Schedule

Times are in Pacific Time
Subject to change. Registered attendees will have access to more details.

ON-DEMAND RECORDED SESSIONS

These are available through the app for registered attendees from March 24 - May.

More to be announced soon.

Arts Writing and Publishing as Creative Infrastructure

Led by Xiao deCuncha and Nyonu Branch-Watkins

Arts writers, critics, and publishing professionals will discuss how arts writing is an essential link in the arts & culture infrastructure. Some topics to be discussed include:

How do local arts and culture-focusing publications contribute to the development of the artistic community and connect the public with the arts?
How do art writers and artists mutually benefit each other when it comes to professional development?
What is the impact of the general lack of structured training for new art writers?
What type of programs can be incorporated into public and private programming from schools, galleries, organizations, and cultural institutions to ensure a robust art criticism community, especially in the Midwest (outside of Chicago)?
Faced with worsening funding struggles, how can independent publishers, art critics, and publications find creative ways to sustainability and lasting growth?
How can art writing serve as leverage to propel local artists into larger markets? And vice versa, how can art writing bridge the gap and bring in new ideas into local art scenes?
How do art writing and art/culture publications interact with activism, policymaking, and other pressing matters in civic spaces?

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Becoming a Teaching Artist

Led by Gowri Savoor and Heather Bryce, Co-directors of Teaching Artists Connect

In this fun and engaging session, participants will be introduced to the field of Teaching Artistry, and find alignments with the Artists Thrive Rubric, Planning and Capacity. We’ll explore what teaching artists do, what settings they work in, and how to generate income. We’ll define how teaching artists are different from art teachers and/or art therapists, and explore different residency settings where teaching artists can thrive. For those new to teaching artistry, we’ll introduce participants to different pathways to entering the field of teaching artistry, and offer strategies for assessment and documentation. In our final section, we’ll discuss what success looks like, and ask participants to complete a worksheet defining their unique attributes, passions, and goals, and how they can use their creativity to activate the artistry of others.

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Creating Your Own Artists’ Collective: Why, How, Where?!

Led by Alana Ladson, Freelance Artist

This presentation is about creating your own artist collective wherever you live or virtually. Alana will be speaking on her journey into creating her artist collective, The Rooted Collective, in Connecticut, and how she was able to run three cohorts of the fellowship and foster a sense of community amongst the members during that time. Here's how she did it, and here's how you can create your own!

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Creative Futures: Understanding Arts Alumni Experiences and Trajectories Through SNAAP Pulse

Led by Lee Ann Scotto Adams and Christian Folk, SNAAP

How do arts graduates build meaningful and sustainable lives in today’s creative economy? This session introduces insights from SNAAP Pulse, a new initiative of the Strategic National Arts Alumni Project that explores how arts alumni define success, sustain creative work, and adapt to challenges such as AI and financial precarity. Drawing on national survey data from thousands of graduates, presenters will highlight trends in creative careers, equity, and artistic identity after graduation. Participants will learn how institutions and arts organizations can apply SNAAP findings to strengthen alumni engagement, reimagine curriculum, and advocate for creative labor. By centering alumni voices and data-driven insights, this session invites educators, funders, and arts leaders to re-envision how we support artists across their careers and to imagine creative futures grounded in connection, evidence, and care.

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Estate Planning and Readiness for Musicians and Its Possibilities

Led by Gene Meneray & Ashlye Keaton, Co-founders of The Ella Project and Elizabeth Meneray, Founding Partner of the New Orleans law firm, Meneray Family Law, L.L.C.

The Ella Project presents Rampart: A Legacy Planning & Readiness Guide for Musicians. This is a step by step guide for musicians and/or their heirs to protect their legacy, their intellectual property, and prepare their estate. Rampart also provides guidance to heirs whose loved ones may have died without complete estate planning.

In this Guide, you’ll learn:

How to document your work right now to develop an estate plan.
How to work with museums and institutions if you are interested in leaving them assets.
How to protect your digital afterlife.
How to protect your files from loss, theft, fire, hurricane, flood or other disaster.
What information you need to draft a will.
What to do if someone dies without a will.
What documents you need (living will, power of attorney) to prepare to take care of your needs when you no longer can.
How to open a succession for a large or small estate.

