Speaker Connect 2019: applications open

The Speaker Connect program is a year-round program.  Some speakers and hosts prefer to hold the event during the History Week festival.

Yes. All applicants, whether host organisations or individual speakers, must be current members of the History Council of NSW to participate in this program. We rely on the financial support of our members to deliver our annual programs. Read more and apply to become a member.

• The opportunity to deliver an engaging and well informed talk to an audience.
• We offer a $300 honorarium to all speakers for their services, which includes payment for all meals.
• Alternatively, speakers can choose to contribute their fee as a donation towards the cost of the Speaker Connect program and receive reasonable reimbursement for meals only (excluding alcohol).
• Accommodation and travel costs (within NSW only)  will be arranged and paid by the History Council of NSW.
• Speakers will receive the honorarium/stipend on completion of their talk on presentation of an invoice and/or receipts.
• A full package of information, a PowerPoint template and forms will be sent to Speakers on acceptance into the program.

*Host organisations will receive:

• A History speaker free of charge. We will also cover the speaker’s travel costs
• Promotional material for the event (such as flyers, posters etc)
• HCNSW social media publicity to assist in promoting the event.

*Note – Host organisations must agree to provide the Speaker Connect session free of charge to the audience as costs are being paid by the NSW State Government & Create NSW through HCNSW.

• Applications will be assessed as they are received by a member of the General Council or Executive Committee
• Successful applicants will be contacted as soon as possible to begin organising their contact with the Host organisation and logistics for the presentation
• Please note that this program is competitive and not all applications will be successful
• Applicants must submit their application at least six weeks before the desired date of their speaker connect event. This is to ensure ample time for organisation and promotion
• Applications that are unsuccessful or have missed the deadline for certain dates/months can be carried over and assessed for the next available date/month.

Speakers will be assessed on:

• their ability to deliver an engaging and well-informed talk that illuminate aspects of Australian history, or
• their ability deliver a professional development workshop/seminar geared toward the practice of history.

Host organisations will be assessed on:

• Venue facilities – the capacity, audio visual equipment and access of your venue will be considered
• Audience and purpose – how would your organisation benefit from the program? How might it fit in with your other events and programs? What audiences do you hope to engage and how would this program serve them?
• Experience – previous experience in promoting and hosting events locally will be taken into consideration.
• Willingness to provide the session free of charge to an audience (due to HCNSW paying the expenses of the Speaker)
• Willingness to acknowledge the HCNSW and its supporters in all promotional material for the event

All applicants should be willing to communicate with History Council staff in order to ensure the efficient, appropriate and successful organisation and promotion of their speaker connect event.

Applicants should:

• include evidence of their experience of, and capability to deliver an engaging and well informed-talk
• reflect their desire to contribute to the understanding and practice of history in NSW
• be detailed and specific about why they would like to participate and the audience they would like to engage
• be detailed about how they would benefit from involvement in the program
• outline any prior experience that may contribute to the program.