Bright ideas on tap: Raising the Bar 2025

Tuesday 5 August | 20 Talks. 10 Bars. 1 Night. Free Event

This year’s lineup features 20 brilliant minds across 10 venues in the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters.

From climate change and neuroscience to cyber security and self-care myths, our speakers will challenge your thinking and stir your curiosity—with a drink in hand, of course.

Here’s just a taste of what’s in store:

Ali Ahmadi (The Rising Sun Inn, 8:00pm)
Resilience Reimagined — From refugee to industry leader
From refugee to industry leader, Ali shares a powerful story of perseverance—and what real resilience looks like.

Larissa Jones (Maylands Hotel, 6:30pm)
Beyond the Mirror — Building self-esteem with our teens
Makeup artist and mental health advocate Larissa redefines beauty and self-esteem in the age of filters and fast fashion.

Sean Fewster and Daniel Panozzo (The Maid, 8.00pm)
Virtual Criminality: An Artificial probe into our lawless digital world
Artificial Intelligence is here, whether we like it or not - but are our laws ready to deal with advances in technology and the ever-evolving digital landscape?

Dr. Tamara Fletcher (Ferg’s Stepney, 6:30pm)
‘The Past is Prologue’: Returning to a warm Arctic
Climate change decoded through ancient oceans: Dr. Fletcher explores the polar past to help us face the future.

Jasmin Ilic (Ferg’s, 8:00pm)
The Cyber Crisis We’re Ignoring — Fear isn’t the solution

When her neighbour’s house was burgled, Jasmin started asking questions—about how safe we really are in the digital age. Her talk exposes the quiet cyber threats shaping our lives and how fear might not be the best defense.

Elle Holiday (The Colonist, 6:30pm)
Honey, Lemon, and Other Lies — What really keeps your voice healthy?
Most of what we’ve been told about looking after our voice is wrong. Elle, a voice coach and performer, busts common myths and reveals what really keeps your voice healthy.

Each talk runs for 30–40 minutes, with time for Q&A—and every venue is just as inviting as the ideas being shared.

Whether you're into science, society, storytelling or all three, you’ll find something (and someone) to spark your curiosity.

See the full lineup and book now, visit: Raising the Bar