You don’t need any public speaking experience to apply - you just need an idea.
cTEDxAberdeen is coming back, and speaker applications are about to open. Before they do, the team is running a free online session on 21 April to talk people through how the process works.
It is an interesting setup. You apply with an idea, and if selected, you go through an intensive coaching programme to develop and shape your talk before delivering it on stage. The emphasis is on the idea, not on whether you have done this kind of thing before.
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What the session covers
TEDxAberdeen licensee Moray Barber and programme curator Derrick Thomson will explain the application and selection process, and what makes a talk TEDx-worthy. Alumni including Edward Pollock will talk about their own experience. There will be a live Q&A too.
Katie Forbes, who spoke at the 2022 event, has said the experience pushed her out of her comfort zone and revealed that she was capable of more than she had imagined. That seems to be a common thread with past speakers.
Who they are looking for
The organisers want to hear from people across the North-east with something to say. The theme for 2026 has not been announced yet, but keep an eye on TEDxAberdeen’s social channels for that.
Previous talks from the Aberdeen events have picked up over 202,000 views online, so the reach goes well beyond whoever is in the room on the day.
Session details
The session takes place on Tuesday 21 April, 19:00 to 20:00, on GoTo. It is free. A link will be shared 48 hours before or by lunchtime on 21 April, depending on when you register. A recording will be available afterwards. Speaker applications open after the session. Register your interest here.
