- Capital Daily
- Posts
- Feb 15 - A call for TEDx speakers
Feb 15 - A call for TEDx speakers
UVic develops C-PTSD digital tool, and the weekly roundup
Capital Daily Team
February 15, 2026
Good morning !
Enjoy your Family Day long weekend, if applicable.
The Capital Daily Family is pausing on Tuesday. We’ll see you bright and early in your email inbox on Wednesday.
— Mark
Today’s approx. read time: 6 minutes
🌡️ Weather Forecast
NEWS
TEDxVictoria now accepting speaker applications for October event
Photo: TEDxVictoria and Redbrick
If you have an idea you feel is worth sharing, think it’ll be relevant to a Victoria audience, and you don’t mind getting up in front of a few hundred people to talk for 10-15 minutes, you might be TEDx material.
TEDxVictoria organizers have opened applications for this year’s event, which will take place on Oct. 7 at UVic’s Farquhar Auditorium.
“You don’t have to be a professional speaker to give a TEDx talk,” says Kurt Archer, a TEDxVictoria curator.
“In fact, applications that are simply aimed at benefitting an applicant’s speaking career are generally unsuccessful.”
The TEDxVictoria speaker curation committee is looking for 11 to 13 presenters, and all potential speakers need is a good idea, the gumption to share it, and the ability to take a wee bit of guidance.
Every TEDxVictoria speaker receives support—from idea clarification and storytelling training to slide design and presentation skills workshops, says Carol-Lynne Michaels, also a TEDxVictoria curator.
“If your idea could change everything, the TEDxVictoria team will ensure you have all you need to feel great about delivering your talk on the big day.”
Encouraging words—which is what the show hopes to present.
TED Talks began in 1984 as a conference focused on technology, entertainment, and design.
TEDx events are modelled after the TED Talks format—only they’re shorter, sometimes only three minutes long. They usually begin with a hook that takes the audience on a journey and offers a resolution or call to action in the end.
The "x" stands for an independently organized TED event, which is usually smaller but still provides the platform for a wide range of speakers from the community who aren’t necessarily widely known.
They’re pretty popular, with 4K+ events held annually, including here in Victoria from 2011 to 2015. They came back under a new licensee in 2024 and are presented by Victoria tech company Redbrick.
So what makes an interesting TEDx talk?
“We seek authentic voices with ideas worth spreading,” Archer says. Speakers should have a clear idea and convey why it’s relevant to the audience, he adds.
“Each talk should focus on one clear idea, not multiple concepts. We prioritize unique and timely topics.”
⚠️ Capital Bulletin
Recall: Certain Stellar Bay Shellfish brand oysters, due to norovirus. [Health Canada]
Point Ellice Bridge upgrades begin Tuesday, lasting four months. [City of Victoria]
Saanich road closure:
* Kremlin between Broadmead and Kisber, through Feb. 27, 4pm-8am.
* Palmer at Quadra, through Friday, 9am-3:30pm.
Saanich extended single-lane traffic: Quadra between Glenora Pl. and Union, through Friday, 9am-3:30pm.
Dog ban expanded on Pacific Rim trails after dog was attacked by two wolves. [Parks Canada]
Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.
