“I find so much joy working on TEDxAmsterdam. It’s always buzzing in my head.” Monique van Dusseldorp on stage at the end of TEDxAmsterdam 2009
The best things in life happen seemingly without a purpose. When Monique was an intern at the European Institute for the Media 20 years ago, she was asked to step in when a colleague fell ill, and produce the European Television and Film Forum in Seville. And sunny Spain is where the event-organising bug hit her full-heartedly.
These days, Monique’s head is buzzing so much from TEDxAmsterdam excitement that she hasn’t even noticed the city’s vuvuzela sounds lately, and appeared to be the only school mom who had forgotten to dress her kids in appropriate World Championship clothing (read: orange from top to toe). We meet over a large cup of tea and some espresso shots to discuss her role in the second TEDxAmsterdam event.
As I wait for our allotted time together, I expect to meet a fastidious lady, mobile phone glued to ear and laptop in tow, but I’m pleasantly surprised. Folding her knees gently under her body, Monique is not wrapped in a tight business suit but instead is wearing a casual polo shirt. You could even say that she is the picture of calm.
Monique thinks of herself as a very modest contributor to the success of TEDxAmsterdam. “In the conference business, TED is regarded as the highest possible standard. It’s part of a global movement to share knowledge, so I was delighted when Jim asked me to join the board,” says Monique.
As the Program Director, her main responsibility is the selection of speakers. “We definitely want to make TEDxAmsterdam something special – we want to make something happen. It’s more than just an auditorium filled with people listening to a speaker. It’s everything around that that makes TED so special – the buzz, the chatter, the connections that the event allows. Actually, it’s everything that doesn’t relate to my role selecting speakers!”
What inspires Monique are “all new things,” she says, an essential element in the cultural industries. ”I read, listen, look around and pick up snippets and put them together. It’s not so much the result (an event here and there, soon forgotten), but the active interest in life and ideas that suits me well. I need my work to force me to be aware.”
Monique compares her time in events to her time as an artist (she in fact graduated from art school but left the scene quite soon after). “I’d look around in the world and anything I’d see could be relevant for my work, so it’s easy to understand why I ended up in events.”
Monique’s interests in new media came as a result of producing the iMMovator Cross Media Cafe events and the internationally acclaimed PICNIC conferences, which she helped launch and headed from 2006 to 2008. TEDxAmsterdam, however, pushes her even further. “My world has expanded ever since TED touched me. Everything I stumble upon is interesting now!”
Like any good curator, Monique combines input from a range of sources, whether it’s people, places or things. ‘Ideas Worth Spreading’ is a mantra at this point. She then makes lists of preferred speakers, favorite speakers, must-have speakers, thinking-about speakers, and so on. Through a strong networking process, Monique then wiggles her to the speakers themselves. It’s an important step, as it’s only here, face-to-face or on the phone, that a real sense of the person is possible.
Monique’s criteria then becomes, can this person inspire? Can they speak English above average? And do they know how to speak in public?
If a desirable speaker needs to upgrade their performance skills, a TEDx team coaches them in advance. “TEDxAmsterdam is all about the right mixture of interesting speakers. We have a crowd that is very interested in learning about new things, more than at any other event I’ve seen. The audience is diverse and so is the subject matter. That means speakers have to convey their message in the best possible way. The speakers are our rock stars,” she says.
The choice of the Stadsschouwberg as this year’s venue will allow the TEDx team to add even more ’show’ elements to performances, because the venue has been built for that purpose. “People experienced in speaking publicly are honored to speak at TEDx. Even better, TEDx speakers will put in extra effort as they realize the size of the audience outside the room.”
“This is an event about people as much as it is about ideas,” says Monique. “And I think we present a real cross-section too. Not just the ‘personalities,’ but we’ll happily put a Dutch strawberry farmer next to a politician or a prizewinning scientist.”
According to Monique, this is what makes invitations for TEDxAmsterdam so highly sought-after. Watching TEDtalks by yourself is great, but you can’t beat that electric vibe on the day itself. “Honestly, that is what makes me run. Being part of last year’s event was pure bliss.”
When asked about what TEDxAmsterdam 2010 has in store, Monique has a clear vision: “I truly hope people’s lives will change. I hope that TEDxAmsterdam inspires people to do what they have always wanted to do.” The other big difference to last year is that there will be more focus on sharing what happens inside before, during and after the event with a wider audience.
There will be some exciting surprises Monique could not share yet, but it might be wise to pack your 3D glasses when you walk around Amsterdam this November. And finally, her personal goals as a conference organiser? Monique would love to see Dutch speakers on the TED.com top 3 list in a few years. How’s that for ambitious? Comes with the territory, I guess.
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