Hank Willis Thomas named Keynote Speaker for Public Art Conference

Published on April 21, 2026

News Releases Logo

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Contacts:

Kathleen Joy, Director of Communications
City of West Palm Beach – Mayor’s Office
kjoy@wpb.org

(561) 822-1411 (TTY: 800-955-8771)

 

Sybille Canthal, Director of Arts, Culture and Community Building
City of West Palm Beach – Mayor’s Office

scanthal@wpb.org

(561) 822-1521


City of West Palm Beach Announces Hank Willis Thomas
As Keynote Speaker for Statewide Public Art Conference

Renowned artist to headline Florida Association of Public Art Professionals Conference at the Norton Museum of Art

 

WEST PALM BEACH, FL (April 21, 2026) — The City of West Palm Beach’s Art in Public Places (AiPP) program announces internationally acclaimed artist Hank Willis Thomas as the keynote speaker for the 2026 Florida Association of Public Art Professionals (FAPAP) Conference, with his keynote address scheduled for Wednesday, April 29, at 12 p.m. at the Norton Museum of Art. The event is free and open to the public, and advance registration is required here.

 

The keynote is sponsored by the City of West Palm Beach’s Public Art Program and hosted by the Norton Museum of Art. The conference is co-hosted by the City’s AiPP program and Palm Beach County’s Art in Public Places program.

 

Set against the vibrant backdrop of West Palm Beach, this year’s conference theme, Artists Transforming Public Places, highlights the power of art to shape communities and inspire dialogue. Thomas’s work embodies this vision through a dynamic and socially engaged practice that explores identity, history, and culture.

 

A visionary conceptual artist, Hank Willis Thomas works across sculpture, photography, film, and mixed media to explore identity, culture, and the influence of media. His keynote will reflect on the evolving role of artists in shaping public spaces and fostering civic connection.

Based in Brooklyn, Thomas has exhibited nationally and internationally, including at the Portland Museum of Art, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, and the National Building Museum. His collaborative projects include Question Bridge: Black Males, The Truth Booth, and For Freedoms, an initiative promoting creative civic engagement.

 

A 2022 U.S. Department of State Medal of Arts honoree, Thomas has received fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the Gordon Parks Foundation, and the Soros Equality Fellowship. His public art installations include The Embrace (2023) on Boston Common and works at O’Hare International Airport, The Underline in Miami, and the Austin Public Library.

 

Event Details

  • What: FAPAP Conference Keynote Address

  • Who: Hank Willis Thomas

  • When: Wednesday, April 29, 2026 | 12:00 p.m.

  • Where: Norton Museum of Art

  • Registration: This free event is open to the public; RSVP is required. Register here.

  • Parking: Parking is available at 1501 South Dixie Highway. Rates are $3 per hour (maximum three hours), available from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Payment is available via the ParkMobile app, by texting “Park” to 77223, or online at parkmobile.io. Parking is free for Norton members.

 

For more information about this event or AiPP, please contact Carolina Puente, Public Art Coordinator, at cpuente@wpb.org or call (561) 822-1406.

 

# # #

 

About the City of West Palm Beach

The City of West Palm Beach is a vibrant and dynamic city on Florida's Atlantic coast. With a rich history, thriving arts and cultural scene, and a commitment to sustainability, the City of West Palm Beach is a great place to live, work, and play. As one of the three largest cities making up the South Florida region and the central city of Palm Beach County, West Palm Beach is a vibrant, growing waterfront city that seamlessly blends the business advantages available in the area with a more refined and relaxed environment for living and working, making it an exceptional destination for both residents and professionals alike. To learn more about the City of West Palm Beach, visit our official website or follow us on our social media: Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter), and LinkedIn.

To contact the City of West Palm Beach, please dial (561) 822-1200 (TTY800 955-8771).

About Art in Public Places

The Art in Public Places (AiPP) public art program of the City of West Palm Beach, Florida serves its residents and visitors by presenting a diversity of artworks to be experienced in our city. The program works with the public and private sector to commission artists at all career stages to create meaningful artworks —both permanent and temporary —throughout the City’s Public Places. For more information about AiPP WPB, please visit www.wpb.org/Residents, follow us on Instagram, or contact Sybille Canthal, Director of Arts, Culture, and Community Building at (561) 822-1521 or scanthal@wpb.org.

 

 

Tagged as:
Back to top