2025 Convening | Audacious Reimaginings: The New Advocacy Playbook

Mainstage Host:

Black Trustee Alliance is thrilled to open registration for our 2025 Convening, to be held on May 1-3, 2025 in Los Angeles.

The BTA Convening is an annual invitation-only summit designed to equip Black trustees with the resources to bring meaningful and lasting change to their institutions. The Convening offers a space for Black trustees to speak candidly about challenges they are facing, exchange knowledge with peers and leaders in the field, and build relationships that strengthen their collective impact. Our 2025 Convening is guided by one central theme– Audacious Reimaginings: The New Advocacy Playbook.

Program Highlights

Thursday, May 1, 2025 | Welcome

Arrival & BTA Welcome Reception

Friday, May 2, 2025 | Mainstage Day

Hosted by Getty
Featuring fireside chats, panels, and small group discussions with art world luminaries, followed by a seated dinner celebration

Saturday, May 3, 2025 | Arts Around LA

Private art excursions across LA’s Black arts ecosystem

Stay tuned for speaker and program announcements.

Registration

Tickets for BTA’s 2025 Convening are now available! Join us for this exclusive, high-impact gathering of Black art trustees, artists, and art world leaders.

Please note this is a private invitation-only event for Black Trustee Alliance members and invited guests. If you are interested in attending or would like to extend an invitation to a Black art trustee, academic, or civic/cultural leader in your network, please contact us at admin@blacktrusteealliance.org. All guests must be officially invited in advance. Tickets are non-transferrable.

FAQs

How will the wildfires affect the Convening?
BTA is in deep dialogue with our trustees, artists, and cultural leaders on the ground, and have decided to proceed with our 2025 Convening in celebration of the fortitude and resilience of the LA arts community. Our presence in Los Angeles will be two-fold: gathering our Black trustee community for our annual summit while also supporting the vitality of our host city. We are exploring opportunities for our Convening to meaningfully support long-term recovery efforts. In the meantime, for those eager to contribute to rapid-response recovery, we encourage you to consider the following resources:

• CBFF and CCF’s Black LA Relief & Recovery Fund
• Art Noir Jar of Love
• LA Arts Community Relief Fund
• Hyperallergic’s Artist Recovery Resource List

Can I bring a spouse or a +1 to the Convening?
By popular demand, we are pleased to extend invitations to one guest per BTA member, at the Guest Rate of $1,000. When considering a guest, keep in mind that the BTA Convening is a working summit dedicated to the impact and progress of Black voices in the arts. All attendees are expected to participate in alignment with this mission. Guest tickets grant access to the entire Convening experience, with the exception of the Black trustee-only member salon sessions.

If the event is invite-only, how does ticketing work?
If you are an art professional who has not received a direct invitation, please email admin@blacktrusteealliance.org noting your interest in attending and experience amplifying Black voices in the arts. Should we be able to accommodate your attendance, you will receive an invitation to purchase your ticket.

How are Convening ticket rates determined?
The BTA Convening is a three-day elevated conference experience that includes guest speakers, arts excursions, meals, ground transportation, and more. The true cost per attendee is $1,700. Member tickets are subsidized by the generous support of our philanthropic funders and Convening sponsors.

What is the dress code?
Business casual/creative attire is suitable throughout the Convening program, including our receptions and dinners.

Where should I stay?
Please stay tuned for our partner hotels with group discount rates, coming soon.

There are multiple Convening sites. Will ground transportation be provided?
BTA will provide ground transportation to and from Convening venues and partner hotels.

For questions or sponsorship opportunities, please contact admin@blacktrusteealliance.org.