8:00 A.M.
REGISTRATION, COMMUNITY BREAKFAST & MORNING MIXER
Share a fun morning mixer with fellow arts colleagues. Enjoy delicious varieties of pan dulce, fresh coffee, fruit, and freshly-squeezed orange juice and agua de limón from local treasures’ Coty’s Deli, La Colmena Frutymex and Lucy’s Bakery. Be sure to pre-order your lunch at registration to make sure it’s ready for pick up at noon!
9:00 A.M.
WELCOME REMARKS & KEYNOTE
Vanguard Culture Founder & CEO, Susanna Peredo Swap kicks off the conference with a quick welcome and introduction of Keynote Speaker Lisane Basquiat. A dynamic leader, entrepreneur, and life strategist, Lisane Basquiat empowers individuals to break free from limitations and embrace their inner strength through her work with Shaping Freedom and beyond. As co-administratrix of The Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat and sister of the late artist, Lisane Basquiat also serves as co-curator of King Pleasure, the powerful traveling exhibition of her brother’s work. In this role, she merges artistic legacy with a compelling message of personal transformation.
10:00 A.M.
A – THE FUTURE OF LEARNING: CREATIVE PATHWAYS FOR THE NEW GENERATION
How is learning evolving, and how can creativity guide the way forward? This panel brings together educators, administrators and program leaders working with youth up to age 26 and beyond to discuss the challenges facing young people today—mental health, academic pressure, housing insecurity—and how arts-based programs are responding. Together we’ll reflect on creative education in a changing world and imagine what an ideal learning ecosystem could look like.
Moderated by Shayla James – Music Educator, Performer, Researcher and Director of the San Diego Creative Youth Development Network with featured panelists: Dr. Nicole Tempel Assisi – international education consultant, award-winning superintendent, and former advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Education; Erin Tanner – Journeys Map service consultant, business coach and Founder of Love Yours Consulting; and Rich Magale – Executive Director of Dreams + Ducats.
B – STORYTELLING FOR CREATIVES
Presented by professional storyteller Marilyn McPhie, this interactive workshop invites artists, performers, writers, and makers of all kinds to harness the power of personal narrative. Whether you’re crafting a pitch, writing a blog, delivering a talk, or shaping a memoir, your story matters — and how you tell it matters even more. Through guided exercises and expert insights, participants will develop compelling, authentic stories to amplify their creative work and connect more deeply with audiences. No previous storytelling experience necessary — just bring your creativity and your voice.
11:00 A.M.
RESILIENCE IN FUNDRAISING: NAVIGATING ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY
In today’s unpredictable economic climate, how can arts organizations and creative professionals sustain and grow their funding? This session, led by Kamaal Martin, CEO of Art.Power.Equity, features insights from Matt D’Arrigo — philanthropic and nonprofit executive and Director of Creative Youth Development at the Clare Rose Foundation — and Dr. Novien Yarber, leadership scholar, equity-focused philanthropy professional, and Senior Learning Officer at The Conrad Prebys Foundation. Panelists will share strategies for diversifying revenue streams, exploring innovative fundraising models, and engaging donors during times of financial uncertainty.
12:00 P.M.
PRO TIP: Pack a lunch of pre-order your meal from Sun Coast Pizza at morning registration to ensure that it’s ready right at noon!
LUNCH BREAK & TEXTILE ACTIVITY
Discover the meaning of connection through a creative, hands-on activity with Visions Museum of Textile Art (VMOTA)! Stop by their table anytime during the day and explore the question, “What does connection feel like?” by hand-stitching a word, shape, or design onto a burlap square. Each square will join others to form a growing chain of connection, symbolizing the ways we are linked to one another. As you stitch, reflect on your own answer to the question and be inspired by the answers of others, leaving with not just a deeper understanding, but a shared artistic experience that brings this idea to life.
THE BOARD OF BOARDS MIXER
The ‘Board of Boards’ lunchtime mixer invites all arts nonprofit board members to connect in a fun, casual setting. Enjoy engaging activities led by Art Scene West, and leadership & business coach Alexis Dixon, designed to spark conversation and explore the evolving role of leadership in the arts. Pick up a delicious meal from one of the Soap Factory’s onsite vendors and break bread with fellow arts leaders as you share insights, build relationships, and strengthen our creative community.
1:00 P.M.
A – THE ART OF PARTNERSHIP: REACHING FURTHER, TOGETHER
Vanguard Culture CEO Susanna Peredo Swap leads a conversation with Jonathon Glus, Conrad Prebys Senior Art & Design Fellow in Residence for the Downtown San Diego Partnership and Dr. Tiffany Beres, Manager of Arts at San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. The audience is invited to consider how a sharing of resources and expertise across industries can elevate programs, reach new communities, and amplify impact. This session will highlight inspiring examples of cross-industry collaboration and offer practical strategies for building partnerships that expand your reach and enhance the artistic excellence of your events and initiatives.
