Speak

Have you got something you can't stop thinking about?

The Room of Lost Ideas is looking for curious people with fascinating things to share.

You might be an academic whose research has led you somewhere unexpected. A collector who knows the story behind every object. A scientist, artist, archaeologist, writer, historian, maker or musician. You might have spent your career immersed in a subject—or simply followed a question further than most people ever would.

What matters is that you know your subject, have something interesting to say about it, and want to bring other people into the conversation.

The idea of a lecture worries you? Don’t stress - we're looking for the conversation you've always wished more people were part of. Think of it as a talk - that you start - and then others may even help you finish.

Your talk can grow directly from your professional or academic work, but it doesn't have to fit neatly within it.

If you work in archaeology, perhaps your talk isn't about archaeology at all. Perhaps years spent thinking about ancient pathways have left you fascinated by walking: why humans walk, how the way we move through landscapes has changed, and what we lose when we stop travelling through the world on foot.

That's the sort of tangent we love.

The knowledge you pick up because of what you do, or what you love or what fills your spacious moments when you’re not actually thinking about the work you need to complete (like doing those dishes over there). The question behind the research. The research or collections that feed your curiosity. The story you couldn't fit into the paper. The idea that followed you home.

These are the things we want to share.

A few practical questions

Do I need to be an academic or professional speaker?

Not at all.

We welcome researchers, academics and people with deep professional expertise—and we'd love to hear from people who have spent years investigating a subject through their own curiosity in their own unique way.

You don't need previous speaking experience. You do need to know your subject and be willing to put some thought and preparation into how you share it.

How academic should my talk be?

As rigorous as your subject deserves, but accessible to people who don't share your background.

Don't remove the complexity that makes your idea interesting. Give us the way in.

Explain unfamiliar concepts. Tell us the stories behind the research. Give us the surprising detail. Help a room of curious people understand why you've found this subject so compelling.

How long is a talk?

Our talks are generally 30 - 45mins, with time afterwards for questions and conversation.

We're deliberately small, so this isn't about speaking at a large audience. It's about sharing an idea with a room of people who genuinely want to hear it.

Does it have to be a traditional talk?

Definitely not. Some stories need more than words.

Bring photographs. Bring maps. Bring objects. Play us something. Show us something. Demonstrate something.

If your idea would work better as a conversation, demonstration, show-and-tell or something we haven't thought of yet, tell us. We're happy to explore the format with you.

Do I need a title?

A working title is helpful, but it doesn't need to be perfect. We can work with you to find a title that captures your idea and makes people want to know more.

Can I suggest more than one idea?

Yes. If you have several ideas, we'd love to know about them, although we'd suggest starting by telling us about the one you're most excited to share.

Are there subjects you won't consider?

The Room of Lost Ideas is built around curiosity, generosity and respectful conversation.

Ideas can challenge us. They can question assumptions, explore difficult histories and introduce perspectives we haven't encountered before.

We're interested in opening conversations—not hosting partisan advocacy or performances intended primarily to provoke or divide an audience.

Do we pay speakers?

We do pay a small stipend and will discuss that when we get back to you.

Tell us your idea

We don't need the finished talk.

To begin, we'd like to know:

• Your working title – what might we call it?

• Your abstract – in around 150–250 words, tell us what you want to explore and what the audience will discover.

• Why this idea? – what made you curious about it? Why has it stayed with you?

• A little about you – and your connection to the subject.

• How you imagine sharing it – a talk, images, objects, demonstration, conversation or something else.

Don't worry about making everything perfect. We're interested in the idea first.

If you've read this far and thought, “I have something like that”, we'd very much like to hear about it.