Join Hetta Howes, Jess Kidd and Catherine Coldstream for an evening discussing the allure of nuns in storytelling. From Hollywood films like Conclave and Immaculate to Claire Keegan’s novel Small Things Like These, our culture is captivated by nuns and the cloistered life. What draws us to the confinement and devotion of this religious figure?

Join our panellists — non-fiction writer Hetta Howes (Poet, Mystic, Widow, Wife), novelist Jess Kidd (Murder at Gull’s Nest), and memoirist and former nun Catherine Coldstream (Cloistered) — as they explore the inner and creative freedom embodied by nuns and why they continue to inspire writers, filmmakers, and artists alike. Their discussion will be chaired by Sally-Anne Lomas.

Part of the Festival of Julian 2025. In partnership with the Friends of Julian