FotoFocus is pleased to announce its partnership with Creative Time for The Convening, a special series of public talks and performances in Cincinnati, featuring artists, critics, curators, and other distinguished guest speakers. A welcome event and performance will take place at Mecca on Friday, October 20, 2023, followed by a full day of discussions held at two venues: the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and the Contemporary Arts Center, on Saturday, October 21, 2023.

Structured loosely around three earth-based thematics—land, waterways, and trees—The Convening will bring together national and local artists, activists, and thinkers whose work considers histories of land, particularly American histories that coalesce in the Cincinnati region. Through discussions, workshops, and performances, participants will explore issues of land sovereignty, access, and stewardship as well as the histories and enduring legacies of forced migration in the United States. The Convening is a significant collaborative effort designed to discuss thinking about land-use and self-determination through contemporary art practices, including photography.

The Convening is a prelude to the forthcoming Charles Gaines’ multi-city public art project, The American Manifest, culminating in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 2024. Commissioned by New York-based Creative Time with support from Cincinnati-based FotoFocus, The American Manifest is a series of monumentally-scaled works spanning multiple sites in New York City and Cincinnati, from 2022 through 2024.

The event is free and open to the public. Full Symposium Schedule and Symposium Participants.

Creative Time and FotoFocus are grateful to The Convening’s supporting partners:
21c Museum Hotel
Contemporary Arts Center
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
Ohio Arts Council
Terra Foundation for American Art
Wave Pool/Welcome Project
The Well

Program Accessibility
FotoFocus is committed to providing programming that is accessible and inclusive. Qualified American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters and Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) will be provided at The Convening by AML-Global American Language Services. To request additional information regarding accessibility and accommodations, please email info@fotofocus.org.