9:30 – 10:30                   THE ARTS                   Presidents’ Hall

Craft: Why Making Matters
Speaker: Christian Novak, Membership Manager, American Craft Council (ACC)

Novak will discuss the role of craft in contemporary society and the ACC’s vision to connect and engage communities through craft. The ACC strives to connect and galvanize diverse communities in order to cultivate and advance craft’s impact on contemporary American life. It focuses on engaging new audiences, supporting and recognizing artists at every career and practice stage, and acting as a catalyst for the field. Annually, ACC hosts four national craft shows, including the St. Paul show, which takes place April 17-19, 2020.

10:45 – 11:45          ENVIRONMENT                 Presidents’ Hall

The Existential Threat of Climate Change and Envisioned Solutions
Speaker: Eric P. Grimsrud, PhD, Emeritus Professor of Chemistry,
Montana State University, Bozeman

Yes, the present threat posed by man-caused global warming does, indeed, threaten the human-friendly conditions we have enjoyed on planet Earth since the onset of the Holocene era about 10,000 years ago. In this talk, Grimsrud will lay out the facts of the issue as they have been determined by Mother Nature and revealed to scientists over the last two centuries. Since this scientific view has not yet transferred effectively to the general public, a clearer understanding of the basic science involved is needed in order to see more clearly what must be done.

11:45 – Noon ANNOUNCEMENTS
12:00 – 1:15 LUNCHEON

1:15 – 2:15                  LITERARY PURSUITS                        Presidents’ Hall

The Loft Wordplay Festival
Speaker: Steph Opitz, Founding Director of Wordplay

In May 2019, the Loft’s first Wordplay Festival was held in Minneapolis. It was the largest of its kind ever held in Minnesota, comprising two days packed with “literary pursuits,” across many venues. Opitz will tell about its inception and what’s in store for this year.