Next month’s TEDxBath, which would have been the largest staged so far in the city, has been put back to next spring as a result of the latest lockdown measures.
Organisers said they had arrived at the decision reluctantly but will go ahead with a TEDxBath Countdown – a free virtual event in partnership with the TED COUNTDOWN global initiative on climate change – instead on the same day, October 10.
TEDxBath is an entirely independent and not-for-profit venture and is run by a team of volunteers representing different aspects of the city. Next month’s event would have been the third. It was due to take place at The Forum and bring together a diverse range of influential speakers.
The TEDxBath team consulted Covid-19 expert advisor Dr Bharat Pankhania in the light of new government guidelines which took effect this week restricting social gatherings to six people as well as escalating cases.
They said event sponsors, ambassadors and speakers had reacted positively to the decision and support the delay “to create and deliver the powerful and experiential event we have planned over the last 12 months”.
Ticket holders have also supported this decision with the vast majority agreeing to retain them for the rescheduled event.
TEDxBath lead organiser Rhodora Baguilat said: “Government guidance allowing, the spring 2021 event will be packed full of inspiring speakers, breath-taking performers along with interesting and challenging installations.
“We are really looking forward to bringing our established live event to our TEDxBath audience and supporters in 2021.”
Rhodora said the ‘Interconnected’ theme would be even more relevant and the TEDxBath team and hoped it would attract a diverse audience hungry for positivity and inspiration.
Speakers lined up for TEDxBath include international bestselling writer and renegade economist Kate Raworth, creative strategist Dan Burgess, Royal United Hospital director of intensive care Dr Andy Georgiou, Claire Prosho of Claire’s Trans Talks, Ewandro Magalhaes, former chief interpreter for the United Nations in Geneva, and Eddie Ilic of Eddie’s Street Cuts.
The TEDxBath Countdown online event will support the global launch of TED COUNTDOWN which is working alongside the teams from TEDxBath sponsors the Forest of Imagination and Big Draw.
Forest of Imagination is an annual pop-up contemporary arts event in Bath, inspiring creativity and a heightened awareness of nature in an urban context while House of Imagination is an arts-based research charity that is devoted to supporting children’s and young people’s creativity.
