closed: 14 Sep 2026
// call_for_speakers
Take the stage at WordCamp Bengaluru 2026
Submissions are closed. We read every proposal that came in, and the first read is blind, with names and companies stripped out.
// everyone hears back by monday 21 september. profiles go up from 12 october, the full schedule around 19 october
~400
in the room
2
stages
3
formats
// who_can_speak
You do not need to be an expert
If you have solved a problem, built something, or learned a lesson worth passing on, you have a talk in you. You do not need years on stage or a perfect slide deck. What we care about is a real, useful story.
First-time speakers
Never spoken before? This is the room to start in. A clear idea, told in your own words, counts for more than years on a stage.
Seasoned speakers
Bring your sharpest idea. Teach us something new about where all of this is heading.
Everyone in tech
Developers, designers, founders, students, writers, and the AI-curious. WordPress runs a huge slice of the web, and the AI question touches all of it.
// talks in English or Kannada are both welcome
// what_to_talk_about
What we would love to hear
Our theme is WordPress and AI, but the whole WordPress world is on the table. Here are the tracks we are building. Pick one, blend a few, or bring something we have not thought of.
$ wp talk submit –track=’ai-and-wordpress’ –first-time=maybe
AI and WordPress
MCP, agents, AI-native workflows, and building with AI on your site.
// this year’s theme
Development and extensibility
Plugins, blocks, APIs, the editor, and shipping quality code.
Design and UX
Design systems, the site editor, and interfaces people enjoy.
Content, SEO and publishing
Editorial workflows, machine-readable content, and being found.
WooCommerce and commerce
Stores, payments, and getting ready for agentic commerce.
Performance and security
Speed, reliability, and keeping sites safe at scale.
Accessibility and the open web
Inclusive design, WCAG, and open standards over walled gardens.
Business and freelancing
Running a studio, client work, and a practice that lasts.
Community and contributing
Open source, Make teams, mentoring, and giving back.
The call allowed up to two proposals each, and a talk that teaches will always beat a talk that pitches.
New to all of this? Talks pitched at people building their first site, or working out a career in WordPress, fit into any of these tracks. We keep room on the schedule for them on purpose.
// formats
Pick your format
Three ways onto the stage. Not sure which fits your idea? Pick the closest one, or choose “Not sure yet” on the form and tell us in your description.
30 min
Talk
A full session, about 25 minutes plus questions. The classic WordCamp talk.
15 min
Lightning
One sharp idea, no questions. A great first time on stage.
60 to 90 min
Workshop
Hands-on, laptops open. Teach a skill people leave able to use. Tell us if you need the full 90. This is the only format you can run with a co-presenter.
// we build the two panels from accepted speakers and invited guests, so there is no panel option on the form. say so in your proposal if you would like to be on one
// how_we_choose
How we choose
We want a fair process and a program that reflects the whole community. Here is exactly how we read every proposal.
01
Experience
You have done the thing you want to talk about, and can speak from real experience.
02
Originality
Your own take on the subject, and a reason it matters now.
03
Clarity
We can tell what people will walk away able to do or think differently about.
04
Theme fit
A genuine connection to this year’s theme, WordPress and AI.
Our first read is blind. We review proposals without names or companies attached, then balance the final lineup for a mix of new and experienced voices and a real range of backgrounds.
// submissions
From now to the stage
The dates that matter, from the open call to the final lineup.
01
Submissions opened
Ran through 14 September.
02
Submissions closed
Monday, 14 September 2026, 23:59 IST.
// you are here
03
Decisions
Everyone hears back by Monday, 21 September 2026, a week after the call closed.
04
What we need from you
Photo, bio and final title by 7 October. That is a clear two weeks after you hear from us.
05
Schedule published
Profiles go up from 12 October, the full schedule around 19 October. Slides are due about four weeks before the event.
06
On the day
Sunday 22 November at SJBHS, Museum Road. Contributor Day is the Saturday before, at Bangalore International Centre in Domlur.
// first_timers
Never spoken before?
You do not need stage experience to be picked. Here is what is actually true about applying for the first time.
- Our first read is blind, without names or companies attached, so a first proposal and a fiftieth start level.
- A lightning talk is 15 minutes with no questions. It is a real slot on the schedule, not a consolation prize.
- The WordPress Diverse Speaker Training Group and the #diverse-speaker-support channel in Making WordPress Slack are open to everyone. They are run by the wider WordPress community, not by us.
Worth knowing
Most talks that land are small and specific.
We especially want to hear from people who do not usually see themselves on a conference stage. Different backgrounds, tools, and points of view are what make the program worth showing up for.
// what_you_get
What speakers get
Ticket
Free entry to WordCamp Bengaluru 2026, refunded if you already bought one.
Networking dinner
A seat at the networking dinner with sponsors, organizers, and the other speakers.
On the record
Your talk filmed for WordPress.tv, with your name on the schedule and the site.
// faq
Questions, answered
No. If you have solved a problem, built something, or learned a lesson worth passing on, you have a talk in you. We care about a real, useful story, not years on stage or a perfect slide deck.
The call allowed up to two proposals each. A talk that teaches will always beat a talk that pitches.
Yes, and the call asked everyone for theirs. The username is how your talk, your speaker profile, and your WordPress.org profile get linked together, so a session cannot go on the schedule without one. Making one is free and takes about a minute at login.wordpress.org/register.
Only for workshops. Talks and lightning talks are solo. If you proposed a workshop with someone else named in your topic description, we will loop them in when we write to you.
English and Kannada are both welcome. Present in whichever lets you tell your story best.
Yes. Talks are filmed for WordPress.tv, with your name on the schedule and the site.
We cannot cover travel or accommodation. WordCamp Bengaluru is run by volunteers and is not-for-profit, and the budget does not stretch that far, so please plan on getting yourself here. What we do cover is your ticket and a seat at the networking dinner. Access needs are a separate thing and we take them seriously: the form asked about them, and you can still tell us through the contact page, whether that is step-free stage access or anything else that would help. We will do what we can.
// what_happens_now
Submissions are closed
Thank you to everyone who sent a talk in.
// closed
Submissions closed Monday, 14 September 2026
23:59 IST. Everyone hears back by Monday, 21 September, whichever way the answer goes.
↓
If your talk is in
We ask for your photo, bio and final title by 7 October, a clear two weeks after you hear from us. Speaker profiles go up from 12 October and the full schedule lands around 19 October. Slides are due about four weeks before the event.
Questions in the meantime? Head to our contact page and one of the organizers will get back to you.
Missed the deadline? Write to us through the contact page. We build the program from what came in before Monday night, so a late note is a long shot.
Two other calls are still open, both until 15 October: the call for sponsors and the call for volunteers.
// by speaking you agree to our Code of Conduct.