For the second year, we're thrilled to present a free, public curatorial conference as part of the annual Curatorial Forum in partnership with EXPO CHICAGO. Building a Cathedral, our 2025 conference theme, leans into the question of what’s next for cultural institutions that remain in need of reform: How can cultural workers adopt a long-term view to not only meet the needs of today, but also build lasting foundations for future generations?
Through a two-day program of talks featuring two panel discussions and a keynote lecture, Building a Cathedral takes the metaphor of cathedral construction to ask how our approach to curatorial work, and to one another, changes when we operate under this longer timeframe. What might it look like if one generation focuses on preparing the site, the next on pouring a foundation, so the following can take up the work of construction? A “cathedral thinking” approach recognizes the scale of change necessary and understands that building more supportive, equitable, accessible, and nurturing spaces is truly a multi-generational undertaking.
Building a Cathedral will open with a keynote lecture by Miranda Lash, the Ellen Bruss Chief Curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver. Lash has been an advocate for collaboration in the curatorial field whose work has often focused on the regional context of art while highlighting its global impact; recently she was co-Artistic Director, together with Ebony G. Patterson, of Prospect.6 in New Orleans. The keynote will be followed by two panel discussions featuring artists, curators, and cultural practitioners who explore the possibilities of transcending traditional art institutional structures. Foundation will look at alternative and expanded modes of practice being implemented today, and consider innovative ways in which we can push art and culture's influence into other spheres of society. Transmission considers the many modes by which we pass the baton onto the next generation, in a far-ranging conversation that will explore ideas of stewardship, sustainability, and the importance of human relationships in building archives and relaying knowledge. In addition to the public conference, 40 curators from across the United States are invited to participate in EXPO CHICAGO and come together for dialogue and knowledge-sharing.
