On October 3rd 2026, The Washington, D.C. Festival of Education will bring together educationalists from across the United States and beyond to deliver more than 50 sessions over the course of the day. Over half of the Festival’s programme is shaped through our open call for speakers, ensuring the agenda reflects the priorities, practice and innovation of the sector.
Content will be spread across six, 45-minute periods and staged across multiple venues – halls, and classrooms.
The content team will commence reviewing applications in April 2026. Applicants will be informed of the content team’s decision in May 2026. The Festival content team’s decision is final.
We expect to receive a high volume of applications. Rather than submitting multiple sessions, we would advise that each applicant focus on one or two high-quality submissions.
We are grateful for every application – our speakers are at the very heart of The Washington, D.C. Festival.
Please note, that completing the application does not guarantee you a session, and that we do not routinely provide feedback on unsuccessful submissions.
We welcome applications from individuals and organisations eager to share their knowledge, insights, and innovative ideas at the Festival of Education 2026. To be considered as a speaker, please ensure that your application is submitted in full through our online application portal.
We receive a high volume of applications each year. Rather than submitting multiple sessions, we would advise that each applicant focus on one or two high-quality submissions.
We encourage you to carefully review your application before submission, as only those received by the deadline will be considered for inclusion in our programme.
During April, our team will carefully review all speaker applications. Please note that we receive a large number of submissions each year, and with a limited number of speaking opportunities available, not all applicants will be selected.
While we value the contributions of those who have spoken at the Festival in the past, previous participation does not guarantee preference in the selection process. Each application is evaluated based on its merit, originality, and relevance to the Festival’s themes.
We are grateful for every application – our speakers are at the very heart of the Festival of Education. Please note that due to the large number of applications, however, we do not routinely provide feedback on unsuccessful submissions.
We appreciate your understanding and thank you for your interest in contributing to the The Washington, D.C. Festival 2026.
To ensure a wide breadth of content that reflects the diverse landscape of education, we are seeking applications across a range of categories. These categories help us curate a well-rounded programme that engages and inspires attendees with fresh perspectives and practical insights.
We welcome applications in the following categories:
When submitting your application, please ensure you have the following information ready:
Important Notes: Partially completed applications will not be considered, so please ensure all required information is provided. Commercial applications will be rejected. If you wish to promote a product, please contact the partnerships team.
To help you prepare the strongest possible application, we want to be transparent about how submissions will be reviewed. Our panel will assess each proposal against the following criteria, which reflect the values and aims of the Festival of Education. Please ensure your application clearly addresses each of these areas:
If your proposed session is accepted, we will contact you to confirm and update the information we have for your session. At this stage, you’ll also receive a registration link to book your complimentary tickets to the Festival. All successful speakers will receive free access to the Festival for themselves and a guest.
In January, we will confirm the time and date of your session. By February, your session will be announced on the Festival website, and you will be able to start promoting it to your network.
At the Festival, all speakers will have access to our exclusive speakers’ lounge, where refreshments will be available throughout the day, including lunch.
While we are unable to offer a speaker fee, we do strive to keep the Festival affordable for all. We are pleased to offer a $100 per person travel contribution if required, and we appreciate your understanding in this matter.
