Program Overview
We are currently offering both online and in-person Speakers Bureau events. Find an event near you, or learn how to host a Speakers Bureau event.
You don’t need to be a student or live near a college to hear an intriguing talk from a scholar or expert. In communities throughout Washington State, Speakers Bureau presenters give free public presentations on history, politics, music, philosophy, spiritual traditions, and everything in between.
Our roster of over 30 Speakers Bureau presenters is made up of professors, artists, activists, historians, performers, journalists, and others—all chosen not only for their expertise, but also for their ability to inspire discussion with people of all ages and backgrounds. Hundreds of Speakers Bureau events take place each year.
To reach as many Washingtonians as possible, we partner with a wide range of nonprofit organizations, including libraries, schools, museums, historical societies, community centers, and civic organizations. Any nonprofit organization is welcome to apply to host a speaker.
Speakers Bureau is made possible with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the State of Washington via the Office of the Secretary of State, the Thomas S. Foley Institute of Public Policy and Public Service at Washington State University, The Pacific Power Foundation, and generous contributions from other businesses, foundations, and individuals.
Upcoming In-Person Events
IN PERSON: Diamonds in the Rough: The Gentrification of Rural Washington
Washington’s rural communities are rapidly changing. Formerly reliant on working-class industries like mining, oil, and agriculture, an influx of wealthy urbanites is looking for a different kind of experience that […]
- When
- 6:00 pm, Tuesday
November 29, 2022 - Where
- Columbia County Library
111 S 3rd St
Dayton, WA 99328 United States
IN PERSON: Telling Your Story: A Personal Essay Workshop
Our life stories are a means for connection—a tender offering in a troubled era. Part reportage and part reflection, personal essays can reveal hidden truths about ourselves, our families, and […]
- When
- 6:00 pm, Wednesday
November 30, 2022 - Where
- Lakewood City Hall
6000 Main St
Lakewood, WA 98499 United States
IN PERSON: The River That Made Seattle
Once teeming with bountiful salmon and fertile plains, Seattle’s Duwamish River drew both Native peoples and settlers to its shores over centuries for trading, transport, and sustenance. Unfortunately, the very […]
- When
- 6:00 pm, Friday
December 2, 2022 - Where
- AMcE Creative Arts
612 19th Ave E
Seattle, WA 98112 United States
IN PERSON: How Audio Technology Changed the World
Although we live in a visual world, audio still has the power to create intimacy and spark the imagination like no other medium can. Veteran broadcaster Ross Reynolds explores the […]
- When
- 12:00 pm, Friday
December 9, 2022 - Where
- Trilogy on Redmond Ridge
23225 NE Greens Crossing Rd
Redmond, WA 98053 United States
IN PERSON: A Nicer Kind of Murder: The Evolution of Crime Fiction
Murder isn’t what it used to be. Explore the shifting role of the victim in detective novels, and how that shift reflects broader social changes. From Poe and Sherlock Homes […]
- When
- 1:00 pm, Saturday
December 10, 2022 - Where
- Central Skagit Library
110 W State St
Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284 United States
IN PERSON: Diamonds in the Rough: The Gentrification of Rural Washington
Washington’s rural communities are rapidly changing. Formerly reliant on working-class industries like mining, oil, and agriculture, an influx of wealthy urbanites is looking for a different kind of experience that […]
- When
- 6:00 pm, Monday
December 12, 2022 - Where
- Vashon Movie Theatre
17723 Vashon Highway, SW
Vashon, WA 98070 United States
IN PERSON: Atomic Washington: Our Nuclear Past, Present, and Future
At the center of every nuclear weapon in the United States is a small pit of radioactive material manufactured at a top-secret facility in Eastern Washington, a facility which today […]
- When
- 7:00 pm, Thursday
December 15, 2022 - Where
- Richland Public Library
955 Northgate Dr
Richland, WA 99352 United States
IN PERSON: Diamonds in the Rough: The Gentrification of Rural Washington
Washington’s rural communities are rapidly changing. Formerly reliant on working-class industries like mining, oil, and agriculture, an influx of wealthy urbanites is looking for a different kind of experience that […]
- When
- 1:00 pm, Saturday
January 14, 2023 - Where
- Concrete Theatre
45920 Main St
Concrete, WA 98237 United States