TEDxSeattle is one of the largest and oldest TEDx events in the U.S. Started in 2010, it is a day-long program held each November attracting about 2,600 curious and involved attendees. According to its organizers, “[TEDxSeattle] is carefully designed to honor a city known for its blend of innovators, technology leaders and edgy artists.”
Recently, I had the opportunity to interview Elizabeth Coppinger, the executive director and curator of TEDxSeattle, to learn more about this year’s event, which will take place on Saturday, Nov. 18. I was particularly interested in three things: why people should attend TEDxSeattle; how speakers are selected; and how TEDx organizers help those speakers prepare. Here is what I learned.
TEDxSeattle, a local brand licensed from TED, is a platform for people to present and hear about ideas so powerful that they need to be broadly shared. This year’s theme is “Changing Places.”
On the TEDxSeattle website they explain: “Changes in where and how we live are troubling for some, motivating for others. This year’s conference will explore the implications of change for the city in which we live; and for our country and the world.”
According to Coppinger, the organizers felt the theme was appropriate because, with so many new people moving into the area, Seattle is changing dramatically in terms of population and demographics. There is also significant development with new buildings and roads physically changing our communities.
“In this maelstrom of change, people are contemplating their roles in the community and how they can adapt or impact this change in a positive manner,” explained Coppinger.
The Attendee Experience
I’m a huge fan of online TED talks and TEDx videos, but until I spoke with Coppinger, I had not seriously considered attending an event in person. Now, I am realizing that there are some significant benefits to attending the full TEDxSeattle program.
Coppinger astutely pointed out when you watch a TED video online, you probably self-selected the content. However, when you attend an all-day TEDx event, you broaden your horizons because you hear from a wide range of speakers who have been carefully curated by the event organizers. This means you are likely to be exposed to new ideas and stretch your mind.
In addition, when you attend a TEDx event, you have the opportunity to connect with others in your local community. Connecting and discussing ideas is a very important part of the one-day experience. Conversing with others about a talk you’ve just heard further shapes your perceptions and may spark additional thoughts about new ideas.
Speaking at TEDxSeattle
If you want to speak at TEDxSeattle, Coppinger highly recommends that people sign up for and attend the event so they have their own first-hand experience and can get a better sense of the format of the program and how to add value as a presenter.
The organizers receive about 250 nominations each year from a mix of artists, philanthropists, scientists, technologists, and business leaders. This means there is significant competition for approximately 14 presentation slots. The organizers make speaker selections very carefully, and to be invited you need to have a compelling core idea that aligns with the theme. According to Coppinger, “Your core idea and how well you can express it is by far the most critical element.”
When I heard the organizers received so many nominations, I was curious about how they sort through them all to make their final selections.
“Pre-screeners review the initial nominations and select the top 50 to 75 of the nominations to advance to the scoring round,” Coppinger explained. “Once a nomination makes it to the scoring round, we review it for the quality of the idea and we look at the strength of the argument. For instance, we consider the examples or proof points that support the idea.”
Sometimes at the scoring stage, the TEDxSeattle speaker selection committee will ask nominees to provide additional information. The selection committee then meets again to discuss the nominations with the highest scores and determines who will be invited in for in-person interviews. After the in-person interviews, the speaker selection committee extends final invitations and notifies others that they have not been chosen.
Top-Notch Coaching & Support
If the organizers invite you to speak, you’ll be given significant support. Specifically, they’ll assign a mentor to guide you through the process. You’ll also receive the support of a graphic artist and professional speaker coach to help you take your idea off the page and onto the stage.
“Our speaker coaches are invaluable in helping people focus their ideas into a presentation arc,” said Coppinger. “They help people with attention-grabbing introductions, transitions to main points, and the development of conclusions that leaves the audience inspired and thinking about the idea well into the future. We want people to leave TEDxSeattle inspired to make a difference.”
Finally, KCTS is an important partner and provides studio space to the TEDxSeattle presenters so they can rehearse in front of organizers and mentors.
Sponsorship
Putting on the TEDxSeattle program is costly, but fortunately Washington State Employees Credit Union has been a key underwriter and vital partner for several years. Nonetheless, TEDxSeattle is looking for additional sponsors to subsidize tickets for students. “We want TEDxSeattle to be accessible to younger people in our community because they are such an important audience,” said Coppinger. “Many students find our $80 tickets to be expensive so if a company is interested in helping to sponsor student attendance, we’d welcome the opportunity to talk with them.”
Tickets for Nov. 18 will go on sales on September 10.