Ideas 2003 – A success Thousands of people streamed through the doors of the Brisbane Powerhouse to take part in Ideas 2003. With a program of speakers, presentations, displays, exhibitions, kids activities, Ideas played out to full houses. You can catch up with what happened at Ideas 2003 in the Ideas Magazine with daily reports and background information on the event.

about Ideas at the Powerhouse 2003

Ideas at the Powerhouse was a four-day festival of ideas, innovation and invention. From August 14 - 17, 2003 the Ideas festival occupied the Brisbane Powerhouse.

Ideas at the Powerhouse is a festival for thinking, listening, connecting, talking, hearing, looking and laughing. It is entertainment, education, professional development, recreation and sport. Over four days and nights leading national, international and local thinkers, commentators and practitioners presented their challenging ideas for the future.

With sessions and speakers on the most confronting ideas and challenging solutions in justice, education, design, culture, population, society, science, technology, spirit, business, sustainability and communication Ideas at the Powerhouse ventures across sectors, across industries and across views.

Ideas at the Powerhouse 2003 audiences said ….

• “Ideas is a really valuable phenomenon.”
• “Provides a creative, learning, thinking and exchanging space for the community - one that is being quickly whittled away by popular media and culture.”
• “It creates a degree of cultural diversity. Ideas creates an extra dimension and allows people to get involved in big picture issues.”
• “It adds to Brisbane’s national and international credibility; also that Brisbane is providing such a forum for free speech at a time when a lot of traditional outlets seem unavailable. This sets a fine example to the rest of Australia and the world.”
• “Stimulation, an antidote to the overwhelming feeling of complacency and despair at the apparent lack of democracy. It’s gratifying to find other people who share similar views.”
• “An opportunity for the community to flex its considerable intellectual and creative imagination to lift the quality of life for all.”

Ideas at the Powerhouse is an initiative of the Brisbane City Council and the Queensland Government, through the Office of the Premier and Cabinet. The event furthers the objectives of the Brisbane 2010 statement and the Smart State Policy, provides a robust forum for the debate, progression and promotion of ideas, and engages broad audiences in sharing, hearing and challenging ideas for their future.

The Ideas at the Powerhouse objectives are:

• To engage leading thinkers and practitioners in the exchange of ideas.
• To investigate key issues for the future of Australian society and particularly for the people of Brisbane and Queensland.
• To contribute to ongoing informed, vigorous and inclusive debate in the city.
• To promote and present Brisbane and Queensland as stimulating and supporting ideas and innovation.

Ideas at the Powerhouse is developed and advised by an established and committed group of Ideas Advisors. For the 2003 Ideas Festival, these advisors included Professor Ian Lowe, Phillip Adams AO, Dr Dale Spender, Dr Wendy Sarkissian, Peter Bridgman, Alan Rogers, Marina Vit and Jacqui Katona.

The Ideas at the Powerhouse 2003 program is archived online and was informed by the many suggestions and ideas presented by audiences and speakers at the 2001 festival. You can see more about both the 2001 and 2003 festivals online.

You can contact Ideas at the Powerhouse directly on info@ideasatthepowerhouse.com.au.