Opera House Axes ‘Festival Of Dangerous Ideas’ For Progressive New Fest

Well folks, the Festival of Dangerous Ideas – the ‘ideas festival’ where middle-class lefty boomers pay to see Andrew Bolt and feel dangerous for a bit – is no more. The Sydney Opera House has axed it, and are replacing it with a progressive “ideas, art and action” festival.

Antidote is quite a different beast to FODI, and it shows immediately. Focused on progressive political and social action, it seems more inclined towards highlighting and showcasing various international activists and performers.
As per the announcement, there’s some strong talent coming our way, both locally and internationally:
International highlights include bestselling author and transgender rights activist Janet Mock, National Co-Chair of Women’s March on Washington Tamika D. Mallory, author of Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People about Race Reni Eddo-Lodge, and the star satirists behind The Onion.
 
The festival also features local heroes such as Uncle Jack Charles and Archie Roach, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras ‘78er Julie McCrossin, and Rantings of an Aboriginal Feminist’s Celeste Liddle.

The curator of Antidote, Danielle Harvey, says that the festival is all about hope – a “platform for extraordinary people to share their stories, for activists to tell us what they have learned and for artists to make us think.”

Here’s your full lineup of performers, speakers and thinkers:
AMANI AL-KHATAHTBEH  /  RUTGER BREGMAN  /  JACK CHARLES  /
ANNE COLLOD  /  RENI EDDO-LODGE  /  INUA ELLAMS  /  EVE ENSLER  /  MARTIN GOODMAN  /  CLARE HOLLAND  /  KALEIDER  /  
MICHAEL KEEGAN-DOLAN  /  THE ONION  / NOËMI LAKMAIER / 
CELESTE LIDDLE / TAMIKA D. MALLORY / JULIE MCCROSSIN  /  
JANET MOCK  /  ARKADY OSTROVSKY  / YEONMI PARK  /  
ARCHIE ROACH  /  SHASHI THAROOR  /  JAMES THORNTON  /  
KIRSTIN SHIRLING  /  MICAH WHITE

It’s happening from 2 – 3 of September. Get onnit.
Photo: Supplied.

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