MAGDALEN College School in East Oxford is hosting its 10th annual arts festival, with events staged throughout the city.

The two-week whirlwind of culture and creativity opens today and runs until Saturday, July 7.

The festival features music, drama, speakers, debates, film, dance, exhibitions and poetry.

The theme of this year’s Oxford Festival of Arts is Journeys and there is a packed programme including more than 100 different activities and events.

Speakers will include Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable, Terry Waite, a former envoy to the Archbishop of Canterbury, actress Emelia Fox and historian and former Labour Party politician Tristram Hunt.

The school’s festival website says: “We aim to celebrate Oxford’s diverse communities and offer something for everyone, whatever their age, background or artistic experience.

“In 2017 the festival featured over 100 events, attracted more than 23,000 visitors and involved more than 20 city venues.

“The two weeks of the festival are simply the pinnacle of activities – our education and community engagement activities run throughout the year.

“In 2016-2017 over 3,200 children from 45 county schools were involved in projects which had some form of showcase during the festival.

“The Oxford Festival of the Arts was an initiative of Magdalen College School in 2008, and the school remains its lead sponsor.”

Sir Vince Cable will be speaking in the festival marquee on Tuesday, from 8pm to 9pm.

He will be joined in conversation by BBC World Service UK political correspondent Rob Watson.

They will discuss Sir Vince’s career as a parliamentarian and, more recently, as a novelist writing a political thriller.

Terry Waite’s talk takes place on Thursday, from 6pm to 7pm, in the festival marquee.

After being captured in the Lebanese city Beirut in 1987 while negotiating prisoner release, Mr Waite endured nearly five years of solitary confinement in cruel and terrifying conditions.

Running alongside the festival is a series of exhibitions including one in Frideswide Square, curated by nature photographer Andrew Walmley, which runs until August 31.

For further information about the festival visit artsfestivaloxford.org