I’m speaking at an intriguing event in London on Thursday June 12, something a bit outside the usual social media-focused business events I’ve been speaking at during this year.

The event is a debate linked to DesignIT 2008, a competition run by Microsoft TechNet in which people who enter use their expertise in technology to design a system that will improve the IT infrastructure of a charity of each entrant’s choice.

The winner will work with a team of Microsoft Technical Evangelists to plan, manage and deploy their winning system design for the nominated charity. It’s worth £15,000, donated by Microsoft.

Thursday’s debate takes place at The Music Room in London just before the DesignIT 2008 exhibition opens to the public, where you can see the design artworks.

I’ll be on a panel that will be debating topics on a broad theme: “The blog as the new canvas – Is blogging the new way for people to express themselves creatively?”

The panel comprises quite an eclectic mix of people – an art expert, a blogger (that’s me), two Microsoft spokespeople, two members of the press (one might be an art critic) and a chairperson.

I’m expected to lead the pro-blog debate opener on one of the questions:

Blogging and Web 2.0 is [sic] expanding at a phenomenal rate. Traditional outlets for expression are at risk of being overtaken and buried by this new phenomenon. Is this the end of traditional forms of art?

I have a few ideas for this question. What would you suggest as answers?

During the debate, there will be a live Twitter feed where the organizers will be posting the most interesting, inspiring or controversial quotes. If you follow that Twitter ID, I guess you’ll have a chance to add your point of view.