10:00 am PT

Registration Open

11:00 am PT

National Welcome Session

Kick off your Summit experience with intention and excitement! Join us for this essential opening session where we'll ground ourselves in the spirit of Artists Thrive, setting a positive and collaborative tone for the days ahead.

We'll guide you through a brief exercise to help you write a meaningful goal for your time at the Summit, ensuring you focus on what matters most to your artistic journey.

Finally, we'll equip you with everything you need to navigate the Summit Whova app like a pro! Discover all the "bells and whistles" – from session locations and networking opportunities to recorded content and helpful resources. We'll ensure you have the inside scoop to make the absolute most of your week and leave feeling energized and empowered.

Don't miss this crucial first step in your Summit adventure!

12:00 pm PT

Lunch

1:00 pm PT

National Breakout Sessions

I am For A Nation…

For this session, Mark will invite all 6 sites to create a collective manifesto for our country: "I am for a nation…." The workshop starts with a discussion about social sculpture and the ways we shape the world through our words, thoughts, and actions. This will be the foundation for our time together. Participants will then complete their "I am for a nation…" statements at their tables. They would also share with each other at their tables, then from each location. By naming the kind of city we want, participants can begin to name next steps in their own creative practices that align with the collective manifesto. After the workshop, we will compile the statements together into a document to be shared with all participants across all 6 locations. Participants would also be invited to activate the project in their own contexts, at any time, without the need for permission. This form is a tool that can be used by anyone.

Lead Presenter: Mark Menjivar, TX

The Art of the Pivot (Strategic Change Management for Arts Leaders of the Global Majority)

We are living in an era marked by uncertainty and precarity in our sector and society in ways that are unprecedented in recent decades. One that requires us to be grounded in our center and equipped to pivot the ways we steward, manage and lead change. This workshop will provide insight into a step-by-step process developed by a table of arts leaders of the global majority across US and Canada. This resource exists to support arts leaders of color to dynamically navigate pivots and steward change (both externally imposed, and internally devised).

Lead Presenter: Phoenix Sun Park, Voice of Purpose

2:30 pm PT

Local Breakout Sessions

Third Spaces: Community and Connection in a Transient City

This session explores how the City of Las Vegas actively designs, programs, and stewards third spaces through cultural venues, adaptive reuse of historic buildings, public plazas, and community-centered events. Using Historic Fifth Street School as a living case study, participants will examine how policy decisions, spatial design, programming choices, and emotional intelligence come together to foster authentic connection. The session moves beyond theory into practice, offering real examples of what works, what has evolved, and what cities and cultural organizations must consider when creating spaces that truly serve residents.

Raise the Spotlight: Artists Building Community

Using Spotlight Poetry as a living case study, the workshop explores how a small open mic at a local dive bar grew into a grassroots collective and nonprofit that mentors dozens of poets, produces accessible programming, and creates safe spaces for hundreds of voices. Participants will examine how intentional space-making functions as both creative practice and community care. This session is ideal for artists who want to create their own spaces and learn how to build ethical, inclusive, and community-centered artistic environments. Participants will engage in guided writing prompts exploring identity beyond socially assigned labels, collaborate in small groups to identify missing artistic spaces in their communities, and participate in a collective listening exercise. The workshop also walks through key steps of space-building, including defining who a space serves, what it protects, selecting accessible locations, and ensuring accountability to the community. Participants leave with practical tools to create or contribute to third spaces rooted in inclusion, care, and collective growth.

4:00 pm PT

Networking Game & Flash Shares

5:00 pm PT

Lay of the Land Session

Whether you’ve traveled across the globe or just across town, there is always a deeper story waiting to be told. This session serves as our collective grounding. For our out-of-town guests, this is your masterclass in local DNA. For our long-time residents, this is a rare opportunity to hear the "secret history" of the streets you walk every day. This isn't a dry lecture; it’s a living conversation with the people who know this place best.

