FAQ

Assembly is an invitation-only event, open to 2020–2026 USA Fellows and Artadia Awardees, as well as a select cohort of recipients of USA Initiatives partnership awards.

The 2026 Assembly takes place October 12–14, 2026. Arrivals will be on October 12. Main programming will be on October 13 and the morning of October 14. Departures will be after the morning on October 14.

The 2027 Assembly takes place June 16–17, 2027. Arrivals will be on June 16. Main programming will be on June 17. If you choose to register for the June 2027 Assembly, we will be in touch with more information as the date approaches. 

No, invitees must choose one or the other. Please register for only one convening. Offerings will be similar at both Assembly gatherings. Due to capacity constraints at both locations, there will be a maximum number of registrations. Depending on demand, we may open a waitlist. 

Registration is open now through June 30, 2026! Please reserve your spot via Eventbrite. The link has also been sent to your email. Please note that this invitation is personal and may not be transferred.

Invited awardees receive the following with registration:

• Roundtrip economy airfare or train to Albany, NY on program dates.
• Pre-reserved lodging at Assembly partner hotels during program dates.
• Ground transportation to and from Albany airport/train station to the event site.
• Ground transportation to Assembly activities throughout the program.
• Group meals as part of the program: 
  October 12: welcome dinner; 
  October 13: breakfast, lunch, and dinner; 
  October 14: breakfast

What's not included: 

• If you choose to extend your travel beyond the program dates (hotel or air costs may apply)
• Baggage fees
• Seating upgrades or other travel amenities (unless it is an accessibility accommodation pre-approved by the planning team) 
• Incidental charges incurred at the hotel beyond the base room rate and taxes (e.g. room service, minibar items, laundry, etc).
• Ground transportation to/from your home.
• Meals while in transit to/from airport or train station.

Assembly participation is limited to invited guests only. Accommodations will be provided for personal care assistants or other accessibility requests. However, if you choose to bring a guest for any other reason, their travel and accommodations are at their own expense. And, due to space constraints, we are not able to welcome guests to Assembly activities, including group meals. 

Please come as you are, in whatever clothing makes you comfortable! Please refer to the program schedule for more information on the planned activities. 

Once booked, airfare arrangements are non-refundable. However, we understand that plans change or unforeseen circumstances may arise. If you have to cancel for any reason, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can make necessary arrangements or be able to accommodate another artist.  

The full participant list will be shared shortly before each event.

Based on the requests you enter with your registration, our travel planners (Jill David and/or Debbie Masters) will reach out to you with booking options. Please be as timely as possible with your communication with them. Due to the rising and uncertain nature of flight costs, we strongly recommend that registrants complete their booking within 1–2 weeks. 

Hotel accommodations will be arranged for all MASS MoCA attendees at one of three hotels in North Adams near the venue where most Assembly activities will take place. You will be assigned and will receive your hotel confirmation information a few weeks ahead of the program. Lodging for Chicago attendees will be at the Pendry Hotel, which is also the venue for the event.

 The following modes of transportation will be provided:

• Roundtrip airfare or train to Albany, NY on program dates.
• Ground transportation to and from Albany airport/train station to the event site.
• Ground transportation to Assembly activities throughout the program.
• If an invited awardee chooses to drive their own vehicle to Assembly, please let us know and we can offer a flat rate stipend of $75.00 to reimburse for fuel costs. 

Transportation options to Chicago will be similar. We will be in touch at a later date with these details for Chicago attendees.

Assembly programming will take place at MASS MoCA, located at 1040 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247. Dinner on Tuesday, October 13 will be off-site at a venue to be announced. Local ground transportation will be provided for all Assembly programs. 

As an invited artist, your stay during the program dates of October 12–14 will be financially supported. You’re welcome to come early or stay late to enjoy the area at your own cost. Hotel rooms are subject to availability and may not be at the conference rates during dates outside of our program. Please reach out to us with questions, but for registration and travel arranging purposes, indicate your preferred travel dates inclusive of extra dates if you would like to explore that option.

We are planning both Assembly convenings to be accessible for all attendees, from travel and accommodations to program activities and meals. The following information is specific to the 2026 Assembly at MASS MoCA, but we will provide the equivalent level of detail and accessibility care with the 2027 Assembly in Chicago as well. 

When registering for the 2026 Assembly, we will gather a range of accessibility information from each attendee, including dietary needs, requests for mobility/visual/hearing support, language translation, personal assistants, and more. A member of our planning team will be in touch with each attendee to customize and accommodate any accessibility requests, including for travel and lodging. 

All galleries and facilities within MASS MoCA are wheelchair-accessible. Outdoor spaces offer wheelchair-accessible paths that are open seasonally. Manual wheelchairs are available in the lobby, free of charge, on a first come, first served basis. The venue also welcomes visitors using their own personal manual or motorized wheelchairs, walkers, or scooters. There are places to sit and rest throughout the galleries. ADA service animals are welcome at MASS MoCA.

Local ground transportation will be arranged between Assembly hotels and MASS MoCA or other program locations. 

Please feel free to reach out to us at assembly@unitedstatesartists.org with any questions or concerns related to accessibility.

Any COVID precautions that attendees wish to take individually are welcome, including masking and distancing. We will not be requiring masking for participants. 

During the registration process, we will gather requests for language translation. Based on those requests, our planning team will determine what translation services we can provide.  

General sessions will have closed captions. Breakout sessions will not be captioned, unless there is an accessibility request sent to the planning team in advance. 

Yes, we will have a Quiet Creative Lounge available throughout the event that provides a designated zone for reading, rest, and reflection.

We will have professional photography and videography to document the event. We will ask all attendees for photo/video consent when registering. Although this is a private event, we welcome attendees to share personal photos or videos via social media, but we ask that you please have consent from others who may be in your photos/videos.

A preliminary schedule of events can be viewed on each event page. More details for MASS MoCA will be announced in August 2026. We will share details for Chicago closer to that date in 2027. 

The full lineup of speakers for MASS MoCA will be announced in August 2026. We will reveal details for Chicago closer to that date in 2027.

Yes, sessions are first come, first served at the event. During registration, we will ask you to provide your preferences so we can get an idea of interest and room setup.

Yes! We will have a jam session on October 13 as part of the MASS MoCA program. More information on how to participate will be available this summer. 

Yes, we will have professional photographers/videographers onsite for documentation and archival purposes. This event will not be livestreamed. 

No, we are not able to provide childcare. If you have questions or would like a list of resources in the area, please contact our planning team assembly@unitedstatesartists.org. 

For any questions or concerns, please email assembly@unitedstatesartists.org.