Us. Here. Now. Always.

BSL Conference2025

Celebrating 135 years of cultural heritage

About the Conference

This year marks the 135th anniversary of our foundation and we plan to make our 2025 Conference one to celebrate!

Following two successful BSL Conferences in London 2023 and Manchester 2024, the BSL Conference 2025 will bring together sector professionals, public servants, families, exhibitors, Deaf leaders, and the BSL community to celebrate our language, build community, share knowledge, honour our past, and make new memories.

Where

The Queens Hotel
New Station Street
City Square,
Leeds LS1 1PJ

When

Thursday 17th July – Friday 18th July

The BDA was formed in 1890 in Leeds. To commemorate this significant moment, we are proud to bring the BSL Conference to Leeds on 17th – 18th July 2025.

This event will be even bigger and better than before and you won’t want to miss it!

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BSL Conference Themes

Us. Here. Now. Always.

Us

Culture & Arts – What we value

Expressing our amazing signed heritage creatively and with pride.

Culture & Arts: What we Value

Sign languages are deeply intertwined with the cultural identity of Deaf communities. They play a crucial role in fostering a sense of belonging, enabling cultural preservation, and providing the raw material for artistic expression. Sign languages facilitate the transmission of folklore, storytelling, and historical narratives, allowing Deaf individuals to connect with their heritage and celebrate their unique identity.

By fully understanding our heritage we will be able to:

  • understand why Deaf communities value our heritage so we can safeguard our language and culture to ensure it flourishes into the future
  • identify the potential for creative and sustainable solutions to improve the condition of our intangible cultural heritage
  • uncover new information, insights and fresh perspectives on our heritage.
Learn more

Here

Place and Community – Where we are.

Signing confidently in our homes, schools and communities.

Place & Community: Where we Are

Deaf people in the UK have been oppressed and discriminated against for more than a century, limiting our life chances and blocking us from reaching our true potential. We live in a world that has been designed by hearing people.

Our language has finally been recognised by the UK Government. We must seize this opportunity to prepare the ground for the world we want, promote the nationwide learning of BSL and protect our language to ensure it flourishes long into the future. To do this, we need spaces where Deaf identities can thrive – wherever we learn, share and celebrate our language and unique way of being.

We must work in partnership with Deaf communities across the UK and vital allies such as hearing parents of deaf children. We must seize the historic opportunity presented by the BSL Act 2022 to shape the world we want. A world where Deaf people can finally achieve equitable civil rights. A world where our precious language and culture are recognised, included and celebrated.

Learn more

Now

Society and Identity – What we know.

Reviewing evidence of what works in Early Years, Schools and the Economy.

Society & Identity: What we know

For 135 long years, the British Deaf Association has presented the arguments in favour of BSL, leading the campaign for support of our language and our people.

It has been a never-ending challenge to convince the hearing world, governments, key authorities, public service leaders, policy-makers and opinion-formers that Deaf people know what is best for Deaf people.

Over many decades now, the data underpinning our claims has been steadily building. This is not hearsay. It’s not anecdotes. This is robust, reliable research undertaken by global leaders in universities and specialist institutes. It is designed and led by BSL signers, Deaf and hearing, whose expertise is highly respected and credible.

When BSL is put at the heart of policy throughout Deaf lives, we live well. You want evidence? Let us show you.

Learn more

Always

Science and Power – What we hope.

Assessing benefits and risks of technology and innovation for Deaf-led futures.

Science & Power: What we hope

Deaf people sign because it feels right to us. This is not new – our signing heritage stretches way back into the past, since before records began.

But what about the future? Will our communities be sustained? Will our languages thrive? Will Deaf identities be present in society forever?

In 2025, social attitudes are largely supportive. Our languages are widely taught and learned. We have legal recognition at last. This gives us some protection.

However, threats and risks can be seen on the horizon, coming closer at speed. Scientific, technological and democratic changes face us all, and if we are not careful, they may not necessarily work in our favour.

We want all this is good about Deaf lives to continue. How do we make sure of it?

Learn more

Culture & Arts: What we Value

Sign languages are deeply intertwined with the cultural identity of Deaf communities. They play a crucial role in fostering a sense of belonging, enabling cultural preservation, and providing the raw material for artistic expression. Sign languages facilitate the transmission of folklore, storytelling, and historical narratives, allowing Deaf individuals to connect with their heritage and celebrate their unique identity.

By fully understanding our heritage we will be able to:

  • understand why Deaf communities value our heritage so we can safeguard our language and culture to ensure it flourishes into the future
  • identify the potential for creative and sustainable solutions to improve the condition of our intangible cultural heritage
  • uncover new information, insights and fresh perspectives on our heritage.
Learn more

Place & Community: Where we Are

Deaf people in the UK have been oppressed and discriminated against for more than a century, limiting our life chances and blocking us from reaching our true potential. We live in a world that has been designed by hearing people.

