A free event for the community, Ideas Festival Emory was created in 2024 by the Center for Public Scholarship and Engagement at Oxford College of Emory University to share ideas, insights, and inspiration with local and global audiences.
This year's theme Resilience
How can we work together, across difference and discipline, to build resilient futures?
Featuring exhibitions, live music and performances, games for kids, food and drinks, and conversations and presentations from producers all across the creative spectrum, IDEAS Festival Emory is an opportunity for Oxford College to invite one and all to campus to be a part of the conversation.
Join the Conversation
Hear from some of the most innovative minds working and creating in Atlanta today, from musicians and artists to scholars and cultural thinkers, and check out some of our favorite cultural institutions exhibiting on the quad.
With 30 sessions over the course of the day, 4 different stages, and events for all ages, this year’s Ideas Festival Emory invites one and all to be a part of the conversation.
Rosanne Cash Keynote Speaker
"One of the most ambitious and literary songwriters of her generation" (Rolling Stone), Rosanne Cash is America’s foremost musical woman of letters, a literate and incisive artist whose poignant and distinctive vocals turn every song into a revelatory tale.
A singular artist at the peak of her interpretive powers, Cash has earned four Grammy awards—three for The River & The Thread (2014, Blue Note)—and 12 additional nominations. Among many other accolades, in 2021 she became the first woman to receive the Edward MacDowell award for music composition. Her acclaimed 2010 memoir Composed has been described by the Chicago Tribune as “one of the best accounts of an American life you’ll likely ever read.” Cash was recently elected as an Honorary American member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
"I consider artists to be in the service industry; the premier service industry for the heart and soul. I am curious to a pathological degree and the Sword of Time hangs over me, and those two things—curiosity and the hourglass—make me feel more urgent than ever to connect, to find community, and to create."
In 2023 Rosanne and her husband John Leventhal, the six-time Grammy winning songwriter, producer and life-long creative partner, launched RumbleStrip Records, an initiative to reexamine and reissue Rosanne's early work, originally released on Columbia / Sony Music, and beyond.
Student Center Greer Forum | Oct 18 | 5:00pm
free / capacity limited / reservations required
Speakers The 2025 Lineup
This year’s Ideas Festival features a bold lineup of thinkers and creators exploring how culture, community, and storytelling shape our world.
Kevin Young—poet, author, and former director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture—will speak on the enduring importance of libraries and museums as spaces for memory, discovery, and public life.
Emmy-nominated filmmaker Brad Lichtenstein will screen and discuss American Coup, his gripping new documentary about government overthrow in 19th Century North Carolina.
Celebrated food writer John Kessler returns to reflect on the sharp contrasts—and surprising parallels—between the dining scenes of Chicago and Atlanta, two cities he’s called home.
And Steve Carse, co-founder of King of Pops, will share lessons from building one of the Southeast’s most beloved food brands, and how entrepreneurship can serve community.
These speakers, and many more, will spark meaningful conversations at the heart of this year’s festival. Join us for ideas that challenge, delight, and connect.
Learn more about our speakers, the sessions, or view the schedule at a glance.
All sessions are free to attend, but keynote and bbq will be capacity limited.
REGISTER NOW to learn when tickets become available.
Live Music and Performance Creativity in Motion
The Ideas Festival’s outdoor stage brings an eclectic mix of music, movement, and performance to the heart of campus.
Indie singer-songwriter Kim Ware delivers heartfelt, lyrically rich songs with a Southern sensibility, while Anya Marina brings her distinctive blend of wit, intimacy, and pop flair to the stage.
The Covington Regional Ballet adds a graceful dimension with original choreography that bridges classical technique and contemporary expression.
In a special collaboration, poet and musician Kim Addonizio joins forces with blues guitarist Danny Caron for a performance that blends spoken word and song—part concert, part poetry reading, all soul.
Set against the backdrop of October skies, these performances invite festivalgoers to pause, listen, and connect in a more expansive way. Whether you’re drawn by rhythm, words, or movement, the outdoor stage offers something unexpected—a celebration of creativity in motion.
Learn more about our speakers, the sessions, or view the schedule at a glance.
Outdoor Festival Fun for the Whole Family
The Ideas Festival isn’t just for grown-ups—it’s a full-day experience for all ages, set on the beautiful, tree-lined quad of historic Oxford College in Oxford, Georgia.
Families can enjoy hands-on kids’ activities designed to spark curiosity and creativity, from science demos to art projects and storytelling sessions.
A diverse lineup of food trucks will offer everything from global street food to local favorites, so you can snack, sip, and explore at your own pace.
In the afternoon, don’t miss the community barbecue—an old-school Southern cookout with all the fixings, open to all and perfect for gathering with friends, neighbors, and fellow festivalgoers.
Whether you're coming for the speakers, the music, or just a great day outdoors, the Oxford Quad offers the perfect setting to relax, connect, and celebrate big ideas in a small-town setting.
All sessions are free to attend, but keynote and bbq will be capacity limited.
Register now to learn when keynote and bbq tickets become available.