Media Futures: A Creative Showcase Imagining How We Make Meaning in an Age of Noise & Divides

We live at a time when access to information is nearly infinite, yet our tools to make sense of it all are struggling to keep pace.
This event explores visions for a world where media is reinvented to respond to emerging realities, local cultures, and the urgent need for creative sensemaking.

About the Event:
The Future of Us is marking the generational milestone of the US's 250th anniversary by coming together to celebrate community visions, creative expression, and civic voice.
This event focuses on our "Media Futures" theme. While all of the exhibitions will be live on the first two floors, we're focusing the rooftop programming on rethinking our broken media landscape, and the emerging visions for the more creative, intentional, and community-driven models that could take its place.
It's part of the festival's Signature Event series: for ten days, Future of Us is taking over The Pearl in Dogpatch as its official HQ, offering a dynamic line-up of art, music, ideas, and interactive experiences.
What to Expect:
Art Exhibits: Immersive installations featuring 100+ original works created by artists to turn real community visions – collected across our year-long Visions Tour – into future worlds you can feel.
Live Music: Live sets and performances curated by Nothin But Hits to turn our rooftop lounge into a space for joy, culture, and connection.
Speakers & Workshops: Intimate talks and hands-on sessions that explore the ideas, perspectives, and possibilities shaping what's next.
Lounge areas: Cozy spaces with conversation prompts and reflection cards to spark conversation. Talking to strangers highly encouraged.
Gift Shop: Festival prints, custom candles, and limited-edition keepsakes – take a little of the future home with you.
Food & Drinks: Light snacks and local, non-alcoholic beverages.
Bar opens at 5pm (drinks available for purchase)

Schedule of Events:
Come & go as you please!
Note: Programming is located on the rooftop and exposed to the elements. Space is limited, rooftop access is on a first come / first serve basis. The first and second floors are open to all ticket holders throughout open hours and include the core exhibitions.
Full line-up to be announced shortly.
3:00pm - 10:00pm – Exhibitions Open
5:00 - 7:00pm
"Making Sense: The importance of art, story, and meaning in an age of infinite information"
Fireside chat, creative performance, live music, and community conversation
⚡ Featuring Speakers & Performances include:
Dr. Lonny J Avi Brooks, Co-Founder and Creative Director, AfroRithm Futures Group
Marina Gorbis, Executive Director, Institute for the Future
7:00 - 10:00pm
"Keep it Local: Imagining local media ecosystems that put community and relationships first"
Panel, creative workshop, comedy performance, and live music
⚡ Featuring Speakers & Performances include:
Amanda Guest, Executive Director, BFF.fm
Darryl Holliday, Founder, Commoner Company
Michelle Meow, Producer and Host, Michelle Meow Show
Avy Jetter, Founder, Oakland Creates Art, Comics and Zine Fest
Shanté

Planning Your Day:
A Day in Dogpatch
Think of Future of Us HQ as a pop-up civic third space. You are welcome to show up and stay a while, or come and go throughout the day. Enjoy the rooftop, hang out in the lounges, and make sure to put aside plenty of time to browse the stories and visions dreamed up by your neighbors across the country.
New to Dogpatch? This neighborhood is a hybrid of the best of SF – art meets science, history meets the future, nature meets design.
Eat, drink, play & shop at Building 12
Check out beautiful Bayside Parks and Green Spaces
Learn more about all the wonderful food, drink, and activities the neighborhood has to offer
Parking & Transportation
Street parking is available but limited. We recommend rideshare or public transportation. The Pearl is easy to reach by Muni and a short walk from the T-Third line.
Accessibility & Considerations
The HQ is wheelchair accessible; the event spans three floors, including both stairs and elevators. The exhibits are largely visual, but written materials are currently only available in English. Accessibility is important to us – if you have specific accommodation requests, please reach out to future@theplenary.co to discuss what's possible.

⚡ About the Future of Us Festival
Launching on America's 250th anniversary, the inaugural Future of Us festival is a 10-day celebration of civic imagination and possibility. We're turning community-sourced, expert-crafted visions of the future into art, storytelling, and participatory experiences. Curated by a coalition of artists, scientists, storytellers, and civic builders, the festival features 100+ events spanning every corner of the city (floral labyrinths, speculative future worlds, dance parties with a purpose, and neighborhood meet-ups), it's a living exploration of what a more creative and generative civic culture could feel like. Organized around four themes (Green Futures, Social Futures, Science & Tech Futures, and Media Futures), Future of Us is breaking down the barriers between art, ideas, and each other, and everyone is invited to co-imagine what comes next.
⚡ Learn More: future-of-us.com
⚡ Check out the Schedule of Events: future-of-us.com
⚡ Follow Us: https://www.instagram.com/futures.us
About the Organization
Future of Us is stewarded by The Plenary, Co., a 501(c)3 civic arts and sciences nonprofit based in Dogpatch, and co-led by a coalition of partners. All donations are tax-deductible. Make a donation here.