6:00 pm PT

Group Dinner

Breakfast on your own

9:00 am PT

National Breakout Session

Breaking the Fourth Wall in Third Spaces: How Organizations Renegotiate Missions and Messages During Times of Conflict

This session explores how organizations can navigate conflicts between legacy and relevance by using transparency, empathy, and co-creation as strategic tools. Drawing on case studies from arts and design institutions that have faced public scrutiny or mission misalignment, participants will learn how to identify narrative dissonance, facilitate difficult conversations, and turn moments of conflict into opportunities for growth and trust-building. Through storytelling and an interactive mapping exercise, attendees will examine their own “third spaces”—galleries, classrooms, digital platforms, or community programs—as potential sites for collective authorship and renewal. Participants will leave with practical frameworks for renegotiating purpose, language, and action with the audiences they serve—transforming tension into creative alignment and shared cultural impact.

Led by Ruki Neuhold-Ravikumar and Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar, VA

Local Breakout Session

I got the yes, now what - boundary and goal setting as a creative entrepreneur

So, you got the contract. The organization/outlet said yes. The artist(s) said yes. Now what? In this session, building from experiences as a curator, editor, and published writer, Erika will facilitate discussion on how to meet the needs of the project without burning out.

Led by Erika Abad

11:00 am PT

National Breakout Sessions

A Rally for Cultural Placekeeping: Building Affordable, Accessible, and Creative Communities

Across the country, creative spaces are disappearing due to market pressures, displacement, and inequitable growth. As a response, artists and cultural leaders are partnering with civic and economic organizations to redefine what equitable development looks like. This panel highlights Rally Austin, a real estate nonprofit created by the City of Austin to steward public and private assets toward community benefit through initiatives like the Austin Cultural Trust and Iconic Venue Fund. This panel will explore innovative, artist-centered approaches to real estate and cultural infrastructure, strategies for growth, and replicable models of creative placekeeping. Attendees will gain practical insight into frameworks that support equitable, creative ecosystems and learn how artists and cultural workers can be active stakeholders in shaping the cities and communities where they live and work.

Panel organized by Sara Vanderbeek, TX

Money Mindfulness: Rewriting Your Financial Story with Self-Care and Vision

This workshop invites artists and creative entrepreneurs to explore the intersection of money, mindfulness, and self-worth. Through guided reflection, group dialogue, and a hands-on table activity, participants will examine personal money narratives, identify scarcity patterns, and map a values-aligned vision for financial resilience. Rooted in contemplative practices and practical tools, the session supports shifting limiting beliefs around money. By integrating mindfulness with creative financial planning, it offers a compassionate, empowering approach to building a healthier relationship with money. Participants will reflect on money stories, clarify values, and sketch a vision for financial well-being—encouraging self-care, clarity, and action to move from financial stress to intentional, values-driven decision-making.

Led by: Rhonda Schaller, NJ and Dr. Esmilda Abreu, NJ

12:00 pm PT

Lunch

1:00 pm PT

National Breakout Sessions

We Will Not Go Silent: Building Communities of Care Through Creative Collaboration

How do artists sustain creativity and community in the face of challenge, distance, and change? In this interactive presentation, four members of Breaking Wave Theatre Company (BWTC) - a community-rooted, artist-led organization from Guåhan (Guam) – will invite participants to explore how care, culture, and collaboration can shape thriving creative ecosystems. BWTC ensemble members will share real-world strategies for building partnerships rooted in reciprocity, shared power, and belonging. Participants will reflect on their own creative practices and communities - asking how collaboration can become a form of care, and how care itself can become an act of artistic resistance.

Led by: CJ Ochoco, Breaking Wave Theatre Company, Guam

Session TBA

2:00 pm PT

National Networking

2:30 pm PT

Mindful Pause Activities

Creative Reconnection: Restorative Practices For Inspired Expression

As artists and creatives, we use our bodies, energy, and expression to bridge worlds and build connections. This can lead to exhaustion in a city like Las Vegas, where disconnection happens easily. Join us for this interactive workshop that combines accessible mind–body practices, including sound, music, gentle movement, and rhythm, to relieve stress, reconnect with your own creative flow, and embrace collaboration within a vibrant, co-created community. Leave feeling restored, inspired, and reconnected.

