What is TEDx?
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TED has created a program called TEDx. TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. Our event is called TEDxBrisbane, where x = independently organized TED event. At our TEDxBrisbane event, TED Talks video and live speakers will combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events, including ours, are self-organized.
Like TED Talks? Then You’ll Love TEDxBrisbane
TEDxBrisbane is Brisbane’s premier ideas festival. We are provocateurs of change.
We are dedicated to showcasing Brisbane’s best ideas to the world and bringing great ideas from the world to the TEDxBrisbane community to inform and drive change in our city. And as much as we love great ideas, we have no intention of stopping there. At TEDxBrisbane we are determined to see great ideas put into action. We are all about impact. We’re on a mission to change our community, our city and the world. Our community is made up of people crazy enough to believe we can change the world, and we’re not kidding around.
Our mission is to make the world good, not just better. We do this by connecting ideas worth spreading with a community of thinkers, doers and change makers, inspiring them to translate ideas into action that makes a positive difference. We call it our engineering impact strategy, and it informs everything we do, making attending a TEDxBrisbane event a truly unique experience.
It starts with the careful selection of ideas worth spreading for the stage. While our focus is on Brisbane, ideas have no borders, so if we find an idea from somewhere else in Australia that deserves to be shared on a TEDx stage, we’ll happily showcase Australian ideas to the world as well. We hand-pick each of the ideas to be presented on our stage with great care, as the essential first step in creating positive impact. But it doesn’t stop there.
Featured Talks From TEDxBrisbane 2017
Preventing Divorce: Top 3 Life Hacks For Singles
George Blair-West
World’s First Flood-Resilient Ferry Terminals
Brendan Gaffney & Arne Nilsen
Why The World Needs Backyard Inventors
Cedar Anderson
Why We Should Talk About Vulvas, Not Vaginas
Gemma Sharp
The Right To Be Heard But Not To Be Taken Seriously
Peter Ellerton
Impact Through Empathy: A Nun’s Tale
Sister Angela Mary Doyle
A Radical Approach To Working With Indigenous Communities
Denise Hagan
How A Designer Is Helping Stroke Patients
Ben MacMahon
Curing Zika Virus With A Native Australian Plant
Trudi Collet
How Materialism Will Save The Planet
Richard Denniss
Bringing Health Equity To The Bush
Rolf Gomes
How Seeing A Lawyer Can Be Good For Your Health
Tess Boyd-Caine
The World Needs Small Ideas Too
Matt Granfield
Why Formal Qualifications Aren’t Always The Answer
Kristina Wild
The TEDxBrisbane Audience
We hand pick our audience because the conversations had and connections forged outside the theatre on the day are just as important as those ideas presented from the stage. We fill our audience and our community with people who want to make a difference. They see a change is needed and they want to be a part of the solution, rather than a complacent spectator.
At TEDxBrisbane we skip the small talk and jump straight into deep conversations that matter. Genuine, authentic conversations about topics worthy of discussion. Many of our participants have ideas of their own they can discuss, refine and nurture with other attendees on the day. Ideas are shared, connections made and often plans to collaborate are forged amongst audience members, speakers and the team that lead to an exciting change in our community. For many, this forging of connections with like-minded change-makers is a key highlight of attending. As we are working to foster a community and not just present ideas, we intentionally limit the audience to a size we believe allows for authentic and genuine engagement. As such, not everyone who applies will get a ticket.
In hand-picking our audience of participants we consider many factors including:
- Are they Brisbane locals?
- Are they looking to make a positive difference in the world:
o Have they taken action to get started?
o Or are they on the cusp of taking action?
- Are they thinkers, doers, change makers?
- Could attending TEDxBrisbane catapult the positive impact they’re trying to have.
- Do they support, value, and will they engage in community-building and deep conversation?
- Will they carry TEDxBrisbane’s “ideas worth spreading” out into the world?
A Message From The TEDxBrisbane Executive Director & Licensee
“If you are someone who is looking to make a difference in the world we strongly encourage you to apply. I had been watching TED Talks online for several years, and I had often wondered if there were ever TED Talks in Brisbane. Soon after I learned about TEDx, the program of individually-organised local events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. I attended my first TEDx event in 2012 as a participant in the audience, and I was hooked.
I had attended many corporate events, conferences and group events over the years, but nothing compared to the local TEDx experience. Ideas flowed, misconceptions were challenged, relationships were formed and plans to change the world were forged. I have never found myself surrounded by such a diverse group of people all dedicated to making a difference in the world.
I thought I was heading to a one-day event where I’d listen to some speakers. Instead I found an entire community of change makers engaging in meaningful, purposeful discussion about turning ideas into action. There was an incredible diversity in the issues and ideas the participants and speakers were passionate and knowledgeable about, but they all shared a passion for positive change.
It was like I found my tribe. I’m now lucky enough to play a role in the team that delivers this experience. It’s hard to describe the magic of the day, but when asked what it’s like to attend I tell people if watching TED Talks online is like watching a great music video, then coming to a TEDxBrisbane event is like going to a rock show.”
Featured Performances From TEDxBrisbane 2017
A Spoken Word Poet Declares Her Place In The World
Anisa Nanduala
Dancin & Romancin
Jeremy Neale
Mother Earth
Waveney Yasso
Matches
The Achilles
Bring Back The Music
Chris Sheehy