Great minds don’t think alike. They innovate and advocate, they disrupt and inspire, and they do it all on their own terms. They’re the visionaries and the pioneers — the boldest, the bravest, and the brightest.
The Great Minds series is designed to entertain, inspire, and stir imaginations. Featuring distinguished thinkers, leaders, and innovators from every discipline and culture, Great Minds is a series for curious souls in search of a deeper understanding of the world.
Great Minds is brought to you by Nottingham Trent University’s arts programme, Curated & Created.
Colin Grant | Windrush Stories - Thursday 8 June, 6pm
In recognition of the 75th Anniversary of the Windrush migration, Author and Playwright Colin Grant will present our next Great Minds talk in University Hall to celebrate the contribution to the UK of the Windrush Generation and their descendants.
Colin Grant is a historian and author of six books. They include: Negro with a Hat: The Rise and Fall of Marcus Garvey; and a group biography of the Wailers, I&I, The Natural Mystics. His memoir of growing up in a Caribbean family in 1970s Luton, Bageye at the Wheel, was shortlisted for the PEN Ackerley Prize, 2013. Grant’s history of epilepsy, A Smell of Burning, was a Sunday Times Book of the Year 2016.
Previous events
This event took place on Wednesday 15 February 2023.
During the evening, Dame Jane discussed her work in the polar regions, the areas on Earth most sensitive to climate change.
Look out on this page for future events.
Watch a recording of the Frozen Earth event
Rebecca Salter | Look Closer
At a time when there is a revival of narrative painting, Salter resolutely makes paintings that could be considered abstract. This conversation explored the embodied language of abstract painting: how the act of looking engages all the senses and demands a similar response to that of the distinctive aesthetics Salter discovered and embraced when living and working in Japan.
It focused on the importance of peripheral vision, learning to notice the edges of things and the role of looking slowly to become aware of subtle shifts and tiny details. The conversation also highlighted the importance of hearing those voices, whether abstract, female or diverse that have been overlooked and advocates for the importance of art education as an intrinsic way of learning.
This event took place on Monday 17 October 2022.
Watch a recording of the Look Closer event
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Great Minds - Look Closer -
Great Minds - Look Closer Rebecca and Richard on stage -
Great Minds - Look Closer event audience -
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Rebecca Salter - Look Closer
Watch more in the video below.
Curated & Created
From classical music and creative writing to contemporary art and comedy, Curated & Created offers a dazzlingly diverse programme of events, workshops and activities for all to enjoy.
With a fabulous range of opportunities — including many that are open to the public for free — Curated & Created is your gateway to Nottingham’s thriving arts and culture scene.
To book tickets, discover upcoming events, and to sign up to our mailing list visit our Curated & Created pages.
Distinguished Lectures
Before Great Minds, there were Distinguished Lectures. Check out some of our previous talks below.
- Sir Philip Augar, Author and former investment banker
- Sharon Redrobe OBE, Twycross Zoo CEO, Chair of the Ape Action Africa and Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham
- Diane Lees CBE, Director General of the Imperial War Museums (IWM)
- Diane Coyle CBE, Inaugural Bennett Professor of Public Policy at the University of Cambridge
- Val McDermid FRSE, FRSL, celebrated and best selling Scottish crime writer