TEDx Railway Village will take place on Thursday 19th June at Town Hall Studios, marking the first time the globally recognised TEDx platform has come to the town.
The event comes as Swindon continues efforts to redefine its identity beyond its industrial heritage, amid growing discussion around culture, regeneration and long-term ambitions to secure UK City of Culture status in 2029.
Organisers say the event aims to position Swindon within wider national and international conversations around creativity, science, leadership and social change.
Licensed under the global TED brand, TEDx Railway Village will be independently organised by Lines of Connection CIC under the theme “Lines of Connection”, exploring how ideas intersect across technology, humanity, culture and community.
The speaker line-up includes award-winning musician and broadcaster Soumik Datta, Festival of Tomorrow founder Dr Roderick Hebden, Swindon entrepreneur and philanthropist James Phipps and internationally recognised acting expert Andrei Malaev-Babel.
Speakers:
Additional talks will cover misinformation, women’s advocacy, conscious leadership, heritage, spirituality and modern relationships.
The event is being led by founding licensee Robert Jandy and co-founder Debbie Bryan. They said:
“There is a depth of thinking, creativity and leadership here that deserves a wider platform.
“This event creates space for those ideas to be shared, challenged and developed, while connecting Swindon into a much broader conversation.”
Once central to Swindon’s railway engineering industry, the area is increasingly associated with the town’s developing creative and cultural identity.
Organisers say the location intentionally links Swindon’s industrial past with future-focused discussion.
The launch of a TEDx event reflects what organisers describe as a broader cultural shift within the town.
In the last two years, Swindon has seen increased investment in cultural projects, public events, regeneration planning and creative industries, alongside efforts to reposition the town nationally.
TEDx events operate under licence from the global TED organisation, known for talks centred on “ideas worth sharing”.
Tickets for TEDx Railway Village, including individual passes and corporate bundles, are now on sale via eventbrite.
