Five reasons not to miss TEDxCanberra 2025
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This Saturday 18 October, the National Film and Sound Archive will host TEDxCanberra 2025 with a theme that couldn’t be more timely: The People’s Blueprint.
Since 2010, TEDxCanberra has brought thousands of Canberrans together to celebrate ideas worth spreading. This year’s event continues that tradition while pushing it forward – literally asking attendees to help design what comes next.
For anyone who’s ever watched a TED Talk at 2am and thought “Canberra needs more of this energy,” here’s why this year’s event deserves a spot in your calendar.
Be part of crafting the future
The People’s Blueprint challenges the usual dynamic. Rather than sitting back while experts deliver solutions, this year’s event puts co-creation and collective visioning at the centre.
It’s an invitation to move beyond passive listening and step into active participation – where the future isn’t dictated from above but designed collectively, from the ground up.
Hear from voices that challenge and inspire
The speaker lineup reads like a masterclass in tackling the issues that actually matter. It’s a diverse mix spanning environmental science, democracy, social reform, youth leadership, and health – each speaker bringing real-world experience to big-picture thinking.
Hannah Andrevski, founder and CEO of Roundabout Canberra, has built a charity that now supports nearly 5,000 children annually – proving what community-led solutions can achieve. Environmental scientist Dr Kate Grarock brings wilderness storytelling (and her SBS Alone credentials) to discussions about connecting with nature.
Then there’s Victor Ni, a Canberra Grammar senior who’s already founded International Youth MUN and connected students across 20 countries. Award-winning strategic designer Sarah Patterson draws on two decades of experience driving systems change in climate and energy.
Tom Rogers AO, Australia’s longest-serving Electoral Commissioner, offers crucial insights on democratic resilience in an era of disruption. Dr Sarah Stephens approaches brain health and Alzheimer’s prevention through evidence-based protocols. And Satara Uthayakumaran, Australia’s 2025 UN Youth Representative, brings a powerful perspective on legal and social reform.
Discover Innovation Alley
Beyond the theatre, Innovation Alley brings local impact into sharp focus. This outdoor activation space showcases grassroots initiatives from organisations including Synergy Group, Yellow Edge, Apollo Law, Canberra Innovation Network, Helping ACT, Cancer Council ACT, Allara Creative, and Hands Across Canberra. See what’s happening in our own backyard – and perhaps find new ways to contribute.
Be inspired by Canberra’s emerging artists
Between the big ideas, there’s space for artistry.
Canberra Harmony Chorus will fill the NFSA with joyful barbershop and a cappella harmonies, while singer-songwriter Emma Jones blends soulful storytelling with rock energy.
Connect with your people
Picture yourself sitting next to someone working in quantum computing, a social entrepreneur, an artist reimagining public spaces, or maybe even a public servant with a side passion for urban design.
The networking drinks and Innovation Alley open up natural opportunities to meet others who care about systems thinking, social innovation, and making change happen.
Expect conversations that spark collaborations, shift perspectives, or simply remind you that plenty of people want to do things differently.
