Imagining America: Artists and Scholars in Public Life

Graphic poster for 2026 IA National Gathering—hummingbird, floral motif, title, Oct 23–25, UC Davis

Manetti Shrem Museum
Manetti Shrem Museum

Organized in partnership with UC Davis and a diverse regional Steering Committee, Imagining America: Artists and Scholars in Public Life (IA) invites participants to gather in Davis, CA, from October 23-25. Opening with a plenary address by Black Feminist Love Evangelist, Alexis Pauline Gumbs, “Tides of Transition: Restoring Collective Spirit in Troubled Times” calls us to re-story and honor the places, knowledges, relationships and ecologies in the spirit of mending the roots of our connections. Registration to the 2026 Imagining America National Gathering is now open. 

All UC Davis students can attend the Imagining America National Gathering for FREE. For students interested in the intersection of creativity, public scholarship and social impact, this Gathering provides an immersive learning experience. Participants can engage directly with leading practitioners and emerging voices across the nation and in our community while building connections and skills that can inform their academic, professional and civic futures.


Please note: There is a fee to register and attend this event for non-UC Davis students.

The Manetti Shrem Museum is one of several partners in the Imagining America national gathering, with sessions and gallery visits held at our site on Oct. 23 and 24.

Image credit: 

Design elements for the banner were provided by TANA, visual artists for the 2026 IA National Gathering.