Join SVMoA for an in-person conversation with Ali Gass and Matthew Thompson about the evolving landscape of contemporary art spaces. The discussion will explore how artists and curators are reimagining what a museum—or an art space—can be, highlighting approaches that push boundaries, challenge expectations, and open new possibilities for creativity and engagement.

Alison “Ali” Gass is a curator and museum director known for leading innovative, contemporary art institutions and redefining how contemporary art is presented and experienced, prioritizing artist driven projects, site responsive exhibitions, and public engagement beyond conventional gallery walls. She is the founding director and chief curator of the Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco (ICA SF), a non collecting contemporary art museum that opened in 2022 and now operates with a dynamic, citywide and nomadic model of exhibitions and public art engagement. She has also served as the director of the Institute of Contemporary Art San José, Smart Museum of Art, and chief curator of the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University.