Where ambition meets ideas.
Discover carefully curated public lectures, author talks, debates and intellectual events in Toronto, Canada — selected by The Mindful City editorial team.
Last updated: August 17, 2026
Malcolm Gladwell · Roy Thomson Hall · September 10, 2026
Malcolm Gladwell returns to the ideas that made him famous — social epidemics, the 10,000-hour rule, and the hidden architecture of success — and asks which of them still hold up, …
Yuval Noah Harari · Massey Hall · October 2, 2026
Historian and bestselling author Yuval Noah Harari examines the next horizon of human civilisation — the fusion of biology and technology — and the profound questions it raises abo…
Robin Wall Kimmerer · Daniels Spectrum · October 20, 2026
Botanist and enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Robin Wall Kimmerer weaves together Indigenous knowledge and Western science to reveal what plants can teach us about …
Adam Grant · Meridian Hall · November 5, 2026
Organisational psychologist Adam Grant challenges us to cultivate the habit of rethinking — questioning our own beliefs, updating our opinions, and embracing the intellectual humil…
Anique Jordan · Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) · August 18, 2026
Curator Anique Jordan leads a gallery tour focused on contemporary sculpture and the social histories embedded in material. The talk connects recent acquisitions to broader convers…
Ed Burtynsky · Art Gallery of Ontario (Audio/Visual Hall) · August 18, 2026
Photographer Ed Burtynsky presents a visual lecture on his long-running projects documenting industrial landscapes and the environmental challenges they reveal. The session conclud…
Reza Aslan · Aga Khan Museum · August 18, 2026
Author and scholar Reza Aslan traces the historical layers of Islamic cities and the ways migration reshapes cultural heritage. The lecture connects archival objects in the Aga Kha…
Niigaan Sinclair, curator panel including Indigenous artists · Art Gallery of Ontario — Weston Family Learning Centre · August 18, 2026
A panel discussion led by scholar and writer Niigaan Sinclair with Indigenous artists and AGO curators on repatriation, exhibition practices, and Indigenous-curated programming. Th…
Margaret Atwood · Toronto Reference Library (Appel Salon) · August 18, 2026
Pulitzer-prize and Booker-shortlisted author Margaret Atwood reads from her forthcoming novel and discusses themes of memory and ecology. The event includes a moderated Q&A and boo…
Margaret Atwood · Toronto Reference Library — Appel Salon · August 18, 2026
Acclaimed novelist Margaret Atwood reads from her latest work and discusses themes of memory, ecology, and narrative craft. A moderated Q&A with audience questions follows the read…
Wanda Nanibush · Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) · August 18, 2026
AGO curator Wanda Nanibush discusses recent exhibitions and the role of Indigenous curatorial practice in Canadian institutions. The talk will explore community engagement and arti…
Roxane Gay · Harbourfront Centre (Theatre) · August 18, 2026
Critically acclaimed author Roxane Gay discusses her latest book and the intersections of memoir, criticism, and cultural commentary. The session closes with audience questions and…
Wanda Nanibush · Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) — Immersion Room · August 19, 2026
AGO Curator Wanda Nanibush presents a talk and guided look at recent Indigenous acquisitions and exhibitions. She will discuss curatorial practice, representation, and community co…
Reza Aslan · Aga Khan Museum · August 19, 2026
Author and scholar Reza Aslan discusses intersections between Islamic visual culture and contemporary environmental thought. The talk will pair images from the museum's collection …
Candice Hopkins · Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) · August 19, 2026
Curator Candice Hopkins presents a lecture on recent shifts in the conceptualization and presentation of Indigenous and contemporary art in museum spaces. The talk highlights colla…
John Ralston Saul · Aga Khan Museum — Auditorium · August 19, 2026
Philosopher and novelist John Ralston Saul examines civic culture, neoliberal governance, and the responsibilities of citizenship. He will speak with the museum's director about cu…
Neil Shubin · Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) · August 19, 2026
Paleontologist Neil Shubin presents discoveries that reshape our understanding of vertebrate evolution and how fossils inform contemporary questions about life on Earth. Attendees …
Shirin Neshat · Aga Khan Museum (Auditorium) · August 19, 2026
Artist Shirin Neshat presents a lecture on photography, film, and the politics of exile in contemporary art. The program will include film excerpts and a moderated discussion on vi…
Margaret Atwood · Toronto Reference Library — Appel Salon · August 19, 2026
Nobel-recognized novelist Margaret Atwood reads from her latest work and discusses storytelling in an era of ecological and political upheaval. The event includes a moderated conve…
Michael Pollan · Harbourfront Centre (Writers & Company) · August 20, 2026
Food writer and author Michael Pollan explores the cultural and scientific shifts that are reshaping what and how we eat. The evening features an onstage interview followed by audi…