About

Our Organisation

TEDx Cooks Hill was formed in 2024 by a small group of individuals that wanted to bring TEDx back to Newcastle.

Operating on a not-for-profit basis, the team organised the first TEDx Cooks Hill event in October 2024, the first event of its kind in Newcastle for many years.

Towards the end of 2024 our organisation was formally incorporated and registered as an Australian Charity. Our purpose is primarily to:

• promote culture by showcasing ideas, stories, literature, spoken word, music, design, video, performing arts, visual arts and film making;
• create and support cultural events where local communities and global citizens gather to learn, collaborate and benefit from shared knowledge, culture and ideas;
• support and promote cultural activities that educate the general population and stimulate secular, non-party-political debate on cultural, political, economic, moral and philosophical issues;
• act as a catalyst and conduit for the global propagation of good ideas, innovation and creativity;
• facilitate the development of a global community and network of people who feel nourished and inspired by the mutual connection and shared affiliation through the propagation of good ideas; and
• develop and facilitate experiences for the public and/or community and business organisations to support cultural knowledge and growth.

Moving into 2025 we have a much larger team with silos of volunteers in our Community, Operations and Brand working channels. More hands means more impact and we're excited to continue to bring TEDx events to the Newcastle area for the foreseeable future.

If you'd like to know more about the work we are doing please get in touch.

About TED

TED is a non-profit that believes powerful ideas, powerfully presented, move us: to feel something, to think differently, to take action.

TED was conceived in 1984 by Richard Saul Wurman, co-founded by Harry Marks, and also involved Frank Stanton. The first TED Conference featured demos of the compact disc (co-developedby Philips and Sony) and one of the earliest demonstrations of the Apple Macintosh computer.

TED eventually became an annual gathering in Monterey, California, attracting a diverse audience from various disciplines. In 2001, media entrepreneur Chris Anderson acquired TED through his nonprofit Sapling Foundation, and the conference’s impact expanded globally. TED Talks were launched online in 2006, reaching millions of viewers worldwide.

A TED Talk is an inspirational and informative presentation given by a speaker on a specific subject or idea. The goal of TED Talks is to bring together people from diverse backgrounds and disciplines, allowing them to exchange and share ideas, gain new perspectives and inspire action.

These talks cover a wide range of topics, from science and business to global issues, and are available in over 100 languages. Originally focused on technology and design, TED Talks have since expanded to include scientific, cultural, political, humanitarian and academic themes. The talks are typically three to eighteen minutes long and often use storytelling to engage the audience.

What is TEDx?

TEDx brings the spirit of TED to local communities around the globe through TEDx events.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organised events that bring people together to share a TED like experience. At a TEDx event, TED Talks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group.

These local, self-organised events are branded TEDx, where x=independently organised TED event.

The TED Conference provides general guidance and licensing for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organised.