We are excited to be gathering a robust line-up of speakers for our fall conference, “Present Tense: 2019.” Where else will you find groundbreaking artists, scholars, and leaders in the field coming together to participate in a national discussion on craft? Three days of programming in Philadelphia will feature diverse perspectives as we explore craft’s impact on contemporary American life.

You won’t want to miss this opportunity to join our collective conversations. Check out the full list of speakers. In the meantime, here are some of the inspiring voices you will hear from:

Hrag Vartanian is an editor, art critic, curator, and lecturer on contemporary art with expertise on the intersection of art and politics. He is most well-known as the editor-in-chief and co-founder of the web forum, Hyperallergic, which features breaking news, award-winning reporting, informed opinions, and quality conversations about art. In addition to an array of projects, he started podcasting regularly in 2016, and last year he launched the weekly audio magazine, Art Movements. Vartanian will deliver the keynote address on Thursday, October 10, opening day of "Present Tense: 2019."

Roberto Lugo is an American artist, ceramist, social activist, spoken-word poet, and educator. Lugo uses porcelain as his medium of choice, illuminating its aristocratic surface with imagery of poverty, inequality, and social and racial injustice. His works are multicultural mash-ups, traditional European and Asian porcelain forms and techniques reimagined with a 21st-century street sensibility. Lugo will be speaking on Thursday’s panel focused on community and agency, "Toward a Healthy Craft Ecosystem," moderated by Jennifer Zwilling of The Clay Studio.

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Glenn Adamson is a curator, writer, and historian who works at the intersection of craft and contemporary art. His scholarship includes authoring and contributing to publications on craft including Craft Capital: Philadelphia’s Cultures of Making, published by CraftNOW in conjunction with Schiffer on the occasion of the ACC national conference. Hear Adamson in conversation with design advocate, historian, and educator, Susan S. Szenasy, during "Gear Shift," as part of Friday’s discussions on intersections and innovation.

Sharon M. Louden is the editor of the Living and Sustaining a Creative Life series of books, the artistic director of the Visual Arts at Chautauqua Institution, a faculty member in the MFA Fine Arts program at the School of Visual Arts in New York, and a Senior Critic at the New York Academy of Art. In addition to her work as an artist and educator, Louden is active on boards and committees of various not-for-profit art organizations and volunteers her time to artists to further their careers. Saturday’s programming on storytelling and narrative will include a panel moderated by Louden featuring artists Raheleh T. Filsoofi and Sonya Kelliher-Combs.

Here are additional speakers, presenters, and facilitators you don't want to miss: Ryan Berley, Meg Bye, Seth C. Bruggeman, Raheleh Filsoofi, Alex Gilliam, PJ Gubatina Policarpio, Sonya Kelliher-Combs, Jennifer-Navva Milliken, Paul Sacaridiz, Mary Savig, Judith Schaechter, Susan S. Szenasy, Folayemi Wilson, and Carol Zou.

Visit craftcouncil.org/conference for more information.