Our event aims to highlight real stories and passions of individuals who have lived, currently reside, or plan on relocating to Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. Our carefully selected speakers will give enlightening talks from individuals who have all been shaped by Appalachia about a variety of topics that inspire, encourage, and ignite them.

Each talk has to follow the rules of TEDx. Briefly, a talk at TEDxJohnsonCity cannot follow any commercial, religious, or political agenda. This must be a talk or presentation that is idea-focused, inspiring, and will spark conversation, creativity, and the connection of community. Many people may associate TEDx with entrepreneurship or technology, but for TEDxJohnsonCity, we are looking for so much more. A TEDx talk does not even have to be a "talk" at all! It can be a performance, an artist with a gallery, or something new and unseen altogether. 

 

What sparks your curiosity or interest? What gets you out of bed in the morning? What keeps you up at night? Prepare to hear speakers who are ready to share what drives them.

​

​

Want to start working on your application for 2027?

​

Here are a few general tips that might help strengthen the submission of your "idea worth sharing."

​

• Review guidelines: TEDx Content Guidelines and this video from TED that gives great advice on how to structure (and deliver) your idea.

​

• Be authentic: Applications that sound forced or too-much like a sales pitch tend to receive lower scores. Be yourself to stand out and speak from where your passion lies.

​

• Focus on the idea itself: TEDxJohnsonCity has a coach that helps selected speakers formulate, revise, and then perform their talks, but the idea is the applicant's and applicant's alone. Only you can share your message at the end of the day, so focus your time and energy on getting it right from the beginning. Narrow in on what you are most passionate about and make that idea has concise as possible, selecting only the most important details to share with us (and eventually the audience.) While the rest of your application is important, the root of the idea itself is what competes against other ideas submitted.

​