Night of Ideas 2023

Night of Ideas, Villa Albertine’s flagship nocturnal marathon of philosophical debates, performances, readings and more is returning to more than 20 cities across the US from February 25 through March 4, 2023.   

The event invites thought leaders, activists, performers, authors, and academics to engage the public in discussion around a central question that addresses major, contemporary global issues. 

Night of Ideas was first introduced in the United States in 2015 by the French Embassy. It has been presented in over 100 countries worldwide and coordinated by the Institut Français. Today, Night of Ideas is a nationwide phenomenon, drawing tens of thousands of people to events across the country.

This year’s unifying theme is “More…?” inviting each city to approach the challenge of building a more sustainable and equitable society from the viewpoint of local issues, debates, and opportunities. Participants will include economist and musician and writer Felwine Sarr, artist Anne Plaisance, Professor of African-American and Black/African diaspora studies Maboula Soumahoro, Director, National Center for Civil and Human Rights Jill Savitt, Podcast host Léa Hirshfeld, Director of the École Urbaine de Lyon, Michel Lussault, Dean of Humanities Robin Kelsey, philosophers Nicolas Prévélakis and Baptiste Morizot, architect and co-director of Z4A Ophélia Mantz, director of the French TV channel Arté, Bruno Patino, and jazz musicians Jack Sorel Music Trio, among other high-profile speakers and Villa Albertine residents.

Night of Ideas will be held at a record-breaking 20+ venues in the US and Mexico including:       

• Kansas City: Powell Observatory, Alliance Française – February 25, 2023
• New Orleans, Alliance Française – February 27, 2023             
• Milwaukee: Schlitz Audubon Nature Center, Alliance Française – February 28, 2023               
• Minneapolis: Alliance Française – February 28, 2023
• Pasadena: Alliance Française – March 1, 2023      
• San Juan, Puerto Rico: Alliance Française – March 1, 2023
• Los Angeles: University of Southern California – March 2, 2023
• Los Angeles: Alliance Française – March 2, 2023
• Monterrey, Mexico: Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León à Monterrey, (in partnership with the French Consulate in Houston) – March 2, 2023 
• San Diego, Alliance Française – March 2, 2023
• St. Louis: Webster University, Alliance Française – March 2, 2023  
• Boston: Harvard University – March 3, 2023              
• New York: Villa Albertine, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYU Institute of Fine Arts and Ukrainian Institute of America, with the participation of Columbia and Princeton University – March 3, 2023   
• Seattle: Alliance Française – March 3, 2023    
• Atlanta: National Center for Civil and Human Rights – March 4, 2023 
• San Francisco: SF Public Library – March 4, 2023  
• Detroit: Alliance Française – March 5, 2023                                 

More information will be available soon at nightofideas.org

The national program in the US is made possible with major philanthropic support from Presenting Partner the Judy and Peter Blum Kovler Foundation, Mellon Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, and the Institut français.