ARLIS/NA Conference 2026

Date

May 2, 2026 May 8, 2026

Location

Montréal

Details

Website: https://www.arlisna.org/events/2026-54th-annual-conference

Theme: Résistance

Our 2026 theme, Résistance, explores the enduring power of art, culture, and libraries to challenge, transform, and inspire. We resist censorship by championing access to information. We resist budget cuts by advocating for the essential role of libraries. We resist privatization by promoting open access to research.

This spirit of resistance is deeply rooted in Québec’s history—from Indigenous cultural preservation and the defencse of the French language to the use of art as a tool for political expression. Our conference logo draws inspiration from the Refus Global manifesto, a bold 1948 declaration by avant-garde artists calling for creative and personal freedom in the face of societal constraints. This legacy of defiance and renewal continues to shape Montréal’s identity—and our work as art librarians.