TEDxBrum 2014 A Personal Experience

From June to November, I was a member of the TEDxBrum 2014 team. For those unfamiliar with the TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) concept, it is a set of global conferences owned by the private non-profit Sapling Foundation, under the slogan: “Ideas Worth Spreading”. TED originated as a one-off event in 1984, before growing into a global entity, with TED events taking place across the globe from Sydney to Birmingham.

The Birmingham event has been running since 2011, founded by Anneka Deva, a guest this year, who then stepped down in 2012, passing the baton of inspiration to Imandeep Kaur, a woman with Birmingham at heart. She was leading the preparations for the 2014 event at The Library of Birmingham.

Any TED event is centred on a theme with this year’s theme as ‘DIY’. It was a choice that appealed to me due to my love of music, especially the late 1970s’ punk movement, which is rooted in a ‘do it yourself’ culture.

After joining the team halfway through the organisation process, I attended meetings on a regular basis, absorbing in and being impressed by the sheer volume of ideas flowing from a bunch of creative, industrious and passionate individuals who were all here because of their love for TED and showcasing what Birmingham had to offer. In addition, I found attending meetings all the more pleasurable due to the harmonious nature within the team, devoid of sniping, pomposity and ego.

As the event neared, the intensity of the preparation inevitably increased, but with the energetic, hardworking and passionate maverick Imandeep leading the troops, there was no danger of standards slipping. A huge collective effort in the last few weeks left us ready to put on an event that would hopefully set a high benchmark for future TEDxBrum events to be judged by.

The team all arrived prior to 7am, a little tired but buzzing with anticipation at being part of a little history, as for many it was a maiden TED event. Carys Evans, who was working on her second TED event, had organised a large team of volunteers known as ‘Champions’ to ensure that all guests, speakers and sponsors had an enjoyable experience.

When watching people gathering outside before doors opened at 9am, I was then struck by the magnitude of the occasion. The Champions were then at our busiest registering in all the guests and presenting them with their iconic TED name badges, not forgetting goodie bags.

After the registration process it was a case of doing tasks, if required, or speaking to people about how their day had been, especially in the breaks, obtaining feedback – all positive – on how their day had been.

There was a little manual labour, including impressing a library staff member with my lifting of some large tables, while I also manned the coffee/tea tables.

Ian Harrison, was the Co-curator with Imandeep, had responsibility of arranging the speakers. He had struck a balance between speakers offering a Birmingham-centric vibe and those who didn’t.

The talks and musical/spoken word performances, organised by the chilled combination of Simarjeet Kaur and David Austin Grey, who was playing as part of Hansu-Tori, were split into four sub-themed sessions.

For the first three sessions I managed to view selected performances in the livestream zone, which was working in conjunction with the Bite the Ballot. I kept an eye on the action being relayed by the big screen, but was also engaged in a fascinating conversation with Sawsan Bastawy, the Community Engagement Officer, for the Birmingham arm of Bite the Ballot, an organisation with the primary aim of persuading people aged 16-24, to register to vote for forthcoming elections.

A talk that grabbed me was by ‘Mr Gangology’, or Raymond Douglas to his mom, in the way he used popular culture reference points to support his stance on gang culture. He slightly overran, and bits of his viewpoint were a little generalised, but he was amusing and engaging throughout.

I had the pleasure of being in the Studio Theatre for the last session, bringing home the cosy intimacy of the venue and the reverential hush of the audience, interspersed by moments of genuine laughter and applause.

My personal highlight of this session was Ann-Marie Naylor’s talk on the future of libraries, although it was more the way she recounted the transformation in her life from feelings of low self-confidence at 25 that resonated most strongly.

As for the ultimate climax, Lobster proved a shrewd choice, with their energetic, funky, cuts of ska-punk rock ushering the event to a chaotic, joyous and heartfelt denouement, which included many team members shaking their meat to the beat. The event was such a resounding success that I even indulged in a little dancing, an event that has occurred about three times in my adult life!

The day was tiring but the adrenaline and the friendly team and audience kept spirits high. It was a rewarding journey, highlighted by discovering that Birmingham, a city that I had become tired of, has a thriving creative and cultural identity that can hopefully be nurtured for many years to come.

To find out more about the event visit www.tedxbrum.org or follow on twitter @TEDxBrum