COMMUNITY SALONS UPDATE: All Events Suspended Immediately

Our community salons are being suspended immediately due to closure of programming and event spaces in our partner facilities of the Calgary Public Library. These suspensions are a result of measures being taken by the Library to slow or stop the spread of Coronavirus/COVID-19 infections.

We completely understand and support the Library's decision to do this, and we will resume the community salons in various branches across the city as soon as it is safe and practical to do so. Please note that some community salon locations may return sooner than others, as our own programming is based on volunteer availability and specific arrangements with each branch. As we normally take a break during July and August, some locations may not resume programming until the Fall. Check our Community Salons pages on MeetUp for details.

As we figure out new and ever more innovative ways to connect and engage with our community during a time of physical isolation and distancing, stay tuned for some opportunities for interactive community salons taking place online in the coming months!

-- The TEDxCalgary team

Community Salons and Adventures

Engage with other interesting Calgarians throughout the year by attending one of our monthly community-based Salon events, or one of our occasional special adventures (that's the "+" part of Salons+)! 

Community Salons

Community Salon events run three times a month between January and June, and from September to November.

Salon-based events evoke the famous salon gatherings of the 18th Century Enlightenment period, which stimulated the development and spread of many of the basic political, scientific, and social ideas that underpin our modern life (for good or bad). Our amazing team of volunteer hosts has selected a series of pre-recorded TEDTalks to view throughout the year, and they engage participants in a series of dynamic, structured discussion questions.

Where the topic ultimately goes is up to you, the participants! It's an excellent way to meet new people with a shared interest in ideas, and to challenge one's own viewpoints. Community salons are currently hosted at the Central (SW), Fish Creek (SE), and Crowfoot (NW) branches of the Calgary Public Library, and may be hosted at other partner locations on a per-event basis.

These events are free to attend, but require online registration to ensure that we are able to accommodate the group size, and to ensure that we can send participants a post-event feedback form. Please note that these events DO NOT feature live speakers unless specifically noted (see more about those events further down the page).
 

Special TEDxCalgary Adventures

From time to time, we get the opportunity to visit some special places that normally are a bit off the beaten path. Sometimes it's joining others to take a special art-focused walk around our city, or explore a particular neighbourhood. Other times, it's a chance to go behind the scenes with a particular lab (think robotics, or advanced data visualization) or an interesting organization (like a gelato factory!). Some are just outright experimental, so join us for the fun of making the "x" in TEDxCalgary stand for something different each time!
 
When running, our TEDxCalgary Adventures will be listed under the community salons area (and possibly under events, depending on how they're structured).
 
 

TEDxCalgary Salons with a difference!

At various times of the year, we host larger Salon events that feature live speakers, blended with a vibrant set of participant discussions and interactions. These Salons are posted in our Events section when running, and are ticketed events with a modest entry fee to cover our event costs.