The Festival of Dangerous Ideas

FESTIVAL OF DANGEROUS IDEAS IS AUSTRALIA'SORIGINAL DISRUPTIVE IDEAS FESTIVAL.

After 17 years, Festival of Dangerous Ideas remains Australia’s most audacious, thoughtful and thought-provoking global offering.

Driven by ideas, not shock value. Unrestricted by form, language or perspective. The Festival exists to give the conversations most people avoid a stage they deserve, and to bring Australian audiences the sharpest, most credentialed, most provocative thinkers from around the world.

The Festival of Dangerous Ideas welcomes all kinds of people to convene and embrace different perspectives, daring conversation, and together, perhaps, tackle the world’s most wicked problems.

This home-grown festival launched in 2009 to give Sydney audiences access to high quality thought leaders, culture creators and radical artists from all over the world.

With its unique offering, Festival of Dangerous Ideas quickly secured acclaim, becoming a globally respected cultural asset that has helped define Sydney as the ‘smart capital’ of Australia.

The Festival of Dangerous Ideas values original thought. Driven by ideas, not shock value, the Festival platforms credentialed people to share and exchange – not restricted by form, language, perspective or geography.

The Festival of Dangerous Ideas is curated – every event, speaker and artwork is chosen with intent. We’re not interested in outrage for its own sake, or the loudest voices from the furthest fringes. We’re interested in ideas that are urgent, complex, and unresolved. Learn more about our curatorial framework and about curating danger.

The Festival of Dangerous Ideas is for curious minds and goes beyond the surface level as to expose the forces shaping society, the self and the world around us.

The Festival of Dangerous Ideas takes over Sydney from 20-30 August with talks, art, film, music and excursions. Tickets are on sale now.

FESTIVAL OF DANGEROUS IDEAS WEBSITE

Festival of Dangerous Ideas dinner setting. Long tables are set for a meal, with people milling around. Red lighting.

Audience members listen intently at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas. People are illuminated in blue light, focused on the speaker.

Speaker at Festival of Dangerous Ideas. Man with curly hair at a podium. Event by The Ethics Centre. Discussing ideas.

Festival of Dangerous Ideas: Two women discuss a book, one gesturing expressively. A man stands nearby. Indoor setting with industrial architecture.

Festival of Dangerous Ideas event. Crowd of people at the entrance with red banners. Festival of Dangerous Ideas signage visible.

Festival of Dangerous Ideas: Performance art with paint rollers and ladders in front of a Scott Campbell mural, audience watching.

Speaker at Festival of Dangerous Ideas. Man with beard and glasses gestures while seated against a red backdrop. Ideas festival.

Audience at Festival of Dangerous Ideas. Stage with globes, red lighting, and striped banners. Crowd listens to speakers.

Festival of Dangerous Ideas audience. People watch intently, bathed in red light. Diverse crowd, focused on the stage. Event attendees.

Festival of Dangerous Ideas: Person with raised fist. Crowd at event. Celebrating dangerous ideas, innovation, and free thinking.

Striking black and white striped sculpture, part of the Festival of Dangerous Ideas, hangs indoors under an industrial ceiling.

Festival of Dangerous Ideas: A woman wearing a hijab browses books at an outdoor book stall, surrounded by other attendees.

Outdoor crowd at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas. Banners with event name. People seated, bikes parked, brick buildings in the background.

Speaker at Festival of Dangerous Ideas. Woman with long hair, wearing a yellow t-shirt, gesturing during a discussion. Dark background.

Festival of Dangerous Ideas: Person with long hair, beard, sunglasses, tattoos, and a t-shirt with an image of resistance.

Attendees at Festival of Dangerous Ideas. Two smiling women in casual clothes at the festival, deep in conversation, surrounded by people.

Speaker at Festival of Dangerous Ideas. Man in blue blazer gestures near screen with Ideas.com and #FODI branding. Event presentation.

Speaker at Festival of Dangerous Ideas. Woman presenting ideas on stage with a remote, gesturing with her hands.

