'It's democracy in action': speakers at the Guardian Open Weekend - in pictures

Artist and filmmaker Steve McQueen: “I’m happy to be here.”
Photograph: David Levene for the Guardian

Jeffrey Sachs, economist: “I’m thrilled to be at such a grand event. I was in Chile and en route to Mozambique but didn’t want to pass the opportunity to come to London for this. It’s a wonderful idea for newspapers to do this kind of thing, but it’s also important for society in a time when we absolutely need engagement. People feel alienated from the political system and this is a way to make them feel a part of the debates that are going on.”
Photograph: David Levene for the Guardian

Artist Grayson Perry with his wife Philippa, a psychotherapist and author. Grayson: "This is the nearest to a festival I’ll get. I hate camping, mud, fancy dress, and circus skills bring me out in a rash. All of that spiritual-fucking-ality at Glastonbury. You’d have to get me in and out in a helicopter.”
Philippa: “I think print newspapers are going to die and if they want to succeed they need to feel more like a family; the audience is not content to be passive any more. So this is the way forward. As a reader I’m thrilled to be here for the day, at the cutting edge of the media. I was particularly impressed by Gary Younge, who I have never seen speak before and was erudite, charming and funny. Admirably he was wearing a hoodie in solidarity with Trayvon Martin.”
Photograph: David Levene for the Guardian

Writer and chef Allegra Mcevedy
Photograph: David Levene for the Guardian

Journalist and author India Knight: "The atmosphere here is very friendly: the crowd at my event, on gender equality, were really nice, really engaged. There was a great mix of angry older women and younger ones who I was convinced were going to ask me about vajazzling. I was a little disappointed when they didn’t. But I’m going to stay for the rest of the day – just mill about and see as many other sessions as I can. I’m just about to dash in and see John Lanchester in the Question time: what is the future of capitalism? session. I’m a great admirer of his.”
Photograph: David Levene for the Guardian

Journalist and presenter Jon Snow: “I’m sick of talking about phone hacking. What I really want to talk about is what it tells us about Britain. What is it about this country that makes us vulnerable to those kind of practices, ones that don’t seem to have affected other countries? Is it the same thing that renders us a playground for the Russian mafia, if you think about the Russian man who was shot here the other day? And what is it about Britain that means we have such an appetite for this sort of tabloid journalism – ever since Jack the Ripper? I suspect that we live quite dull lives in this country, and we have an appetite for the kind of gossip that spices up our dull lives.”
Photograph: David Levene for the Guardian

Poet Jo Shapcott: “I very much enjoyed my talk and hope that the audience did too. The questions were very sharp, particularly one from a gentleman who asked whether you could tell if a poem was by a man or a woman; that is something I have thought about a lot myself. It’s buzzing here. I keep bumping into people who are saying how much they are loving it. One person even said it was intellectual heaven.”
Photograph: David Levene for the Guardian

Poet Linton Kwesi Johnson: “I’ve been a Guardian reader for years – my favourite section is Obituaries. I’ve come along today with no expectations of what it’s going to be like. Unfortunately I can’t stick around after my session, I’ve got other places to be.”
Photograph: Felix Clay for the Guardian

Journalist and broadcaster Andrew Neil
Photograph: David Levene for the Guardian

Former footballers Sol Campbell and Garth Crooks, who spoke at a session on racism and football
Photograph: Felix Clay for the Guardian

Shadow chancellor Ed Balls: “The atmosphere in the session was fine – it was a little dark and difficult to see the audience, but we had some interesting questions. I spoke about my love for Dolly Parton, and revealed the fact that I’m going to be the first cabinet minister ever to run the marathon.”
Photograph: Felix Clay for the Guardian

Actor and director Fiona Shaw: “This is democracy in action: playful and unexpected, with no filters between us, the readers, and the media. It’s a public conversation, which is really what the media today should be.”
Photograph: Felix Clay for the Guardian