Public lectures and workshops are sponsored by organizations all around the world. Look online, for example, at the British Museum in London, the American Film Institute in Los Angeles, or the Columbia University School of Architecture in New York City. You'll see that lectures are an integral part of the education and community connections pursued by active, dynamic institutions of all stripes.
But why give public lectures in today's society? When people can watch TV, read books, go online, see films, documentaries, listen to radio, and take headset audio tours of museum exhibitions, what's the value of a public lecture? I spoke with a number of people involved in arranging public lectures for major organizations to get their perspective.
"It's live, immediate, emotional," said Theresa Beenken, Vice President of the National
