Creative Time Summit 2024: Exploring Land Justice Amid Global Crises

Creative Time is set to celebrate its 50th anniversary with the return of the Creative Time Summit, a groundbreaking event that will take place from September 20 to 22, 2024, across multiple venues in New York City, including the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM). This year, the Summit is centered around the theme “States of Emergence: Land After Property and Catastrophe,” offering a vital platform for radical dialogue and critical engagement with pressing global issues such as land justice, borders, and statelessness.

The 2024 Summit takes place at a pivotal moment in history, marked by global unrest, environmental catastrophes, and a critical U.S. presidential election that many view as a potential breaking point for democracy. Amid these challenges, the Summit will explore how emergencies can catalyze revolutionary change, addressing crises in food, climate, migration, and housing as part of a broader historical continuum shaped by colonial legacies.

Curated by Creative Time’s Curator Diya Vij, with the support of Assistant Curator Anna Harsanyi and Artist Research Manager Gervais Marsh, the Summit has been developed in collaboration with an advisory committee comprising artists, scholars, and activists from around the world. This year’s theme, “States of Emergence,” is not just a call to action but a reflection on the evolving nature of crises and the transformative power of collective action.

Speakers from diverse backgrounds—including art, law, education, and political activism—will convene to share their insights and strategies for land justice, redistribution, sovereignty, and reparation. Notable speakers include artists and activists such as Tanya Aguiñiga, Isshaq Albarbary, Marwa Arsanios, Kazembe Balagun, and Diana Buttu, among others. Their work exemplifies the intersections of art and political action, focusing on mounting tactics for justice and reimagining the relationships between communities and land.

One of the highlights of the 2024 Summit will be the discussions around borders and statelessness, which are becoming increasingly relevant in a world where migration is often met with hostility, and borders are frequently sites of conflict and exclusion. These conversations will delve into the implications of land ownership, the rights of indigenous peoples, and the future of land as a shared resource rather than a commodity.

The Creative Time Summit is known for its commitment to social change, and the 2024 edition will continue this tradition by offering strategies for global and local action. By engaging with contemporary art as a tool for political engagement, the Summit will provide attendees with the knowledge and inspiration needed to contribute to the ongoing fight for land justice.

Creative Time’s legacy of commissioning and presenting public art that challenges societal norms is evident in the scope and ambition of the 2024 Summit. The event will serve as a gathering point for thinkers, artists, and activists who are dedicated to reshaping the future in the face of ongoing and emerging crises.

As the world grapples with the effects of climate change, political instability, and social inequality, the 2024 Creative Time Summit offers a beacon of hope and a platform for voices that are often marginalized. By focusing on land justice and the broader theme of “States of Emergence,” the Summit not only commemorates Creative Time’s 50-year history but also sets the stage for the next chapter in the organization’s ongoing mission to foster creative expression and social change.