Upcoming Online Events
The Agora Foundation is a nonsectarian 501(c)3 non-profit endeavor, providing great books seminars and other educational opportunities to those who are busy with careers, families, and daily responsibilities yet are seeking to further their education. The goal of these offerings is to provide an understanding of the ideas that shape civilizations and to promote civil discourse on complicated subjects. The Agora Foundation has facilitated over 1,650 great books seminars and teacher trainings, covering a wide variety of topics including literature, philosophy, political science, theology, history, art, psychology, and more, featuring ancient and modern texts from around the world. In addition to seminars, since 2014 Agora has produced 39 panels, gatherings, and video interviews, promoting civil discourse on controversial and complicated subjects. Hundreds of these events can be freely viewed and listened to on this website.
Generously funded by The Ahmanson Foundation, Southern California Edison, The Shanbrom Family Foundation, the Ventura County Community Foundation, the WRG Foundation, the Constance Eaton and William Hart Fund, the Ojai Valley Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club of Ojai, CIty of Ojai, and private donations, the Teachers for Lifelong Learning Program provides training to high school teachers in this engaging approach to learning, and The Ojai Chautauqua provides panels promoting civil discourse on controversial and complicated subjects.
Upcoming Regular Events
Online Seminar Series
The Periodic Table by Primo Levi
Saturday, August 22
12:00-2:00PM PDT
Published in 1975, The Periodic Table by Primo Levi is a collection of 21 autobiographical stories, each named after and inspired by a chemical element. Levi recounts episodes from his life, including his experiences before, during, and after the Holocaust, to explore themes of identity, memory, and the human condition. We invite you to join us as we read and discuss portions of the text in online seminars about one month apart.
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August 22 Reading:
Gold, Cerium, Chromium (pages 127-159)
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Schedule:
12:00 - 2:00PM PDT
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Tutor:
Andy Gilman
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Location:
Online. Register to receive the link.
Online Seminar Series
The Chemical History of a Candle by Michael Faraday
Saturday, August 29
12:00-1:30PM PDT
"There is not a law under which any part of this universe is governed which does not come into play and is not touched upon during the time a candle burns." Michael Faraday’s The Chemical History of a Candle, written in 1861, is based on his famous six-lecture series, uses the simple, everyday burning of a candle to introduce fundamental scientific principles.
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August 29 Reading:
Lecture Three - Products: Water from the Combustion - Nature of Water - A Compound - Hydrogen
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Schedule:
12:00 - 1:30PM PDT
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Tutor:
Andy Gilman
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Location:
Online. Register to receive the link.
Onsite Ojai Chautauqua Panel
The Future of Ojai - Our Rising Generation
Sunday, August 30
4:30-6:30PM PDT
The Agora Foundation's Ojai Chautauqua project is pleased to continue its series of onsite panel discussions on The Future of Ojai. When we plan for Ojai’s future, how do we directly include the voices of our young people? What are their biggest concerns? What do they most value about living in Ojai and want to protect? What would they like to see changed? These questions and more will be addressed by a panel of local high school students and recent graduates from our public and private schools. This panel is free and open to the community.. ​
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Schedule:
4:30 - 6:30PM PDT​
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Location:
130 West Ojai Avenue in Ojai
Onsite Ojai Chautauqua Panel Series
The Future of Ojai - Our Rising Generation -
Are we planning thoughtfully for the youth of the valley?
Sunday, August 30, 2026
The Agora Foundation's Ojai Chautauqua project is pleased to continue its series of onsite panel discussions on The Future of Ojai. The goal of the project is to bring together knowledgeable and varied points of view in the spirit of learning, shared inquiry, and civil discourse.
When we plan for Ojai’s future, how do we directly include the voices of our young people? What are their biggest concerns? What excites and inspires them? What do they most value about living in Ojai and want to protect? What would they like to see changed? Is our current education system preparing them for the current world? These questions and more will be addressed by a panel of local high school students and recent graduates from our public and private schools. We invite you to join us, and bring your questions, as we consider what is most essential for Ojai’s sustainable future.​
This panel is free and open to the community. Then event will be recorded and seating is limited.
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Panel Moderators:
Tom Krause and Andy Gilman
Schedule:
4:30-6:30PM PDT​
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Location:
130 West Ojai Avenue in Ojai
An Introduction to The Agora Foundation. What is liberal education?
An Introduction to The Agora Foundation's Ojai Chautauqua Panels.