Dubbed a local version of TED Talks, VANTalks is coming to Vancouver on Thursday, May 26 at the Kiggins Theatre in downtown Vancouver from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Borrowing from the format that’s known internationally, VANTalks centers around 10 engaging and diverse speakers who will deliver brief commentary on a variety of subjects.
Topics include creativity and innovation, local sustainability, media, culture and thought. From the CEO of Burgerville to a senior high school student, filmmaker, two small business consultants and a tech guru with a degree in computer engineering from Nanyang Technological University (Singapore), the evening promises to be a catalyst for ideas and collaboration.
Kevin Hiebert, event organizer and owner of Resonate NW, explained that VANTalks came about as he and Mighty Bowl owner, Steve Valenta, were talking about how to highlight the amazing ideas, innovations and things happening in the community that they hear about on an almost a daily basis.
According to Hiebert, the concept resonated with community leaders immediately. The three main sponsors of VANTalks – iQ Credit Union, the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington and Vancouver’s Downtown Association (VDA) – stepped up right away and representatives from the city of Vancouver, CREDC (Columbia River Economic Development Council) and the Kiggins were involved in the planning phase.
“Vancouver’s Downtown Association jumped in to sponsor this new event because it is a fresh approach to sharing inspirational ideas about doing/leading/accomplishing important things,” said Lee Rafferty, director of the VDA. “We have the highest confidence in the organizers and their ability to deliver high-quality programming. We love this new draw to our downtown!”
Timely topics include Terra Heilman, a self-proclaimed re-user who stands on the philosophy that recycling should be a last resort for our garbage dilemma; Pamela Fiehm, senior creative director, who instills in her clients the power of observation as an underappreciated creative tool; and landscape architect Jane Tesner Kleiner, with a gift and heart for encouraging outdoor learning in children.
Dan Wyatt, owner of the Kiggins Theatre, weighed in on one speaker in particular he’s looking forward to hearing from.
“At the risk of ‘choosing my favorite kid’ I would have to say I am most looking forward to [Burgerville CEO] Jeff Harvey,” he said. “As a business owner who strives to find that balance of being responsible, making decent human decisions not only based on making a buck but also attempting to be creative and provide for the communities’ desires, Burgerville is an outstanding local example. I am always willing to sit at their feet and learn.”
Appropriate to the tone of the evening, the doors open one hour prior to the event and there is scheduled time afterwards to continue networking with attendees, meeting the speakers and elaborating on subject matter. Wyatt also pointed out that, in addition to individual tickets, corporate rows are also available. Businesses that buy ten tickets receive the eleventh for free.
“I think the biggest thing [about VANTalks] is that some of the speakers we have are well known names, and then there are people doing amazing work that’s really hidden. So this is opportunity for people to be proud of living in Vancouver and to see what’s happening and to be inspired to take their own local actions and be a change-maker themselves,” Hiebert said. “This is about innovation of ideas. This is about hearing peoples’ stories and journeys from a variety of perspectives.”
VANTalks takes place Thursday, May 26 from 6:30-8:30 PM at Kiggins Theater, 1011 Main Street in Vancouver. Tickets are $10 and can be purchase at www.vantalks.org.