Crowd at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas. Industrial setting with food vendors, black and white striped art installation, & attendees.

Festival of Dangerous Ideas: Woman with new tattoo, excited expression. Wall art includes roses, skulls, and provocative drawings.

Attendees laugh during the Festival of Dangerous Ideas. Three people are dressed in stylish outfits, enjoying the festival atmosphere.

Man at Festival of Dangerous Ideas. Speaker in suit gestures while seated. Glasses and patterned socks visible. Dark background.

Festival of Dangerous Ideas: Attendees taking selfie at event. Woman smiles, man holds phone, crowd gathers in background.

Festival of Dangerous Ideas event. Crowd gathers in large hall with exposed beams, columns, and large windows. People are standing, sitting, talking.

Festival of Dangerous Ideas 2018 entrance with a banner. People are entering the venue. The banner reads Welcome.

Festival of Dangerous Ideas 2018 stage. Panelists Germaine Greer, Megan Phelps-Roper, Ayelet Waldman, and chair Hamish Macdonald.

Festival of Dangerous Ideas: Outdoor scene with people seated at picnic tables on a lawn, tents, and industrial buildings in the background.

Panelists at Festival of Dangerous Ideas 2018 sit on stage. Two women gesture while speaking. A man sits to their right. Red background.

Festival of Dangerous Ideas: People at event in large industrial space with tire seating and scattered papers on the floor.

Speaker at Festival of Dangerous Ideas. Man in hat & floral shirt at podium. Event promotes free speech & challenges conventional wisdom.

Speaker at Festival of Dangerous Ideas 2018. Man at a microphone addressing a crowd in a large hall. Event for thinkers.

Festival of Dangerous Ideas 2018: Woman gesturing on stage, man with notes. Event branding visible. Red lighting in background.

Festival of Dangerous Ideas: Boy holds sign, Your Most Dangerous Idea: Destroy every petrol, coal, and oil plant. Event setting.

Festival of Dangerous Ideas stage view. A speaker at a podium presents LSD: Forbidden Medicine to an audience. Red background, bright lights.

Speaker at Festival of Dangerous Ideas. Man in floral shirt reads from paper on stage. Industrial background.

Drag performer on stage at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas, with a disco ball, trash, and a sign that says Grotesque.

Audience at Festival of Dangerous Ideas watches panel discussion on Cancer on Democracy with panelists John Hewson, Rebecca Huntley, and Dee Madigan.

Speaker at Festival of Dangerous Ideas. Man in pink shirt and glasses gestures at podium. Red lighting. Ideas festival.

Speaker at Festival of Dangerous Ideas, #FODI. Man with beard gestures on stage. Red screen backdrop. Ideas festival event.

Festival of Dangerous Ideas: Two speakers seated on stage. Man in white shirt, woman in boots, discussing ideas under red stage lights.

Festival of Dangerous Ideas 2018 event. Speakers on stage in discussion, facing an audience. Industrial setting.

Man speaking at Festival of Dangerous Ideas. The speaker gestures with his hand while holding a microphone. He has gray hair and a mustache.

Two speakers at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas sit in chairs on stage. The man smiles; the woman looks down. Black background.

Two speakers at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas. A woman gestures while speaking, a man listens. Black backdrop.

Festival of Dangerous Ideas: People sit on tires in a large industrial space with papers scattered on the floor at the festival event.

Festival of Dangerous Ideas: Two speakers on stage in chairs before a banner reading DANGEROUS IDEAS during a panel discussion.

Two women at Festival of Dangerous Ideas. One in red gesturing, the other in floral print. Both are seated in black chairs on stage.

Festival of Dangerous Ideas: A woman looks at the Vox Box installation with hanging question strips at The Ethics Centre.

Festival of Dangerous Ideas: People at an interactive exhibit with signs reading I wish we could talk about... and geometric symbols.

Festival of Dangerous Ideas stage with panelists discussing The Asian Arms Race. Bates Gill, Peter Hartcher, Sheryn Lee, Simon Longstaff.

