We’ve been quiet this year - 2024 has not been kind to my calendar - but we’re back in 2025 with a couple of inspiring, connection-making, brain-zapping events in the pipeline starting with a fabulous collab with the team at Artlist.

In the meantime, though, we can’t finish the year without inviting you to the funnest, most festive of events - Hot Source Sparks, our lightning talk series inspired by PechaKucha.

We’re announcing the venue and date very soon, but in the meantime, here’s a bit of info.

What’s the topic?

This year’s topic is:

Obviously Christmas is traditionally ‘The Most Wonderful Time of the Year’, but you can interpret this however you like.

• What was your Most Wonderful Time?

• Can we help others have their Most Wonderful Time?

• How do we design things in the world to provide people with the Most Wonderful Time?

Submission deadline: November 11th

Got an idea, but not sure if it fits? Want to talk about the event, or have your questions answered? Give me a shout at [email protected] if you’d like to talk about it, otherwise, you can send your talk idea here and I’ll let you know by November 15th if you’re chosen to give your talk.

We want to squeeze in as many talks as we can, so if you're not sure, send your ideas anyway! If you think it's interesting enough for Hot Source, it probably is.

What are Hot Source Sparks?

Every Christmas for the last few years we’ve held a lightning talk night, where we invite you to talk about anything you like on a topic. We’ve had talks about all kinds of things - from recovering after a stroke, rescuing hedgehogs, making kid’s story books and even living with someone with depression.

The format is easy!

• Each talk is only 5 minutes long

• You can make 15 slides

• Your slides will automatically progress every 20 seconds

And that’s it!

What makes a great Hot Source Spark?

Talking in front of people can be daunting, but we’re a welcoming crowd and we want you to be great and enjoy yourself too!

To make your talk the best it can be, it should be:

• Super interesting. Think about a new innovation, something you've worked on, or a topic that you know lots about

• Creative. We don't want boring, bland presentations with lots of data. Your talk should be a story, taking us all on a journey of discovery, not a list of facts and figures.

• Unexpected. Sure, AI is all the rage and we're all worried about the state of the economy - so tell us about the time you learned how to be a UFC fighter for a dare, or an adventure in rescuing hedgehogs in your garden and what it taught you about life.

It doesn’t need to be all three, but it should be at least one of the above! If you’re not sure about it, just email [email protected] and I can help you work out the best bits of your story, and how to tell it.

FAQs

What kind of person is this for?

We have people of all kinds come along to Hot Source, and the Sparks are no different. You’ll probably meet:

• Business owners and entrepreneurs

• Freelancers and contractors

• Filmmakers, journalists, techies, and designers

• Artists and writers

• Free thinkers and free spirits

• People from all walks of life, all ages, genders, races and religions

And everyone in-between! The Hot Source community is incredibly welcoming and warm, encouraging and friendly.

Can I just watch?

Yes! Tickets will be available to buy very soon once we’ve finalised the dates.

I’m nervous. What if people are mean? What if they laugh at me?

We’ve done Hot Source Sparks for years, and not once has anyone ever been laughed at, and it won’t start now. The Hot Source community is really supportive and lovely. You will have a great time.

5 minutes isn’t much time! Can I go for longer?

Nope. It’s a strict five minutes, and then the crowd’s applause will finish up your talk. You’ll be able to chat with people after your talk about your ideas, though.

5 minutes is too long! Can I shorten it?

Nope. The format is the format. But people have done fun things like silences to illustrate a point, or combined slides together.

I’m not good at design. Can I get help with my slides?

Of course! Just let me know and I can make sure you get some help.

I’ve never spoken in public, can I still do a talk?

Yes! In fact, you definitely should! It's the perfect way to practice public speaking, presentation and clear communication, and a lovely way to meet new people that might love your idea or want to talk more about rabbit adoption/the inevitable zombie apocalypse.

Can it really be about anything?

As long as you’re interpreting the topic somehow, yes! We've had talks about living with someone with depression, how dating companies use your data, surviving cancer, and lots more.

That’s it for now! If you’d like to speak, get submitting those ideas. If you wouldn’t, then look out for tickets and come along to hear some really cool stuff.

And if neither is for you, consider sharing this email with a friend that might fancy it.

See you soon!

Tom Haczewski
Organiser, Hot Source