• TEDxEnsley Avenue Salon 2026 Speaker Application

    Applications open May 1, 2026 and Closes on July 15, 2026
    • Event Location: Birmingham, AL or Alabaster, AL
    • Event Date: December 12, 2026
    • Event Theme: Shifting Ideas. Shaping Communities

    At its core, the TEDxEnsley Avenue Salon is not just about listening, it is about engaging. Each gathering is built to expose the audience to diverse, interdisciplinary ideas that reflect innovation happening within the community and beyond. While education remains a strong thread, the Salon expands into areas such as mental health, social impact, arts, leadership, and community transformation, ensuring a well-balanced and dynamic experience.

    The Salon series, themed “Shifting Ideas. Shaping Communities.”, will be delivered as a multi-part experience, with each Salon offering a distinct focus while contributing to the overall narrative of impact and change.

    September Salon: “The Shift”
    This opening experience centers on awakening ideas and introducing the audience to what a TED Talk truly is. It sets the tone by helping attendees understand how ideas are formed, structured, and shared with clarity and purpose.

    October Salon: “The Shape”
    This salon focuses on ideas in motion. It highlights interdisciplinary innovation across technology, mental health, faith, entrepreneurship, and environmental justice, showing how ideas begin to take form within communities.

    December Salon: “The Impact”
    This culminating salon brings everything together, focusing on transformation and measurable change. It emphasizes how ideas move beyond conversation into action, influence, and lasting community impact.

  • TEDx talks signify concepts, innovations or stories valuable enough to be shared globally to fuel conversation, inspire action or change perspectives. These ideas are typically genuine, deeply researched or personally transformative. 

    PLEASE NOTE: This is not a platform to promote personal, company or commercial interests. No selling, promoting politics or religion can be done during TEDx talks.

    TEDx Talks FAQs (Please Review): Click Here to View

  • Format: (000) 000-0000.
  • Do you authorize TEDxEnsley Avenue Salon to send text messages?*
  • Gender*
  • Race*
  • Date of Birth*
     - -
  • T-Shirt Size*
  • 0/250
  • Do you require any accessibility accommodations to fully participate in the TEDxEnsley Avenue Salon experience (coaching, rehearsals, or day of event)?*
  • Have you ever delivered a TEDx talk?*
  • Do you have a speaker coach? **Please note: It is not required to have a speaker coach.*
  • Do you understand and agree to follow TEDx content guidelines, including avoiding pseudoscience and promotional, political, or religious agendas?*
  • Which category is your talk?*
  • Do you acknowledge that TEDx talks are intended to present ideas worth spreading and should not function as motivational speaking or promotional sales pitches?*
  • Do you acknowledge that the video for TEDxEnsley Avenue Salon submission CANNOT be shared after the submission and acceptance to the TEDxEnsley Avenue Salon stage? If shared without permission, the TEDxEnsley Avenue Salon organizer reserves the right to suspend or delete your published talk to TEDx YouTube.*

  • TEDx organizers are responsible for creating a TED like experience, lead a volunteer driven team, follow TED rules and guidelines to produce a memorable event experience celebrating local voices in our community.

    All talks must meet TED and TEDxEnsley Avenue Salon rules and guidelines. This will be clearly explained and strictly enforced.

    Scheduling will be provided in advance with dates for (3) speaker assignments, (2) speaker coachings prior to the event date, (1) required in-person practice and (1) potentially a meet and greet/walk-through (day before event).

    If selected, you will also be required to arrive on the scheduled time the day of the event and stay through your entire session. 

    If selected, you will be required to come to the September Salon and the October Salon.

    Communication and participation is required to fulfill preparation for the main stage event.

    If these expectations are not met at any time during this event, accepted speaker invitations will be rescinded. If a talk is delivered on December 12, 2026 but determined it did not meet TED or TEDxEnsley Avenue Salon guidelines it will not be submitted to TED for publication to TEDx YouTube channel.

  • Did you read the statement above and agree to these terms?*
  • If selected, do you have a headshot available to use for all publications?*
  • Reload

  • Please note, multiple application submissions will not influence the speaker selection process in any way. All submissions are reviewed to determine if the content submitted fits TED/TEDxEnsley Avenue ED guidelines. We appreciate your consideration for TEDxEnsley Avenue Salon 2027.

  • Should be Empty: