“Night of Ideas” 2022 Festival of Arts & Ideas (SF)

Submitted by the Event Organizer

In this period of intense geopolitical upheaval, Night of Ideas invites researchers, writers, artists and community leaders to try to answer this year’s theme, “Where Are We Going?” Taking place in 19 U.S. cities and 100 countries worldwide, the San Francisco version of this annual event features philosophical debates, speakers from Stanford and the American Indian Cultural District, hip hop cypher performances and a showcase of SFMOMA’s Soapbox Derby cars. But click quickly if you want in person tickets instead of viewing the free live stream. Normally held at the Main Library with 5,000 people, this year’s event is more intimate, with just 200 seats at KQED’s new theater, The Commons.  

Tuesday, May 17, 7 p.m., KQED Headquarters, 2601 Mariposa St., S.F., Free with RSVP (limited seating). nightofideas.org

Night of Ideas is roaring back with another free celebration of critical thought and creative expression. Normally at the SF Main Library, the 2022 event takes place at KQED Headquarters in Potrero Hill. See KQED for full details.

In partnership with the French Consulate’s Villa San Francisco, California Humanities, SFMOMA and the SF Public Library, KQED hosts the in-person return of Night of Ideas at our new community media center and studio headquarters in the Mission.

Exploring the theme “(Re)building Together: Where Are We Going?”, this unforgettable evening of talks, art, music and community invites us to consider a world that is still reeling from pandemic, global conflict, and climate disruptions, while daring us to find hope in the future. How do we heal ourselves and our communities from this collective trauma? How can we dismantle systems of oppression and (re)build our institutions to meet the pressing needs of our time? How do we fortify our democracies and stave off authoritarianism? What ideas will carry us forward to a brighter tomorrow?

Guests

• Bay Area Theater Cypher
• Pascal Bornet, Chief Data Officer, Aera Technology
• Bruce Cain, Senior Fellow of the Woods Institute for the Environment & Political Science Professor, Stanford University
• Jeff Chang, Author & Senior Advisor, Race Forward
• Jacqueline Fabius, Chief Operating Officer, Quantitative Biosciences Institute – UCSF
• Lil Milagro Henriquez, Executive Director & Founder, Mycelium Youth Network
• Anuradha Mittal, Executive Director, Oakland Institute
• Julie Owono, Executive Director of Content Policy & Society Lab, Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society
• San Francisco Community Music Center
• San Francisco Girls Chorus
• Sharaya Souza, Executive Director & Co-Founder, American Indian Cultural District
• Deanna Van Buren, Design Director, Designing Justice
• YouthBeat

Before the main program from 6 pm to 7 pm, join Creativity Explored for docent tours of the artwork installed at KQED featuring neurodiverse and disabled artists working in their San Francisco studios. Be sure to drop by the Creativity Explored table in the lobby to meet an artist, shop for art, and learn more about their life-changing programs. 

Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.