fall’ and ‘The Otherwise’ co-written with Mark E. Smith. His script editing work includes the Alan Partridge feature film ‘Alpha Papa’, and seven series of BBC Radio 4’s Sony Gold award winning ‘Count Arthur Strong’s Radio’, which he also directs. He also curates the Heaven’s Lathe record label – releasing singles by new artists alongside established names such as Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and Cosey Fanni Tutti.

About Conversations in Creativity

This talk is a Conversations in Creativity event delivered in partnership with Creative Lancashire.

Conversations in Creativity is Creative Lancashire’s series of talks and insightful interviews, where creatives from across the disciplines explore how inspiration, often from around the world, informs process. This special edition of Conversations in Creativity is presented in partnership with the National Festival of Making.