Led by: Renisha O'Donnell

3:30 pm PT

Local Breakout Sessions & Tour option

Taking up space - Opportunities in VR and XR to create community

Finding and holding space for creative community activation is tough. Having a physical gallery is a pipe dream for most and might not be the best way to showcase your creative practice anyway. Art is all around us, in many forms, and this is reflected in a growing number of hybrid approaches to exhibiting. From home galleries to using virtual reality and a combination of the two, art is moving into new realms and giving art communities more opportunities to grow. Attend this session to find out more about one artists work to bring more opportunities to artists both locally and around the world.

Led by: Zoë Camper

Session TBA

TOUR - Arts at the Library: A Tour of the New West Las Vegas Library

Join us for an exclusive tour of the brand-new West Las Vegas Library to discover its state-of-the-art resources and innovative spaces. Beyond the stacks, we’ll dive into the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District’s vibrant cultural ecosystem, highlighting our professional gallery spaces and dynamic performing arts programs.

5:00 pm PT

Local Breakout Sessions & Tour option

Organizing in non-hierarchical Collectives

Bring your favorite pen a post it note pad. In this workshop we’ll investigate what works and what doesn’t work in artistic collective organizing via the exquisite corps game.

Led by: Jesse Sawyerrr

Activating the Ordinary: The Artist as a Life-Giver

This session invites artists to explore how creativity can exist far beyond galleries, stages, and studios. Together, we’ll look at how artists can bring imagination, emotion, and beauty into everyday jobs and systems that are often labeled “non-creative.” Through storytelling, humor, and a hands-on activity, participants will reimagine their role as artists who activate creativity in offices, classrooms, businesses, and communities. This session challenges creatives to see themselves not just as makers of art, but as life-bringers in ordinary spaces.

Led by: Aaliyah Fafanto

Tour - THIRD Street Arts & Media Incubator - A New Home for Vegas-Made Creativity

Third Street is a multidisciplinary arts campus designed to give Las Vegas creatives the space, tools, and infrastructure they’ve long been missing. For too long, local artists have lacked the venues, resources, and career pathways needed to stay and thrive in Las Vegas. Third Street aims to change that by creating a centralized campus where talent can be developed, stories can be shared, and new work can be made right here in the city. Born from collaboration, built on existing infrastructure, and led by the cultural leaders already doing the work, Third Street will become a multidisciplinary home for performance, education, and production. This is not a solo act. It’s a city-wide ensemble.

6:30 pm PT

Dinner on your own

Breakfast on your own

9:00 am PT

Local Breakout Sessions

Grants 101: Funding Artists and Community Spaces

This practical workshop is designed to help artists and creative leaders better understand how grant funding can support their work and the community spaces they help sustain. This session breaks down what grants are, who funds artists and community-based creative efforts, and how to assess whether a funding opportunity aligns with their goals. Participants will learn how to prepare for grants by clarifying their project vision, organizing essential materials, and strengthening partnerships. The workshop also highlights common grant pitfalls and outlines clear next steps so participants can pursue funding with confidence and intention.

Led by: Janise Wiggins

Parachutes and Grassroots: Supporting Local Arts and Culture Ecosystems Through Resident Artists

This workshop will explore artist-centered community development that benefits local audiences, in ways that extend beyond any single individual or program. In recent years, BMI has brought literary fellows to Las Vegas for residencies of anywhere from a few days to a few years, with the expectation that these temporary residents will serve our local community. That service has included the creation and curation of book clubs, workshops, and interdisciplinary programs with local writers and performers. Many of these have taken root to become part of our cultural ecosystem in Las Vegas, and now support and offer resources to local audiences and future residents. This workshop will invite attendees to generate new ideas for artist-centered community development through practical questions about why community development matters and how it can be approached in a way that fits your organization’s mission and goals. Most importantly, discussion will center these elements in the context of working from where an organization sits: community development is not possible without the individuals who make up our communities, and the physical environment and resources we share.

