Is TEDxDoncaster officially run by TED?

No. TEDxDoncaster is independently organised and operated under licence from TED. It is not a TED-run event but follows TED's format and guidelines.

When is TEDxDoncaster 2026?

TEDxDoncaster's October 2026 events include TEDxDoncasterYouth (15 Oct), TEDxWomen (17 Oct), and TEDxDoncaster Flagship at CAST Theatre (18 Oct). TEDxDoncasterSalon (AI) will take place in 2027, date to be confirmed.

Where is TEDxDoncaster held?

TEDxDoncaster takes place across Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The 2026 Women's event and Main Event are held at Cast Theatre; the Youth event takes place at Doncaster College. Other venues to be confirmed.

How do I get tickets for TEDxDoncaster 2026?

Sign up for updates to hear first about future events.

How can I apply to speak at TEDxDoncaster?

Speaker applications open approximately six months before the event. Visit our Get Involved page to learn more about the criteria, format, and how to submit your idea.

Who can attend TEDxDoncaster?

Anyone with an open mind is welcome. Our audience is diverse - students, entrepreneurs, educators, artists, scientists, and community leaders all attend. If you are curious about ideas, you belong here.

How can my organisation become a partner or sponsor?

The 2026 sponsor programme is now closed, with all sponsors confirmed. Partnership enquiries are open for TEDxDoncaster 2027. Visit our Sponsorship page or contact us directly to request the 2027 pack.

Can I volunteer at TEDxDoncaster?

Yes. TEDxDoncaster is run entirely by over 20 volunteers. No one receives any payment for their involvement; every role is given freely in support of Ideas Worth Spreading. Volunteers support everything from event logistics to speaker liaison. Apply through our Get Involved page.

What is the theme for TEDxDoncaster 2026?

The theme for TEDxDoncaster 2026 is 'Undermined - From Coal to Code to AI'. It explores how Doncaster has been shaped, challenged, and transformed - from its coal-mining heritage through digital disruption to the rise of artificial intelligence.

TEDxDoncaster Presents · Ideas Worth Spreading

Undermined.

From Coal to Code to AI

TEDxDoncaster is today, Sun 18 Oct, at CAST. Last tickets at CAST.

Book Tickets at CAST Explore the Events

1,376,221+Talk views · Watch on YouTube ↗

82+Speakers

800+Attendees

7Years

Flagship countdown · 18 Oct 2026 · CAST Theatre

00Days

00Hrs

00Min

00Sec

Three events this October (Youth 15 Oct, Women 17 Oct, TEDxDoncaster 18 Oct), with AI Salon and Play to follow in 2027.

14 March 2027TEDxDoncaster PlayWhere creativity meets curiosity

15 OctYouthDoncaster College

2027 TBCAI SalonDate & venue TBC

17 OctWomenCAST Theatre

18 OctMain EventCAST Theatre

Next Event

TEDxDoncaster

Sunday, 18 October 2026

Days

Hours

Mins

Secs

Event details Get Speaker Updates

2026 Events

Play

Youth

Women

Flagship

Early-bird waitlist · 2027

Already thinking
about next year?Get in first.

Join the TEDxDoncaster 2027 waitlist and get early-bird access before general ticket release.

Joining registers your interest only. It is not a reserved ticket and does not guarantee a discount. We'll share 2027 details when they're confirmed.

TEDxDoncaster · CAST · 18 October 2026

The 2026 lineup.11 ideas. One stage.

Meet the 11 speakers of TEDxDoncaster 2026, Undermined: From Coal to Code to AI. Choose a face to read the idea behind the talk.

Programme Full profiles

01 / 11 · Swipe or use arrows

Speaker 01 / 11

Prof. Dr. Anabel Ternès von Hattburg

“Undermined: When the Ground Shifts Beneath Us”

AI
Psychology
Future of Work
Belonging

The idea

What happens to people when the systems, industries and identities that once gave their lives structure begin to disappear? Doncaster has lived through this before: coal shaped generations of work, community and identity before its decline forced the city to confront a different future. Today, AI and automation are creating another profound transition. Anabel explores the psychology of reinvention: how people and communities respond when certainty disappears, and how we find new purpose. Preparing for an AI future requires more than technological skills. It requires a future mindset: the capacity to adapt, reconnect, learn and rebuild a sense of belonging.

About

Anabel Ternès von Hattburg is a futurist, professor, psychologist, entrepreneur and UN Ambassador whose work connects human rights, sustainability, innovation and leadership. A mother who lives with a disability and has a migration background, she comes from a family that fled torture.

Read full profile

Idea Search 2027: speaker applications are open now. Have an idea worth spreading? Apply now.

Apply to speak

From Past Events

"We believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and, ultimately, the world."

Marcus Isman-Egal MSc, TEDxDoncaster Licensee & Curator

What is TEDx?

