11 Jun TEDx Cardiff – digitally distributing great thinkers & ideas
Back in April I was lucky to get tickets for the first TEDx event to be held in Cardiff. If like me you’ve arrived a bit late to the TED party here’s a quick introduction to the concept.
TED stands for – Technology, Entertainment, Design. The overriding mission is to spread great ideas from great thinkers, for free, through the internet. It started as a conference held in California back in 1984 and since then it’s grown to become a four day conference where 50 speakers are each given 18 minute slots. There are more than 500 TED Talks on TED.com.
TEDx is the smaller more local baby offspring of the TED conference. Hosted by the Millennium Centre the Cardiff TEDx event went down a storm. Check out the aftermath comments at tedxcardiff.co.uk.
‘Harmony and Ideas; Why Perfection Is Your Enemy’ was my favourite talk of the night. Paul Clarke’s theatrical and a let’s face it a bit bonkers delivery made for a captivating performance, mixing mathematical insights with audience participation and Jonny Ball style demos. I loved the idea that whilst music comes from the soul it is without doubt underpinned by robust mathematics…..I’m no mathematician but for a while there I was hooked.
Another blinder was Steve Robinsons talk that revisited some of his best moments from the making of the Cardiff made series The Tribe. – What We Can Learn From Tribal Cultures.
The team of volunteers headed up by Claire Scantlebury and Neil Cocker did an amazing job. Thanks to all for a memorable night.