Led by: Colette LaBouff

11:00am PT

National Breakout Sessions

Designing Funding that Nourishes the Artist - Not Just Their Output

What if funding didn’t just fuel the next project - but actually nourished the whole artist? This session centers four community-designed funding models - the BIPOC Artist Fund, Creative West Artist Fund, Cultural Sustainability Program, and Pacific Jurisdictions Artist Fund - that are reshaping the landscape by centering artist well-being, not just productivity. Led by cultural strategist Anika Tené alongside brilliant co-designers, this session dives into what it truly looks like when wellness, pacing, and relational trust are designed into funding from the start - not treated as afterthoughts. Participants will hear how these initiatives rejected extractive grantmaking and instead embedded coaching, wellness stipends, and flexible timelines to reflect the lived realities of artists - particularly those in BIPOC, Indigenous, rural, and under-resourced communities. Participants will walk away with concrete strategies, adaptable frameworks, and inspiration to champion care-centered, equity-rooted funding practices within their own institutions and networks.

Led by: Anika Tene, VA

Changemakers in Civic Spaces – Strategic Advocacy Pathways for Creatives

Artists are catalysts for empathy, innovation, and change. How can creative voices shape civic life and public policy? Changemakers in Civic Spaces explores how artists can move from community-based action to influencing decision-making at local, state, and federal levels. Three dynamic panelists will share real-world strategies across three key pathways: Community Organizing, where creative practice mobilizes neighborhoods and builds collective voice; Advocacy for All, which maps access points for every level of engagement from small, everyday actions to sustained leadership; and Creatives in Office, guiding artists who aspire to serve in appointed or elected roles. Participants will leave with practical tools, frameworks, and inspiration to see themselves as changemakers in civic spaces. They will gain a deeper understanding of how artistic skills translate into organizing, policy influence, and governance; recognize multiple entry points for advocacy regardless of experience level; and build confidence to move from awareness to action. The session fosters connection, empowerment, and a shared vision for sustainable, artist-led advocacy that drives thriving creative communities.

Organized by: Eepi Chaad, TX

12:00 pm PT

Lunch

1:30 pm PT

National Breakout Session

The Business of Creativity: Empowering Artist in the Modern Economy

By sharing data trends, identifying challenges and opportunities, and offering strategies for building a brand, diversifying income, and leveraging technology, attendees will learn actionable insights for artists looking to thrive. A key 15-minute talking point will focus on the shift from artist to entrepreneur, addressing common challenges, offering practical strategies for success, and encouraging attendees to take one small but meaningful step toward empowering their careers. This session will inspire and equip artists to build sustainable, thriving practices that align with their passions and potential.

Led by Zandra Sneed-Dawkins, KS

Local Breakout Session

Living Here, Being Here: Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art as Third Places

What happens when a museum is not only a place to visit – but a place to be? This session examines how the UNLV Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art functions as a living third place through decentralized curation, interdisciplinary partnership, and inclusive programming. Centered on the exhibition Living Here, we begin with a collaborative curatorial model that shared curatorial authority with UNLV Asian American Studies, positioning the museum as an accessible space for community connection. Living Here also featured participatory artworks that shaped the museum as social infrastructure, including an interactive self-portrait installation and a karaoke component that invited visitors to contribute their voices, stories, and presence. These works encouraged conversation, play, vulnerability, and collective expression. The session then traces how Living Here expanded beyond the gallery through programs that activated the museum as a hub of creativity and care: site-responsive student composer performances; Mahjong gatherings developed with the Sands Institute and student groups; a screen-printing workshop with the UNLV Care Center; and cultural celebrations such as Sining at Sayaw co-presented with Filipino American community partners. Together, these efforts show how exhibitions and programs can operate as interconnected third-place practices—spaces where people return not only to view art, but to participate, co-create, and belong.

Led by: Zida Wang

3:00 pm PT

Sending Session

4:00 pm PT

Summit ends

Schedule

Times are in Pacific Time Subject to change. Registered attendees will have access to more details.

Times are in Pacific Time
Subject to change. Registered attendees will have access to more details.