31 January 2012

Announcing a global talent search for TED2013 speakers

UPDATE: Get details on online signups for events near you: list of opening dates for TED2013 auditions.

The best moments at TED have often come from unexpected places. But this year, we’re pushing that to an entirely new level. We’re staging a global talent search to bring together the most remarkable lineup in TED’s history. A series of public talent searches in cities around the world will reveal voices, talents and ideas that delight and surprise. As a result, at least half of our TED2013 program will literally be crowd-sourced through what we’re calling the TED2013 Worldwide Talent Search.

Public events will be happening in 14 countries on six continents — in Amsterdam, Bangalore, Doha, Johannesburg, London, Nairobi, New York, São Paulo, Seoul, Shanghai, Sydney, Tokyo, Tunis and Vancouver — between April and June 2012. The talent searches will be official TED events, and we’ve tapped local TEDx organizers in each city to produce.

Online applications to appear, which include the option to upload a short video, will be available for each city at least two months before the event. From those submissions, TED will invite 30 of the best applicants to appear at the talent search, where speakers will have 3-6 minutes to deliver a proposed talk in English. Anyone – with the exception of those who have already spoken at an official TED Conference or have a talk on TED.com – is eligible to apply to the talent search in his or her nearest city. In some exceptional cases, TED will contribute to travel costs.

Learn more about TED Worldwide Talent Search >>

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