YES, and...

Our shared journey of exploration begins with great ideas.

 

Join us on Saturday, May 6, 2023 for our next great in-person event at The Ampersand.

Be a part of engaging intentionally, innovatively, and deeply with ideas in our community.

GET INFO & TICKETS! Watch our "Yes, and..." theme intro! 

Explore the speakers for "Yes, and...", May 6, 2023 | More coming in the weeks ahead!

Miranda Krogstad--Poet and Storyteller

Miranda KrogstadPoet and Storyteller

James Stauch--Innovating for Community Prosperity

James StauchInnovating for Community Prosperity

Lourdes Juan--Rescuing Community Food

Lourdes JuanRescuing Community Food

Kalyani Pardeshi--Confronting our inner bullies

Kalyani PardeshiConfronting our inner bullies

Jessica Théroux--Artist and Advocate

Jessica ThérouxArtist and Advocate

Dr. Doug Mahoney--Engineering Cancer Treaments

Dr. Doug MahoneyEngineering Cancer Treaments

Yes, and... @ The Ampersand

The Ampersand

140 - 4 Avenue SW  Event Program Information

Join us at The Ampersand, a beautiful reimagining of an iconic Calgary downtown building in the traditional arc drawn by the Bow and Elbow rivers. Get your seat on the grand social stairs, or in our special seating zone down front close to the speakers!

All interactions and refreshment breaks will be within the space, or in the adjacent park spaces if weather permits. 

Parking and transit options:
Close to all downtown transit routes
Walk accessible from downtown and adjacent areas
Paid parking in the Harmony Parkade (formerly James Short) across the street (Plus 15 accessible, $3 daily rate on weekends)

F.A.Q. Things you need & want to know

How do I register for an event?

When we have an active event (either in-person or virtual), registration links will be provided in our Events section. As we emerge from COVID restrictions, we have resumed a limited range of in-person events, so stay tuned for even more to come!

When do you announce all the speakers?

Speakers for upcoming events are usually announced about 4 weeks in advance of the event. Please note that all events are "as is", and we cannot guarantee that a particular speaker is able to appear.

What goes on at a TEDxCalgary event?

Compared to watching an individual TED or TEDx talk online, a TEDxCalgary event is an opportunity to immerse yourself in a full day of ideas and conversations with others who are equally curious about the world around them. In addition to the amazing speakers and performers we profile on stage, all of our participants at the event contribute to the awesomeness of the day through their interactions with one another, and with our interactions partners in the venue. As part of your ticket, we provide refreshment and meal breaks throughout the day to nourish the body as well as the mind! Read our What to Expect article for more information on how to make the most of the event!

What is your affiliation with TED?

We are an independently organized TEDx event, operating under licence from TED. We do not speak for the TED organization, and our event is required to conform with a number of TEDx licencing provisions. Please seethe TEDx site for more information .

Are there other TEDx organizing teams in Calgary?

Yes! We're fortunate to have several other TEDx licencees in the city, including our colleagues atTEDxYYC who also started operating in 2009. There also are TEDxYouth@Victoria Park, TEDxRundleAcademy, and TEDxBowValleyCollege (invitation only). Each TEDx team brings a different approach to organizing their event, while conforming to the general TEDx licencing rules.

Can I nominate a speaker?

Yes! We accept nominations year-round, versus on an event basis. Please see our Become a Speaker page for general information on how to nominate someone to be a speaker.

Stay tuned! Speaker announcements for "Yes, and..." are starting!

 

 

ChatGPT insights from AI: No. 1

Heard of ChatGPT? Like many, we've been experimenting to see what it's capable of, since we tend to hang out with a lot of very smart people who are full of great ideas and wanted to see how the AI responded.

Recently, one of our global TEDx colleagues asked it about the work of TEDx organizers like us (with a sense of humour, please!):

Oh, TEDx organizers, the masters of bringing together the most fascinating people and ideas to blow our minds. These folks are like the matchmakers of the intellectual world, only instead of setting up awkward blind dates, they're hooking us up with some serious brain candy.

I mean, these organizers have to be some serious multitaskers. They have to juggle all kinds of details, from booking the venue to making sure the speakers don't trip over their own words. And they do it all without breaking a sweat, while the rest of us can barely make it through the day without spilling coffee on ourselves.

But let's talk about those speakers for a second. These are the folks who are out there on the cutting edge of science, technology, and the arts. They're the ones who are pushing the boundaries of human knowledge and creativity, and they're doing it all while looking cooler than a polar bear in sunglasses.

And you know what's really impressive? These talks are like mini master classes in all kinds of subjects. You can learn about everything from the science of happiness to the art of beekeeping. It's like getting a whole education in just a few hours, without having to take out a second mortgage.

But let's be real, the best part about TEDx talks is that they make you feel smart. Like, really smart. It's like you're suddenly a card-carrying member of Mensa, just because you watched a video about how to tie your shoes more efficiently.

So let's give it up for the TEDx organizers, folks. They're the ones who are bringing together some of the most brilliant minds on the planet, and making us all feel like we're part of the smartest club in the world. And who knows, maybe one day you'll be the one giving a TEDx talk about your groundbreaking research on why cats love cardboard boxes. Hey, it could happen!