Crosscut Festival
Big Issues & Bold Ideas April 30 - May 2, 2020 Hosted by
About the Crosscut Festival
Two days of thought-provoking conversations and innovative thinking, tackling the most important issues of our times. Journalists, politicians, authors, and newsmakers from our community and around the nation come together to take a hard look at the people, policy and events that shape our lives.
Thank you to our Sponsors
Speakers & Sessions
Crosscut Festival programming focuses on Politics, Race & Social Justice, Climate & Environment, Technology, Arts & Culture. Speakers have included political leaders such as Senator Jeff Merkley, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and Governor Jay Inslee. Policy conversations have been lead by Senior Advisor to President Obama, Valerie Jarrett; Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Julian Castro; and Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, and Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Christine Whitman. Moderators and authors who have joined the festival include pulitzer-prize winning journalists from The New York Times, Slate, PBS, Washington Post, CNN, Frontline, Propublica, National Review, NPR, The Atlantic, and The New Yorker. The festival has also hosted conversations with Grammy-winning artist, Macklemore and Super Bowl champion Doug Baldwin.
Our 2020 lineup and panelist names, session topics and schedule will be released in early spring 2020!
Just Announced!
Judy Woodruff, anchor and managing editor of PBS Newshour, will be moderating our opening keynote at Town Hall on Friday May 1st.
Podcasts & TV
Crosscut Talks
Crosscut Talks Podcasts feature recordings from every session at the 2019 Festival. They are available to listen and download everywhere you get to your favorite podcasts. Catch up on what you may have missed on Crosscut.com
Crosscut Now
This limited series airs on PBS and features one-on-one studio conversations with headlining speakers at Crosscut Festival. Catch up on what you may have missed on KCTS9.org
What to Expect
On Thursday, the Headliners Gala is one of the exciting events taking place during the 2020 Crosscut Festival and brings our community together to celebrate and support great public media and journalism in the Pacific Northwest. Providing funding for KCTS 9 and Crosscut, this special event honors newsmakers who take us beyond the headlines. We’re pleased to announce Judy Woodruff, anchor and managing editor of PBS NewsHour, will be our guest at the first annual Headliners Gala. Woodruff has covered politics and other news for more than four decades at NBC, CNN and PBS.
Friday programming includes events throughout the day in and around Capitol Hill, following by an opening night keynote at Town Hall Seattle. On Saturday, Crosscut Festival takes over the Seattle University campus for a day full of conversation and activities featuring more than 100 speakers from across the nation and around the region. Sessions will take place concurrently across five venues. Following the last session of the day, we celebrate the close of the festival with a closing party featuring a beer garden, entertainment and the opportunity to mingle with your fellow attendees.
The Headliners Gala is one of the exciting events taking place during the 2020 Crosscut Festival. This event brings our community together to celebrate and support great public media and journalism in the Pacific Northwest. Providing funding for KCTS 9 and Crosscut, this special event honors newsmakers who take us beyond the headlines.
We’re pleased to announce Judy Woodruff, anchor and managing editor of PBS NewsHour, will be our guest at the first annual Headliners Gala. Woodruff has covered politics and other news for more than four decades at NBC, CNN and PBS.
Gala Tickets
Headliners Gala
- $250
Includes access to the Headliners Gala on Thursday only. This ticket does not include access to any Friday or Saturday events.
Gala All Access
- $500
Includes access to the Headliners Gala on Thursday and all Friday and Saturday events including the opening night keynote at Town Hall. Also includes access to the Thursday VIP reception, Friday VIP reception, the VIP Lounge on Saturday with complimentary catering and coffee and priority entry at all Seattle University venues.
Tickets
VIP Pass
- $300
Includes access to all Friday and Saturday events including the opening night keynote at Town Hall. Also includes an invite to the Friday VIP reception, priority entry at all Seattle University venues and access to the VIP Lounge on Saturday including complimentary catering and coffee.
Weekend Pass
- Regular: $160
- Student: $40
Includes access to all Friday and Saturday events including the opening night keynote at Town Hall and all Saturday activities at Seattle University.
Friday Only
- $60
Includes access to Friday events only including the opening night keynote at Town Hall. This ticket does not include any Saturday activities.
Saturday Only
- Regular: $160
- Student: $20
Includes access to Saturday activities at Seattle University only. This ticket does not include any Friday events.
Headliners Gala
- $250
Includes access to the Headliners Gala on Thursday only. This ticket does not include access to any Friday or Saturday events.
Gala All Access
- $500
Includes access to the Headliners Gala on Thursday and all Friday and Saturday events including the opening night keynote at Town Hall. Also includes access to the Thursday VIP reception, Friday VIP reception, the VIP Lounge on Saturday with complimentary catering and coffee and priority entry at all Seattle University venues.
Stay Connected
Be the first to find out about new speakers and sessions, and special events!
Volunteer
Interested in volunteering for the Crosscut Festival? Volunteers who complete a minimum of 4 hours are invited to attend any Saturday programming outside the hours of their shift. Sign up to be a part of Cascade Public Media’s volunteer program to find out more!
Call for Entries
What would you like to see this year at the Crosscut Festival? We are looking for your thoughts on the panels and panelists that matter to you. Click below to submit your ideas for topics you’d like cover at the festival, along with the panelists & moderators you’d like to see!
