Registration is now open for the 2020 Annual Convention and Public Art & Civic Design Conference! This newly virtual convening, happening June 23-25 from the comfort of your home, is the chance for arts leaders across the country to gather virtually and better understand the current health crisis, how we are responding to it, and how the arts field can move toward recovery.

In this challenging time, artists and arts organizations have united to advocate for the arts, are imagining new ways of artistic practice, and continue to serve their communities with resilience and compassion. That’s why this year’s sessions are centered on how we guide the arts through this crisis and the upcoming recovery.

Register for the full convening and get total access to the learning, networking, and community you have come to love and rely on at Annual Convention—all while saving on travel and housing! Registration for the three-day event is $200 for Americans for the Arts members, or $275 for nonmembers. One-day registrations also are available at $100 for members or $150 for nonmembers.

Day 1: Relief and Recovery—Tuesday, June 23, 2020, 11:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET

The opening day of the Annual Convention focuses on coming together and reaffirming our commitment to ourselves and our work, the crucial role of arts and culture, and our ability to thrive if we work together. It is a day of sessions about how the arts survive, thrive, and meet the challenges of this crisis and upcoming recovery, and includes:

• The Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy with violinist and social justice activist Vijay Gupta
• Musician and Disability Advocate Molly Joyce on artmaking, disability, and social distancing
• Advocacy trainings and best practices
• Sessions that include building partnerships and centering the arts in recovery
• Connections and networking with arts leaders across the country

Day 2: Public Art & Civic Design Adapting to Change—Wednesday, June 24, 2020, 11:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET

Day 2 focuses on the intersection between public art & civic design and how this work is being addressed in communities across the United States during this time of unprecedented change. Join public art practitioners across the country as we learn and lead together through this crisis and upcoming recovery, including:

• Keynote from Paul M. Faber, Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Monument Lab, the independent public art and history studio
• Artists-led interactive sessions
• The how-tos of managing public art projects and collections during a pandemic
• Ways to keep the local public art ecosystem moving through partnerships and case-making
• Sessions on how public art can help with recovery and public health initiatives

Day 3: Reimagination and Resilience—Thursday, June 25, 2020, 11:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET

The closing day of the Annual Convention is about bringing our creativity to bear in helping the country rebuild itself—and re-imagining a new, resilient way of living and being together where the arts can help our communities be healthier, more vibrant, and more equitable. Stay tuned for:

• Sessions on equity and job mobility in a pandemic
• Sessions on building partnerships and centering the arts in recovery
• Connections and networking with arts leaders across the country
• And more!

Each day also will include unique virtual opportunities to network with each other; enjoy artistic experiences from guest artists; interact with exhibitors including Artists Thrive, Goucher College MA in Arts Administration, SmartSimple, SMU DataArts, and WESTAF - Western States Arts Federation; plus much more!

The 2020 Annual Convention and Public Art & Civic Design Conference was always going to be about convergence, the bridging of different communities, and the role of the arts in healing us after crisis—all of this has become even more pressing in our current circumstances. We look forward to brainstorming solutions, sharing our challenges, and coming together as an arts community!