Festival of Dangerous Ideas art installation. Woman views wall of ideas, Ethics at the centre of... #FODI #Conversationsthatmatter.

Three speakers at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas sit in chairs on a stage. They are dressed in suits and ties, discussing ideas.

Two speakers at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas sit on stage in chairs. A banner behind them reads OUS IDEAS.

Attendees at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas view a wall covered in notes, titled I wish we could talk about... Engaging dialogue.

Festival of Dangerous Ideas: Aerial view of people sitting on benches and grass, enjoying the outdoor event. Birds are scattered around.

Festival of Dangerous Ideas: Two women looking at art installation. One points up at a blank sign. Baristas work in the background.

Audience with hands raised at Festival of Dangerous Ideas. People seated in large industrial space facing stage with screens.

418

SESSIONS, BRINGING TO LIGHT DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON LIFE'S MOST DIVISIVE ISSUES.

NUMBER OF EVENTS SINCE 2009, MAKING IT THE ORIGINAL BIG THINKING FESTIVAL

194,000

TICKETS SOLD TO AUDIENCES HUNGRY TO EXPLORE THE BOUNDARIES OF CONVENTIONAL THOUGHT

GET INVOLVED

For partnership inquiries or speaker submissions visit the Festival of Dangerous Ideas website.

For media inquiries or to be informed of any volunteer opportunities for next year’s festival please connect with us.

FIND OUT MORE

Festival of Dangerous Ideas’s Evolution

2024

The Festival was held live and in person at Carriageworks in August 2024, presented by The Ethics Centre. The biggest Festival since 2016, the Festival brought together 87 of the world’s leading speakers (Masha Gessen, David Runciman, Roxane Gay, David Baddiel, Megan Phelps-Roper) with artists and audiences, to meet and exchange ideas. The lineup also offered a range of art and experiences, including TAPE by Numen / For Use and performances from re:group performance collective, and Vicki Van Hout with Marian Abboud. The Festival’s footprint was expanded with sessions at partner venues the State Library of NSW and the University of NSW from 21-27 August 2024.

2022

The Festival returned live and in person at Carriageworks, presented by The Ethics Centre. Occurring over two days in September, the program featured over 72 speakers and artists, including 8 international guests, with discussions on authoritarianism, social networks, politics, artificial intelligence and algorithms, gender, and the Enlightenment. Speakers included Frances Haugen, Steven Pinker, Jacqui Lambie, Kevin Roose, Alok Vaid-Menon, Adam Tooze, Ruth Ben-Ghiat and Badiucao. The lineup also offered a range of art and experiences including Scott Campbell’s Whole Glory, Counterpilot and Legs on the Wall.

FODI: The In-Between Podcast

The Festival released a bold new podcast FODI: The In-Between, an audio time capsule recording a moment in-between two eras. Eight conversations between 16 of the world’s biggest thinkers that capture the dangerous ideas of this moment in time. With guest speakers including Stephen Fry, Roxane Gay, Waleed Aly, Sam Mostyn, Slavoj Žižek, Naomi Klein and more, The In-between tackles the big issues of our world and future, from climate change and global politics to artificial intelligence, truth and social media. Listen now.

2020

The Festival of Dangerous Ideas 2020 program was to be the 10th Festival. Due to take place at Sydney Town Hall – a nod to the traditional meeting and rallying place for communities – it was to feature sessions and performances that explored climate change, meritocracy, giving, tech, politics, capitalism and more. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Festival had to be officially cancelled on 16 March 2020.

In May 2020, FODI launched a series of digital video conversations. The series of online conversations takes inspiration from the original Festival of Dangerous Ideas 2020 theme of ‘Dangerous Realities’, with online sessions streamed via the festival website. The series interrogated the reality of the current pandemic and its wider implications for our world and society. Watch now.

