Sales for the 2024 Summit passes have now ended - see you next year!
The 2024 Monument Lab Summit in Philadelphia will bring together thought leaders influencing and innovating the monument landscape through groundbreaking forms of commemoration, acknowledgment, justice, and belonging around the theme of “Past is Presence.” Monument Lab will gather the monument changemaking community to elevate the power of coalitional public memory and art. At the Summit, we will convene artists, curators, grassroots organizers, federal officials, municipal and civic workers, educators, students, and more from around the country for keynotes, panels, workshops, and field trips. Major support for the Monument Lab Summit is provided by the Mellon Foundation.
Confirmed presenters include:
- Elizabeth Alexander (President, Mellon Foundation)
- Sonya Clark (Artist, Declaration House)
- Jeannine A. Cook (Founder, Harriett’s Bookshop)
- Andrew M. Davenport (Director, Getting Word African American Oral History Project at Monticello)
- Erica Armstrong Dunbar (Historian, Author of Never Caught)
- Paul Farber (Director, Monument Lab)
- Jane Kamensky (President, Monticello)
- Salamishah Tillet (Scholar, Pulitzer Prize-winning critic for The New York Times)
- Yolanda Wisher (Senior Curator, Monument Lab)
Check out our announcement page for updates on the list of panelists, workshops, field trips and more.
In-person FAQ’s
What hotels are nearby?
Hilton Garden Inn Philadelphia Center City
1100 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Link to hotel here >
Philadelphia Marriott Old City
1 Dock Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Link to hotel here >
Is there parking available?
Paid parking is available on-site at Independence Visitor Center, and there are locations to securely lock bikes at the venue. All venues are widely accessible by public transit.
Will food be provided?
Breakfast and lunch will be provided for all registered participants on July 18, and lunch will be provided on July 19. We will also provide a list of recommended coffee shops, restaurants, and bars in the area.
What is the Summit Dress Code?
The dress code is flexible. Many attendees will be dressed in business casual attire, but we encourage you to come as you are. We hope you consider your own comfort, the summer weather, and your site-specific field trips and workshops.
I have an accessibility need. Will accommodations be available?
Closed captioning and visual descriptions will be provided for all Summit panels and keynotes. Venues are ADA accessible. Field Trips include sites that are ADA accessible and others that may pose challenges for mobility. If you need assistance to accommodate a disability, you may request an accommodation at any time. Please contact [email protected] with questions or to request additional accommodations.
Livstream FAQ’s
When will I receive my zoom links for the event?
Zoom links will be sent to attendees the day before Summit (July 17th). Eventbrite will also send links to registered folks 30 minutes before we start on Day One.
I registered for the livestream but didn’t get a Zoom link. Who do I contact?
Email [email protected] with your name and ticket confirmation number for support. We will reply in a timely manner.
Can I share my zoom link with other people?
We encourage all livestream attendees to register if they haven’t done so already on our Eventbrite to receive a zoom link and unique information about our event.
Will these live streams be recorded and shared?
All panels and keynotes will be recorded and shared via email at a later date, stay tuned for updates!
Can I purchase a livestream ticket while the event is going on?
Yes! Livestream tickets are available for purchase until July 19th at 7:30pm - click here to register.
Summit 2024 Team
Lead Organizer: Yolanda Wisher
Project Manager: Kerry Bickford
Curatorial Advisor: Paul Farber
Designers: Jonai Gibson-Selix, Connie Harvey and Blair Richardson (Mini Super Studio)
Monument Lab Team: Maya Björnson, Gina Ciralli, Greta Gabriel, Kristen Giannantonio, Florie Hutchinson, Mecca Jones, Patricia Eunji Kim, Jenn McTague, Sue Mobley, Aubree Penney, Stephani Pescitelli, Maya Plimack, Julie Rhoad, Bella Rodriguez, Dina Paola Rodriguez, Nico Rodriguez, Cleary Rubinos, Yannick Trapman-O’Brien, Tina Villadolid, and Elliot Waters-Fleming
Interns: Rohan V. Agrawal, Hannah Fisher Gray, Danielle Degon Rhodes, and Kate Sullivan
Documentation: MING Media, Daniel Jackson, and David Evan McDowell
Logistics: Witty Gritty
Monument Lab Board of Directors: Lola Bakare (Secretary), Ellery Roberts Biddle, Amari Johnson, Monica O. Montgomery (Vice Chair), Stephan Nicoleau (Treasurer), Michelle Angela Ortiz, Samala, Kirk Savage, and Tiffany Tavarez (Chair)
Lead Partners: Independence National Historical Park, Independence Visitor Center, and the Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello and its Getting Word African American Oral History Project
Programmatic Partners: African American Museum in Philadelphia, The Athenaeum of Philadelphia, Arch Street Meetinghouse, Association for Public Art, Beyond the Bell, Bower Cafe, Cherry Street Pier, ConsenSIS, FringeArts, Harriett’s Bookshop, The Henry Ossawa Tanner House, Mural Arts Philadelphia, Pentimenti Gallery, PhillyCAM, Prospect New Orleans, The Science History Institute, Strawberry Mansion CDC and Twelve Gates Arts
Major support for the Monument Lab Summit has been is provided by the Mellon Foundation, with additional support from Stardust Arts, the Center for Public Art & Space at the University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design, Forman Arts Initiative, The Hearthland Foundation, Open Society Foundations, the Philadelphia Foundation, and Wagner Foundation. Support for Declaration House has been provided by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage.
