Speed dating for the Brain at Spier’s Talking Heads event

Ever wanted direct access to intriguing experts and creative thinkers who have forged unique personal paths? You could ask them questions, debate opinions and spark thoughts that might change the way you perceive the world. At Talking Heads at Spier Wine Farm you can fulfil that desire.

The annual event, hosted at the historical Stellenbosch Wine Farm, spans two evenings on 26-27 August 2022, and invites the curious seeker to engage with scintillating minds at the top of their respective fields. And there will be wine.

The theme of the event is: ‘What you are about to hear could change the way you see things.’ On each of the two nights, 30 experts – or Talking Heads – will share fresh perspectives with attendees and new lenses through which to see the world.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Audience members are randomly assigned to four different tables. At each table is a Talking Head, who has creatively prepared a 20-minute session that addresses the theme, based on their professional and personal vantage points.

Where will chance lead you? To Tapiwe Guzhe, the entrepreneur, philosopher and scientist who makes truly African ice cream? How about the infamous satirist Zapiro? Perhaps it will be the expert on all matters related to cannabis and psychedelics, Tony Budden, who co-founded the Hemporium. Or maybe it will be the sangoma, sociologist and activist, Lindy Dlamini. 

Whether the Talking Head is an animal whisperer or a conspiracy theorist, an existential philosopher or a quantum physicist, the evening is a mystery left to the hands of fate. Expect an intimate and interactive session that stimulates conversation: like speed dating for the brain. 

To recharge the brainwaves, there will be a half-hour refreshment break with a light dinner and Spier’s award-winning wines midway between the evening’s four sessions.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

Event creator Brett Bailey, who is a playwright, artist, designer, play director, festival curator and art director, launched Talking Heads in 2008 as part of the INFECTING THE CITY Festival in Cape Town. His ambition was to create a stimulating space for knowledge sharing and lively conversation, which will now be hosted annually at Spier.

“There are so many fascinating people in Cape Town, with diverse views and specialised interests,” Bailey says. “But the opportunity to talk with them directly, to get a real understanding of their perspectives, is rare. At Talking Heads you engage with four such folks, meeting other curious people in a cosy setting along the way, while your brain is gently fried.”

THE IMPORTANT DETAILS

Book your ticket for a cosy, interactive and thought-provoking evening of paradigm shifts. A light dinner and Spier’s award-winning Creative Block wines will be served. This event is not suitable for under-18s. 

Dates: 26 & 27 August

Time: 19:00 for 19:30 – 21:30

Venue: Spier Wine Farm 

Cost: R250 per ticket, including a light dinner and a glass of Spier wine

A long-standing supporter of the arts, Spier understands that creative works entertain, inform and educate. They often hold up a mirror to society, offering us a chance to reflect. This is why Spier contributes to several annual public arts initiatives and exhibit a significant contemporary arts collection on the farm.     

www.spier.co.za