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The Night of Ideas at Town Hall

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Town Hall Seattle 1119 8th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101

The Night of Ideas Seattle 2026: "The Future in Our Hands: Youth, Creativity, and Democratic Agency"

Part 1: Keynotes and Panel at Town Hall Seattle


The Alliance Française is pleased to present the fourth Seattle edition of Night of Ideas. You are cordially invited to participate in a worldwide event series launched by the French Embassy and Villa Albertine in 2016 as an interactive exercise in cultural diplomacy. This year, Villa Albertine's global event series celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the historic role of Franco-American cultural diplomacy.  

The first part of the Night of Ideas Seattle will be held at Town Hall on Saturday, April 18. This evening features provocative panels and visual art, the evening in order to create intergenerational dialogue. 

Saturday, April 18, 5pm - 9pm @ Town Hall Seattle

  • 4pm Doors Open
  • 5pm Welcome words from Alliance Francaise 
  • Keynote Speeches
  • Panel discussion 
  • Q&A sessions throughout the event
  • 9pm End of event

More information to come!

Panelists

Valentin Schmite

Keynote Speaker

Co-founder and managing Director, AskMona

Valentin Schmite is an entrepreneur, author, and educator renowned for his expertise at the intersection of artificial intelligence and culture. As the author of multiple books on AI and a consultant for the European Commission, he teaches at Sciences Po and the CNAAM. A highly sought-after speaker in France (including UNESCO, the Ministry of Culture, Bpifrance, etc.) and internationally (in cities such as Berlin, Brussels, Stockholm, Abu Dhabi, and Montreal), he examines the transformations that artificial intelligence engenders in creation, mediation, and imagination. 

Irina Markina, PhD

Moderator

Director of Language Programs University of Washington

Irina Markina-Baum teaches French language and culture at the University of Washington. She is a recent transplant to the PNW, having obtained her doctorate from Princeton University in 2022. Her research and teaching focus on nineteenth-century literature, visual culture, and republican ideology. Her current book project aims to bring to light the overlooked public murals commissioned for Parisian townhalls during the Belle Époque.


Click here to find out more about all Night of Ideas events taking place across major cities in the US. 


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