Panel: Evolving the Archive

Wednesday, 11/4/2026
6:00 - 7:30

Suitable for:

Adults

Presentation and a panel discussion exploring how artists and institutions are evolving archives to make room for more stories, more histories and more truths. Presentations will include projects that reimagine engagement with public spaces and public knowledge, and memory work practices for preserving and passing down culture.

This program is the final installment of the Power & Public Memory: Shaping Legacy Program Series, which uplifts community stories and artists’ proposals for reimagined commemorative landscapes and inclusive spaces of public memory.

This program is the final installment of the Power & Public Memory: Shaping Legacy Program Series, which uplifts community stories and artists’ proposals for reimagined commemorative landscapes and inclusive spaces of public memory. The series ran July through November, with programs on the first Wednesday of each month.

Shaping Legacy is a multi-year commitment to critically examine the monuments and memorials in San Francisco’s Civic Art Collection. The project will engage communities that have historically been excluded from discussions, produce an Audit report, create opportunities for artist-led activations in public space and support temporary installations that reimagine future monuments and memorials in our city.

The San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) is the City agency that champions the arts as essential to daily life by investing in a vibrant arts community, enlivening the urban environment and shaping innovative cultural policy. SFAC programs include: Civic Art Collection, Civic Design Review, Community Investments, Public Art, SFAC Galleries and Art Vendor Licensing.

Banner image credits: Into the Light by Evans & James, Portrait of a Phenomenal Woman by Lava Thomas, Embassy of the Refugee by Caleb Duarte, and atemtuhe by Belen Islas

Art, Architecture & Photography

Learn from world-class designers, artists and experts in their fields.

Native American and Indigenous Heritage Interest

Connect to engaging discussions and performances related to Indigenous Peoples.

Join the Library's celebration honoring the voices of Indigenous and native peoples with programs and workshops, book recommendations and more.

BIPOC Interest

Attend programming, lectures and workshops intended for the BIPOC community.

This program is sponsored by Friends of the San Francisco Public Library.

Attending Programs

All programs are drop-in (no registration necessary) unless otherwise noted. All SFPL locations are wheelchair accessible. For accommodations (such as ASL), call (415) 557-4557 or contact accessibility@sfpl.org. Requesting at least 3 business days in advance will help ensure availability.

This program will be conducted in English unless otherwise noted.

Notice: This event may be filmed or photographed. By participating in this event, you consent to have your likeness used for the Library’s archival purposes and promotional materials. If you do not want to be photographed, please inform a staff person or the photographer. A sticker will be provided to help identify you so that we can avoid capturing your image.

Public Notice and Disclaimer

This program uses a third-party website link. By clicking on the third-party website link, you will leave SFPL's website and enter a website not operated by SFPL. This service may collect personally identifying information about you, such as name, username, email address, and password. This service will treat the information it collects about you pursuant to its own privacy policy. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of each third-party website or service that you visit or use, including those third parties with whom you interact through our Library services. For more information about these third-party links, please see the section of SFPL’s Privacy Policy describing Links to Other Sites.

The views and opinions expressed in programs presented by groups unaffiliated with SFPL do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SFPL or the City.