Our language has finally been recognised by the UK Government. We must seize this opportunity to prepare the ground for the world we want, promote the nationwide learning of BSL and protect our language to ensure it flourishes long into the future. To do this, we need spaces where Deaf identities can thrive – wherever we learn, share and celebrate our language and unique way of being.

We must work in partnership with Deaf communities across the UK and vital allies such as hearing parents of deaf children. We must seize the historic opportunity presented by the BSL Act 2022 to shape the world we want. A world where Deaf people can finally achieve equitable civil rights. A world where our precious language and culture are recognised, included and celebrated.

Learn more

Society & Identity: What we know

For 135 long years, the British Deaf Association has presented the arguments in favour of BSL, leading the campaign for support of our language and our people.

It has been a never-ending challenge to convince the hearing world, governments, key authorities, public service leaders, policy-makers and opinion-formers that Deaf people know what is best for Deaf people.

Over many decades now, the data underpinning our claims has been steadily building. This is not hearsay. It’s not anecdotes. This is robust, reliable research undertaken by global leaders in universities and specialist institutes. It is designed and led by BSL signers, Deaf and hearing, whose expertise is highly respected and credible.

When BSL is put at the heart of policy throughout Deaf lives, we live well. You want evidence? Let us show you.

Learn more

Science & Power: What we hope

Deaf people sign because it feels right to us. This is not new – our signing heritage stretches way back into the past, since before records began.

But what about the future? Will our communities be sustained? Will our languages thrive? Will Deaf identities be present in society forever?

In 2025, social attitudes are largely supportive. Our languages are widely taught and learned. We have legal recognition at last. This gives us some protection.

However, threats and risks can be seen on the horizon, coming closer at speed. Scientific, technological and democratic changes face us all, and if we are not careful, they may not necessarily work in our favour.

We want all this is good about Deaf lives to continue. How do we make sure of it?

Learn more

Conference details

The BSL Conference 2025 will be held in Leeds at the Queens Hotel, right in the City Centre. Over the course of the two-day event, 1,000 event attendees will have walked through the halls of the event venue

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The programme will consist of:

  • Keynote plenaries to focus our thoughts and shape our discussions.
  • 15 workshops focused on BSL history and sign language research breakthroughs.
  • 18 sector leaders are scheduled to deliver insightful talks to inspire our future.
  • New this year – Thursday’s last workshop will be followed by a special evening drinks reception.
  • 135th anniversary Gala Dinner on the Friday evening with fabulous Deaf entertainers!

Have A Look At The

Event Schedule

Day 1

10 Dec, 2018
08:45 Am

Opening Remarks

Speaker: Zachary Scott

09:30 Am

Name That Script

Speaker: Brian Watkins

12:30 Pm

Lunch Time

Lunch Time

01:30 Pm

Unseen Design

Speaker: Ruth Keller

04:00 Pm

Great Ux

Speaker: Judith Flores

Day 2

11 Dec, 2018
08:45 Am

Performance

Speaker: Jane Roberts

09:30 Am

Critical Design

Speaker: Betty Hopkins

12:30 Pm

Lunch Time

Lunch Time

01:30 Pm

Smart Design

Speaker: Marie Reid

04:00 Pm

Design Flow

Speaker: Judith Flores

Day 3

12 Dec, 2018
08:45 Am

Progressive Web

Speaker: Jacob Freeman

09:30 Am

Be Kind, Design

Speaker: James Ross

12:30 Pm

Lunch Time

Lunch Time

01:30 Pm

Scalable Desaign

Speaker: Ruth Keller

04:00 Pm

The Structure

Speaker: Judith Flores

Day 4

13 Dec, 2018
08:45 Am

Be Kind, Design

Speaker: Marie Reid

09:30 Am

Technology

Speaker: Ruth Keller

12:30 Pm

Lunch Time

Lunch Time

01:30 Pm

Product Design

Speaker: Brian Watkins

04:00 Pm

Humane Tech

Speaker: James Ross

These Are

Our Speakers

Brian Watkins

Web Designer - Acme

Judith Flores

Full Stack Developer - Initech

Rose Hawkins

Art Director - Globex

Zachary Scott

Interaction Designer - Soylent

William Hanse

Content Strategist - Hooli

Jane Roberts

Front End Developer - Vehement

Jacob Freeman

UI Designer - Massive Dynamic

Frank Ferguson

Visual Designer - Globex

Jacqueline Knight

Content Strategist - Umbrella IT

Betty Hopkins

UX Designer - Initech

A Few Words

About The Event Organizer

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BSL Conference 2025

135th Anniversary Gala Dinner

Join us on Friday, 18th July 2025, for an unforgettable evening at the BSL Conference 2025 Gala, marking 135 years of the British Deaf Association. Held in the stunning Queens Hotel Ballroom, this special event will bring together our community for a night of celebration, entertainment, and reflection.

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Venue

The Queens Hotel – New Station Street City Square, Leeds LS1 1PJ

The Queens Hotel is located right in the city centre of Leeds, with train and bus services only a short walk away.

How to get there

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