What is a TEDx event?
TEDx events are locally organized gatherings featuring live TED-like talks and videos. Sometimes these are previously recorded at TED conferences, and sometimes they’re new, original content. The purpose of these events is to foster the TED experience within the local community, and the content and design of each TEDx event is unique. They are developed, organized, and hosted locally by visionaries within the community.
The format, diversity of topics, and community-based (bias-free) content is idea-focused, thought-provoking, and direct. TEDx events are organized by volunteers and lack any commercial, religious, or political agenda. TEDx events are also non-profit events.
These aren’t events with a single topic, industry, or special-interest agendas. Ideas which spark conversation, connectivity, and community are the word of the day.
Organizer Responsibilities
The Organizer’s goal should be to drive the sharing of big ideas, rich storytelling, and the interaction of multiple disciplines. Engineers should be talking to artists, coders should be swapping tales with doctors, and motivational speakers should be busy being motivated by other people’s stories. These are the qualities that make a great TED event – you’re expected to capture the spirit of TED.
This means unearthing local voices. Who are the undiscovered voices and unknown talents of your community who have the power to influence change and the insight to see it when it’s happening? If you choose to include individual speakers, choose extraordinary people with fresh eyes and strong voices.
Produce great content to enthrall, entertain, and educate. People should leave the TEDx event feeling like they learned, shared, and experienced a lot in one place, while having their eyes opened to new opportunities.
Most of all TEDx events are licensed TED events, and you have to apply for a license and be granted one before hosting a TEDx branded event.
TEDx Rules
There’s a super straight-forward list of rules setup for TEDx events. These rules are meant to create a framework to preserve the spirit of the TED event, and to make it easier to organize and structure TEDx events in your community.
Some of the rules are very straight forward, and actually aid in the selection of a venue, for instance:
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- Up to 100 individuals may attend your event. Only individuals who have attended an official TED conference in person may organize an event with more than 100 attendees.
- Tickets for TEDx events must always be less than $100 USD and should go towards event and operating costs. Based on approval from TED, you can charge an attendance fee for a TEDx event featuring live speakers.
Some of the rules are there to protect the TED brand, and relate to programming:
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- A minimum of two official, pre-recorded TED Talks must be shown at events which are less than half a day in length. For longer events, 25% of the total number of talks must be official, pre-recorded TED Talks from the talks library.
- TED and TEDx events are stand-alone events, and may not be co-branded with other events or identities (organization, non-profit, corporation, etc).
Before you plan on organizing a TEDx event, familiarize yourself with all the rules and read the TEDx Organizer Guide.
Event Types
There’s a broad array of different event types available to host.
There are the standard event, inspired by the TED conference. There are also University and youth events, for events which are hosted at a college or university and organized by current university admins and staff, or catered towards schools and youth communities.
There are Salon events – small weekly or monthly events – which help to keep a community engaged between regularly scheduled larger events. (In order to organize a Salon event, applicants must already have an existing standard license.)
There are also TEDxLive and TEDxWomen events, aimed at topics of women and gender, or working with a simulcast of the annual TED Conference. These two categories specifically tend to become global events.
TED in Vancouver
Even if you’re not interested in becoming an organizer, you can still get engaged in helping be a part of the action. TEDx events are volunteer organized, planned, and driven events. Without the help of valued volunteers these events can’t happen. Get involved!
Local TEDx Events in Vancouver include TEDx Stanley Park.
Deeley Exhibition and Conference Facilities is an ideal and unique venue for a TEDx Event. Our main meeting room can comfortably accommodate 100 seated guests, we have built-in professional A/V and projection, and we are centrally located and accessible by car or transit. IF you’d like information about hosting a TEDx event with us, give us a call.