An Independently
Organised Event

TEDx is a grassroots initiative, created in the spirit of TED's overall mission to research and discover "ideas worth spreading." TEDx events bring the spirit of TED to local communities around the globe.

TEDx events operate under TED's guidelines: non-commercial, independently curated, and committed to Ideas Worth Spreading. Talks are filmed and published through the global TEDx network.

This independent TEDx event is operated under licence from TED.

TEDxDoncaster

Ideas Rooted
in South Yorkshire

TEDxDoncaster brings this global phenomenon to South Yorkshire. We curate a programme of extraordinary speakers - from technologists and artists to community leaders and scientists - to share unique perspectives and spark deep discussion.

Our audience leaves different from how they arrived. That is the point.

Learn more about us

TEDxDoncaster 2026 · October Events

Undermined.

From Coal to Code to AI

Doncaster's journey from the coal mines that shaped a generation to the digital economy redefining its future. Ideas that challenge the status quo, and ask what comes next.

Three standalone TEDx events in October 2026, each with its own format, venue, and perspective. TEDxDoncasterSalon (AI) and TEDx Play take place separately in 2027. Connected by one theme: Undermined.

Explore the Events

Curator's Pick · This Month

October 2026

October's TED Talk: Why AI Is an Even Bigger Deal Than You Think

Reed Hastings and Sal Khan explore how AI could change education and the economy. Our October TED.com pick asks what that transformation could mean for Doncaster, and how people can help shape the next chapter.

Read the curator's note →

Watch on TED

TED Talk

Why AI is an even bigger deal than you think

Reed Hastings and Sal Khan

2026

The experience

Why
attend?

An event unlike any other in South Yorkshire. Intellectually charged, beautifully produced.

INTELLECT01

Ideas that matter

Talks that challenge your worldview and introduce you to groundbreaking concepts you won't find elsewhere.

CONNECTION02

A remarkable community

Connect with Doncaster's most curious, driven, and passionate individuals: people who actually act on ideas.

CRAFT03

World-class production

A premium intellectual experience delivered with exceptional production value. Every detail is considered.

PEOPLE04

Genuine connection

Curated breaks and activities designed to foster real, lasting connections, not small talk.

Places are strictly limited for each event. Early access is available now.

Explore the programme Stay updated

From the audience

What
people say.

View past events →

2025 · Human Flourishing

I have attended a lot of events in South Yorkshire. Nothing else does what TEDxDoncaster does; it makes you feel like ideas actually matter here. I left the 2025 event thinking differently about my own work.

Sarah M.

Social Enterprise Director, Doncaster

2024 · De-Coded

The production quality is astonishing for a volunteer-run event. The talks were superb, but what surprised me most was the audience. Exactly the right people in the room: curious, engaged, generous.

James T.

Tech Entrepreneur, Sheffield

2024 · De-Coded

I came as a sceptic. I stayed for three hours after the event talking to people I would never normally meet. TEDxDoncaster creates something rare: a room where everyone is genuinely interested in what the person next to them thinks.

Priya K.

Secondary School Teacher, Rotherham

2022 · Opening Doors

One talk changed the way I think about failure. I have shared it with everyone I know. That is what a great TEDx talk does. It does not just inform; it moves you somewhere new.

Marcus D.

Creative Director, Doncaster

Join the 800+ people who have attended TEDxDoncaster since 2019. The 2026 programme is our most ambitious yet.

Explore past events →

FAQ

Common Questions

Ten questions, two minutes. Everything you need to know before the event.

Quick Answer

What is TEDxDoncaster?

An independently organised TEDx event (CIC 12014671) under licence from TED, founded 2019. Not run by TED; run by a local volunteer team bringing world-class ideas to South Yorkshire.

Quick Answer

When are the 2026 events?

TEDxDoncaster's October 2026 events include TEDxDoncasterYouth (15 Oct), TEDxWomen (17 Oct), and TEDxDoncaster at CAST Theatre (18 Oct). TEDxDoncasterSalon (AI) will take place in 2027, with the date to be confirmed.

Quick Answer

How do I get tickets?

Still have questions? Our team responds within one business day.

Contact the team

Undermined.

TEDxDoncaster

Already thinkingabout next year?Get in first.

The 2026 lineup.11 ideas. One stage.

Prof. Dr. Anabel Ternès von Hattburg

The idea

About

An IndependentlyOrganised Event

Ideas Rootedin South Yorkshire

Undermined.

October's TED Talk: Why AI Is an Even Bigger Deal Than You Think

Whyattend?

Ideas that matter

A remarkable community

World-class production

Genuine connection

Whatpeople say.

Common Questions

What is TEDxDoncaster?

When are the 2026 events?

How do I get tickets?

Stay aheadof the ideas.

Join the list

Already thinking
about next year?Get in first.

An Independently
Organised Event

Ideas Rooted
in South Yorkshire

Why
attend?

What
people say.

Stay ahead
of the ideas.