Beginning tonight and running through the early hours of Monday morning, the Institut Français will be hosting a series of all-night marathon “intellectual raves” in dozens of cities around the world. The 2017 La Nuit des Idées or Night of Philosophy and Ideas is an annual festival of intellectual debate, culture, philosophy, and art presented by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which promotes French culture abroad via the Institut Français.

Tackling weighty philosophical issues, as well as popular culture, politics, technology, religion, economics, psychology,art, and language, the festival of ideas attracts heavy hitters, such as Thomas Piketty, Laurie Anderson, Richard Sennett, and Frédéric Lordon.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK–OCT. 3, 2010–Performance artist Laurie Anderson will perform her multimedia work “Delusion” at UCLA on Oct 21, 2010. One of the pieces she performs is about her dog Lolabele. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)

Here in the U.S., La Nuit des Idées events will be held in New York City at the Brooklyn Public Library and in Los Angeles. For a comprehensive listing of activities worldwide, check out the website.