B – MENTAL WELLNESS FOR ARTISTS
Join Blanca Lucia Bergman, MBA, founder of San Diego’s leading artist resource for mental well-being, Mental Wellness for Artists (MWA), for an insightful discussion on what resilience is, why it matters, and how to build it. She will be joined by Brian Westpoint and Latoya McKelvin, from Movement Matters Collective and Galina Marcus, founder of San Diego Art Directory, for this revitalizing workshop.
MWA is San Diego County’s leading provider of innovative mental health support for the region’s arts community. It manages a customized, Instagram-based hub for mental health resources, hosts interactive mental health resources, and delivers both public and private presentations. MWA also leads signature events across the county, including a curated mental health art exhibition, a multidisciplinary resource fair, and other immersive experiences designed to nurture creativity, build community, and support improved mental health through a holistic, artist-centered approach.
2:00 P.M.
A – ADVANCED NETWORKING SKILLS TO BUILD YOUR CREATIVE CAREER
Master advanced networking strategies to accelerate your creative career in this interactive workshop with business growth strategist and futurist, Shaun Cassidy. Learn to craft a magnetic personal brand, leverage digital platforms, and build authentic connections that turn conversations into collaborations. Perfect for artists, designers, writers, and creative entrepreneurs ready to transform their networks into powerful opportunities.
B – PORTFOLIO & WEBSITE REVIEWS
Get honest feedback about how you are presenting your work & creative practice. Sign up for 10 min. sessions with notable visual & performing art professionals and share your online portfolios, demo reels, LinkedIn profile, professional social media sites or other similar spaces.
3:00 P.M.
A – THE FUTURE OF MUSEUMS
Join the San Diego Museum Council (SDMC) for a candid discussion about the most pressing issues facing museums today. From audience engagement and accessibility to funding challenges, evolving technologies, and the responsibility to address social and environmental issues, this session will explore how museums are reimagining their role in a rapidly changing world. Gain insights and strategies to help cultural institutions stay relevant, resilient, and deeply connected to their communities. Hosted by Bob Lehman, SDMC Executive Director; with featured panelists Laura Mitchell, SDMC Board Chair Emeritus; Jess Garcia, President of San Diego Emerging Museum Professionals; Kyle Amdahl, Founder & Design Director of Amdahl Design; Adjunct Instructor, NewSchool of Architecture & Design; and Dr. Berenice Martínez, Co-founder, Art Scene Baja; Faculty Member, Xochicalco University.
B – CARING FOR THE CAREGIVERS: ARTISTS AS SECOND RESPONDERS
As artists, educators, and cultural workers, we are society’s second responders – tending to spirit, community, and connection in the wake of crisis. But who cares for the caregivers? This interactive session explores how to build safe, nourishing spaces within our organizations and lives. Through personal storytelling and collective wisdom, we’ll reclaim wellness as a revolutionary act and reflect on how to keep creating without losing ourselves in the process. Join Kim Richards, founder of Caring For Mama for an unforgettable moment of connection and restoration. With featured speakers Latoya McKelvin, co-founder of Movement Matters Collective; Rebecca Smith, founder of Above & Beyond Productions, and Camille Kelly, co-founder of SolPath Counseling & Holistic Wellness.
9:00 A.M.
WELCOME REMARKS & KEYNOTE
Vanguard Culture Founder & CEO, Susanna Peredo Swap and Jonathon Glus, former Director of the City of San Diego’s Department of Cultural Affairs and newly appointed Conrad Prebys Senior Art & Design Fellow in Residence for the Downtown San Diego Partnership kick off DAY TWO of MASHUP with opening remarks about the state of the arts today and welcome our Keynote Speaker Shaun Cassidy.
Shaun is a visionary business strategist, branding expert, and Founder & CEO of Cassidy Creative Solutions, specializing in growth strategies, digital transformation, and brand elevation. With over two decades of experience guiding startups, Fortune 500 companies, and creative enterprises, he is a passionate arts advocate and connector who currently serves as Vanguard Culture’s Board President — empowering leaders to achieve sustainable success through creativity and bold strategy.
10:00 A.M.
CULTURAL TOURISM & THE POWER OF ARTS INVESTMENT
Investing in a city’s cultural capital doesn’t just benefit artists—it fuels economic growth and global visibility. Moderated by Edna Gutierrez, Senior Manager of Public Relations at the San Diego Tourism Authority, this panel features top leaders from tourism, marketing, and international markets: Kayla Yap, Director of Brand Management at the San Diego Tourism Authority; Angie Pappas, Director of Public Relations at Visit California; and Tiffany Beres, Manager of Arts at the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. Together they will explore how the arts elevate a city’s profile, attract cultural tourism, and generate revenue, while sharing best practices for measuring the economic and social impact of the arts from local, national, and international perspectives.
