Press Release: Arts & Culture Alliance to Host 2026 Annual Conference in Sault Ste. Marie

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Upper Peninsula Arts & Culture Alliance to Host 2026 Annual Conference in Sault Ste. Marie

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – The Upper Peninsula Arts & Culture Alliance will bring artists, cultural organizations, community leaders, and advocates together in Sault Ste. Marie for its 2026 Annual Conference, September 25 and 26.

This year’s conference will focus on volunteerism, community building, and the many ways arts and culture can bring people together. Through presentations, panel discussions, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities, participants will explore practical approaches to collaboration, public engagement, arts access, and building stronger communities throughout the Upper Peninsula.

The conference begins Friday, September 25, with a public reception from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at the Sault Area Art Center’s new location on Ashmun St. next to the Soo Theatre. The main conference will take place Saturday, September 26, at Lake Superior State University’s Walker Cisler Student & Conference Center.

Saturday’s program will feature keynote speaker Jim Edwards, Programming & Education Coordinator at the Upper Peninsula Children’s Museum. Throughout the day, attendees will be able to choose from rounds of breakout sessions addressing topics including audience development through site-specific performance, cross-sector collaboration, government and public agency engagement, expanding arts access, murals and public art, traditional arts, intergenerational storytelling, and community engagement by independent artists, writers, and authors, as well as more expressive experiences such as healing arts.

The conference is designed to provide both inspiration and practical ideas that participants can bring back to their own communities. It also creates an opportunity for people working across disciplines and communities to build relationships, exchange ideas, and learn from one another.

The Alliance serves artists, organizations, and communities throughout Michigan’s Upper Peninsula by strengthening connections, expanding access to resources and professional development, supporting arts and cultural funding, research, and demonstrating the value of the region’s creative sector.

Registration for the 2026 Annual Conference is now open. Individuals who are members of the Alliance Directory can register for as little as $35. Organizations registering as a single entity can bring up to three people on a single registration. Additional conference information and registration are available at upacalliance.com.

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Media Contact:
Philip Rice
Executive Director
Upper Peninsula Arts & Culture Alliance
philip@upacalliance.com

Posted on September 2, 2026 in News, Conference. Bookmark the permalink.