A one-of-a-kind festival in the Midwest, putting you face to face with the most interesting thinkers, writers, scholars, and leaders here in Iowa and from across the nation.
The Tallgrass Festival of Ideas is an opportunity to confront the most interesting subjects of our time in a spirit of generosity, openness, and friendship.
Friday-Saturday, August 15-16 | | The Shop | 901 Cherry St.
Elaine Godfrey, a native Iowan, is a Staff Writer at the Atlantic, where she covers national politics
Michael Reneau is managing editor of the Dispatch.
John Sandy is a Judge on the Iowa Court of Appeals. He formerly served as 1st Assistant Public Defender for the State of Minnesota
Sarah Trone Garriott is an Iowa State Senator and Lutheran minister, trained at Harvard School of Divinity.
Scott Samuelson is a professor of philosophy at Iowa State University, and the author of several books including Rome as a Guide to the Good Life and Seven Approaches to Pointless Suffering
Richard Kim is a professor of philosophy at Loyola Chicago. He is the author of Confucianism and the Philosophy of Well-Being and co-host of the podcast This is the Way.
Michael Wear is the founder and CEO of the Center for Christianity in Public Life, and formerly served as head of Faith Relations for the Obama campaign and Obama White House
Rob Johnson is an Iowa State Representative and pastor in Des Moines.
Santiago Ramos is Research Director at the Aspen Institute’s Philosophy and Society Program
Daniel Corrigan is a professor of philosophy at Iowa State University, specializing in AI ethics.
Kate Padgett Walsh is an ethicist and professor of philosophy at Iowa State University
Dr. Mark Lambert is a professor at Des Moines University
Dr. Evan Beacom is a hospitalist and clinical instructor at the University of Minnesota Hospital and Medical School
We are thrilled to announce that Tallgrass: The Des Moines Festival of Ideas is back in its third year!
he only event of its kind in the entire Midwest, where you can learn from, meet, and mingle with some of the brightest, most interesting minds in Iowa and in the nation.
This year's theme: Who Can We Trust?
We're living in a time where trust is suffering in all kinds of ways. We don't trust our institutions, our government, our churches, even our neighbors. We'll explore these various facets of trust. Should we trust medical experts? The media? The government? What would it look like to rebuild and be worthy of trust? What happens when trust breaks down?
Big ideas and the life of the mind belong to everybody, not just elites in big cities, come lend your voice, and join in a celebration of great conversation, art, food, and more!
Attending and participating in the Lyceum’s Festival of Ideas last August was an inspiring and enriching experience. The event featured local artists and businesses, fostered open communication on topics like the Iowa caucus and self-care, and highlighted philosophy’s connection to nature and food, leaving me inspired and eager to get more involved. -Emmeline