11:00 A.M.
SAN DIEGO ARTISTS COUNT SNEAK PREVIEW
Meet San Diego ART Matters Executive Director Felicia Shaw, and Director of Government and Field Engagement, Michael Angelo Camacho to preview their exciting new initiative “San Diego Artists Count,” the first comprehensive study on artists living and working in San Diego County. This community-led effort aims to gather and publish data about the lives and practices of local artists across various creative disciplines. By utilizing surveys, interviews, and creative public programming, San Diego ART Matters will explore the unique experiences faced by artists in San Diego, with a focus on identifying disparities in cultural representation and funding among different artist communities.
12:00 P.M.
FINANCIAL LITERACY FOR ARTISTS
Take control of your creative career with Financial Literacy for Creatives. This practical session will break down essential financial concepts — from budgeting and taxes to pricing your work and planning for long-term sustainability — giving you the confidence and tools to build a thriving, financially healthy creative practice. Led by Dr. Brian Lesson, a San Diego-based business educator, tourism professional and culinarian who combines creative thinking with a love of numbers and details.
1:00 P.M.
THE BUSINESS OF ART: CONTRACTS, CREATIVE WORK, & EMPLOYMENT
Led by the Lawyers at Better APC, Sam Mazzeo & Olivia Casellini, this session equips creatives with essential legal and intellectual property knowledge to confidently create and protect their work. Learn how to navigate contracts, understand your rights, and safeguard your creative practice — empowering you to build a strong and sustainable career.
2:00 P.M.
THE FUTURE OF CREATIVITY: AI & THE ARTS
As AI rapidly evolves, creatives face both exciting opportunities and pressing challenges. In this dynamic workshop, tech expert Sharon Gai will explore AI’s impact on artistic expression, intellectual property, and creative jobs — and share strategies for thriving in an AI-driven world. Discover how to navigate cutting-edge tools to streamline your work, enhance visibility, and collaborate with AI while keeping human creativity at the forefront. Join us to envision a future where human ingenuity and technology work hand in hand to shape our cultural landscape.
3:00 P.M.
RECLAIMING POWER: BIPOC ARTISTS AS CULTURAL STRATEGISTS
In this pivotal moment, BIPOC creative professionals are called to move beyond representation and into strategy. This intergenerational conversation among Black, Indigenous, and People of Color arts leaders will explore how artists can reimagine themselves as cultural strategists — visionaries who shape narratives, challenge systemic barriers, and build collective power.
Drawing on “Ancestry Intelligence,” panelists will reflect on the wisdom of leaders before us and how those lessons inform today’s creative leadership. They will consider strategies to overcome rising hostility toward communities of color, discuss the intersection of DEI and public service, and explore how to bring dignity and value to the public service workforce.
Rather than offering concrete solutions, this hour-long conversation invites reflection, perspective-sharing, and collective visioning for the future of BIPOC leadership in the arts. Featuring Roberto Bedoya, civil rights leader & former director of Cultural Affairs for City of Oakland; Lauren Balcita Garces, San Diego-based event producer, artist, and community advocate; and Diem Jones, thought leader, poet/musician, and multi-disciplinary producer.
4:00 P.M.
INS & OUTS OF MEDIA COVERAGE
Learn the ins & outs of writing and distributing an effective press release for your art exhibition, theatrical or film production; music or cultural event. Hear what industry experts from TV, radio, and print media find appealing, what they want to see/hear from you, how often they want to be contacted and what you can do to increase the likelihood of getting coverage. A great tool to have in any creative professional’s arsenal. Featuring Susanna Peredo Swap, CEO of Vanguard Culture; KPBS Arts Reporter and host of “The Finest” Julia Dixon Evans, and Digital Creative Director for the San Diego Union-Tribune, Michael Rocha.
5:00 P.M.
MINDFUL CREATIVITY: A CREATIVE INDUSTRY ROUNDTABLE WITH SAN DIEGO’S ARTS LEADERS
Close out Day Two with a special pre-recorded conversation with some of the region’s most notable creative industry leaders. Co-hosted by Vanguard Culture CEO, Susanna Peredo Swap and our esteemed venue host — a respected leadership and mindfulness coach; and co-Administratrix of the Estate of her brother, Jean-Michel Basquiat — this thoughtful session explores how integrating mindfulness can empower and sustain us as creatives, even in times of uncertainty. Join the YouTube live chat to reflect, connect, and reimagine how to nurture your creative spirit from the inside out.