2018

This year the Festival returned in a new format and new location. Held on Sydney’s Cockatoo Island, the program was a collision of ideas, art installations, live theatre, and panel conversations that stepped into the boundaries of common thought. The Festival explored the blurring of truth and trust, internet sub-cultures, fascism, privacy, LSD and the end of the world as we know it. Headline thinkers captured minds and social feeds with Stephen Fry, conservative historian Niall Ferguson, author Pankaj Mishra, Ex-Westboro Baptist Church member Megan Phelps-Roper, Ayelet Waldman, Germaine Greer, rock star of AI Toby Walsh, sexologist Dr Nikki Goldstein, criminologist Xanthe Mallett and artists Betty Grumble, Garth Knight and Riley Harmon.

2016

The Festival completed its final year at the Sydney Opera House with Jesse Bering, Andrew Bolt, Molly Crabapple, Alicia Garza (Black Lives Matter), Henry Rollins (Black Flag), Lionel Shriver and more.

2015

Solo sessions and panels featured the likes of Tariq Ali, Naomi Klein, Peter Greste, Gabriella Coleman, Paul Krugman, Laurie Penny, Jon Ronson, Eric Schlosser and Gideon Raff, exploring themes including the economy, artificial intelligence, climate change, cybersexism, addiction and sugar.

2014

Brought our view of ourselves and our place in the world into question, exploring the fringes of loneliness, masculinity, narcissism, modern slavery and classism. Speakers included Pussy Riot, M. Gessen, Steven Pinker, Elizabeth Kolbert, Rebecca Newberger Goldstein, Malcolm Fraser, Lydia Cacho, Alissa Nutting, Tim Flannery and Mark Latham.

2013

Thinkers including Arlie Hochschild, David Simon, Hanna Rosin, Evgeny Morozov, Vandana Shiva, Dan Savage, John Safran and Peter Hitchens explored topics including outsourcing, conspiracy, masculinity, inequality and drugs.

2012

Over 50 speakers examined topics including: All Women Hate Each Other, Israel is an Apartheid State, The Devil is Real, Genital Cutting is Normal, We are all Sexual Perverts and A Foetus is not a Person. Speakers included Sam Harris, Germaine Greer, Brian Morris, Tara Moss, Illan Pappe, Jason Silva, Shiv Malik, Ed Howker, Jane Bussmann, Jesse Bering and Tim Harford.

2011

The Festival delivered a host of cutting-edge thinkers, including Julian Assange, Jonathan Safran Foer, Alexander McCall Smith, Jon Ronson, Slavoj Žižek, Mona Eltahawy and Philip Nitschke. Diving into the shadows with talks including WikiLeaks Has Not Gone Far Enough, Psychopaths Make the World Go Around, Ecstasy is No More Dangerous Than Horse-Riding and All Women are Sluts.

2010

Geoffrey Robertson and Alan Dershowitz opened the address with the debate, The Sins of the Fathers: Should the Pope be held to account?. Other speakers included Christian Lander, author of Stuff White People Like, with a tongue-in-cheek etiquette guide to Caucasian culture, and New York newspaper columnist and creator of the free range kids movement, Lenore Skenazy on how she was labelled “America’s Worst Mom”.

2009

In the inaugural 2009 event, the Festival made dangerous beginnings with the opening address given by Christopher Hitchens on the topic Religion Poisons Everything.

FESTIVAL OF DANGEROUS IDEAS

"It's not even over, but I can't wait for the next Festival of Dangerous Ideas.”

"Undisputed, my favourite event… FODI always feels like a warm hug, a homecoming, and fills my cup like nothing else.”

"One of the spiciest festivals on Sydney’s events calendar is the Festival of Dangerous Ideas. It approaches challenging and divisive topics head on."

“FODI is one of the rare events I’ve spoken at that feels like it actually has a purpose, and people who come back year after year, not because of who the speakers are, but because they trust that the event has been thoughtfully curated and designed.”

“...Today was one of the most remarkable moments on stage that I’ve ever had - and I’ve had a few - thanks to everyone in the room and the great team from FODI…”

“A powerful lineup of speakers and ideas. Just mindblowing!”

"Truly one of the best festivals I’ve been a part of."