What an incredible four days! AFTA Conference 2025 buzzed with energy, bringing together over 1,000 arts professionals from across the U.S. to share ideas, build connections, and celebrate creativity. As a community-based artist from Cincinnati, I was deeply honored to present alongside Alice Gray Stites and Denver public art installation artist Michael Chavez. Our session, inspired by bell hooks’s All About Love, examined how love can serve as a guiding principle in community art—cultivating empathy, belonging, and a shared sense of purpose. Americans for the Arts (AFTA) truly created a space for meaningful exchange.
I’m deeply grateful to AFTACON, ATSWAVE, and ARTWORKS for including me in such a vibrant showcase. This opportunity allowed me not only to share my artistic journey but also to highlight how selecting love as a creative force can forge stronger communities through art.
Thank you to everyone who attended, supported, and helped make AFTACON 2025 such a dynamic and inspiring experience. To learn more about this year’s conference, visit aftacon.org. Looking ahead, Americans for the Arts (AFTA) will host AFTACON 2026 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. While the exact dates haven’t been announced yet, the location is confirmed—so stay tuned for details!
