Program Overview
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 35 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. Each talk lasts about an hour.
To reach as many Washingtonians as possible, we partner with a wide range of organizations, including libraries, schools, museums, historical societies, retirement homes, community centers, and civic organizations. These organizations host and publicize the events.
Find a Speakers Bureau event near you. We also encourage nonprofit organizations 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 Satterberg Foundation, the Women’s History Consortium, The Boeing Company, the Norcliffe Foundation, and generous contributions from other businesses, foundations, and individuals.
Upcoming Events
Crazy Politics: Populism, Conspiracy Theories, and Paranoia in America
Anti-establishment candidates rail against the government they seek to lead; populist groups like the Tea Party or Occupy Wall Street howl about corruption in political and economic institutions; and wild conspiracy theories abound. Has American politics always been so crazy? With political science professor Cornell Clayton, explore how American politics has become an arena for […]
- When
- 6:30 pm, Tuesday
August 22, 2017 - Where
- Basalt Cellars Winery
906 Port Drive
Clarkston, WA 99403 United States
Great Writers and the Great War: Literature as Peace Activism
Can literature and the arts really prevent war? Many British writers in the peace movement of the 1930s thought so. Their experiments in writing peace activist fiction are the basis for this presentation, which draws many of its examples from the vibrant period before World War II when hopes were high that war itself could […]
- When
- 11:00 am, Wednesday
September 6, 2017 - Where
- Waterville Public Library
105 N Chelan Street
Waterville, WA 98858 United States
H2OMG! Making Sense of Water Scarcity in an Insecure World
It feels like not a day goes by without a story in the news that relates to some water issue. Whether it’s lead in schools, drought in California, or dwindling snowpack in Washington, water scarcity is a challenge that needs our attention—now. In this talk led by economist and former Gates Foundation policy maker Rachel […]
- When
- 2:00 pm, Friday
September 8, 2017 - Where
- Steilacoom Historical Museum
1801 Rainier St
Steilacoom, WA 98388 United States
Washington at War: The Evergreen State in WWI
One-hundred years ago in 1917, the US entered The Great War to fight alongside our European allies. But Washington’s homefront experience began long before the country entered the war, and continued afterward. Led by historian Lorraine McConaghy, the program begins with an illustrated introduction to the war’s themes before offering a “Readers’ Theater:” a script […]
- When
- 7:00 pm, Monday
September 11, 2017 - Where
- Mercer Island Library
4400 88th Ave SE
Mercer Island, WA 98040 United States
A Fierce Language: Falling in Love with Poetry
As children we are enchanted by the story, humor, absurdity, and rhyming cadence of nursery rhymes. But as we get older, too often our appreciation for poems dissolves as we struggle to deconstruct their meaning line by line. As a result, many come to believe that poetry is inaccessible and too much like hard work. […]
- When
- 1:00 pm, Wednesday
September 13, 2017 - Where
- Eastern State Hospital
850 Maple St
Medical Lake, WA 99022 United States
The Razor’s Edge: The Washington Razor Clam Phenomenon
What brings thousands of men, women, and children to Washington’s sandy coastal beaches every year, braving weather and surf? The buried treasure known as the Pacific razor clam. Hunting and gathering these creatures has preoccupied Northwesterners from the time of the Native peoples to the present moment. Challenging to dig, delicious to eat, and providing […]
- When
- 7:30 pm, Wednesday
September 13, 2017 - Where
- Olympia Timberland Library
313 8th Ave SE
Olympia, WA 98501 United States
Bandanas to Badges: Songs and Stories of Northwest Workers
Real people and real experiences are the foundation of folk music and stories, and are codified in the lasting representations found in our oral histories. Acoustic trio Trillium-239 shares stories and songs of working life in the Northwest, beginning with American settlement of the West and ending with modern high-tech industries. Thoughtful music selections and […]
- When
- 4:30 pm, Friday
September 15, 2017 - Where
- Cashmere Public Library
300 Woodring
Cashmere, WA 98815 United States
Bandanas to Badges: Songs and Stories of Northwest Workers
Real people and real experiences are the foundation of folk music and stories, and are codified in the lasting representations found in our oral histories. Acoustic trio Trillium-239 shares stories and songs of working life in the Northwest, beginning with American settlement of the West and ending with modern high-tech industries. Thoughtful music selections and […]
- When
- 12:30 pm, Saturday
September 16, 2017 - Where
- Ephrata Public Library
45 Alder NW
Ephrata, WA 98823 United States