The Vera List Center Forum 2025: Matter of Intelligence brings together interdisciplinary cultural thinkers around the subject of intelligence, exploring both its material and intangible implications. With visionary artists, curators, scholars, and technologists, the VLC Forum presents an electrifying series of talks, performances, and live broadcasts that collectively illuminate the many forms intelligence can take.

This fall marks the launch of the center’s 2025–2027 Focus Theme, Matter of Intelligence. Anchored by the VLC Fellows—Moriah Evans, Mashinka Hakopian, Joyce Joumaa, and Kira Xonorika—this year’s VLC Forum offers a first public glimpse into their unfolding fellowship projects. Each artist is joined by a special guest of their choice in dialogue or parallel inquiry.

Philosopher Matteo Pasquinelli delivers the keynote lecture. The annual VLC Community Dinner explores the mind-gut axis through food, setting the stage for bold ideas, unexpected connections, and powerful new insights into the intelligence Focus Theme that will unfold over the next two years.

The VLC Forum, taking place at The New School and online on Friday, October 17, and Saturday, October 18, also announces the recipient of the 2025–2027 Jane Lombard Prize for Art and Social Justice along with the Jane Lombard Fellows, representing the prize’s extraordinary finalists.

Programming is free and open to the public with advanced registration.

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The Vera List Center Forum 2025 is presented as part of the Center’s 2025–2027 Focus Theme Matter of Intelligence. It is curated by Carin Kuoni and Eriola Pira and convened with the support of Tabor Banquer, Re’al Christian, and Adrienne Umeh.

About the VLC Forum
Launched in 2018 under the Focus Theme If Art Is Politics, the Vera List Center Forum is an annual convening of leading voices and practitioners in the field of art and politics and a signature program of the Vera List Center for Art and Politics. The VLC Forum is an open invitation to approach the political expansively. It is a platform for an in-depth, collective inquiry into the VLC’s biennial Focus Themes and showcases exemplary politically engaged art practices from around the world, including those of the Vera List Center Fellows, the Jane Lombard Prize for Art and Social Justice recipient, and the Jane Lombard Fellows.

From keynote lectures and conversations to exhibitions, large-scale musical productions, and publications, the VLC Forum unfolds over several days at The New School and online, gathering local and international artists, performers, scholars, activists, and policymakers, all working at the forefront of art, political imagination, and social justice. Completely free and open to all, the VLC Forum presents a unique opportunity for collective learning and community-making. Since the VLC’s 30th anniversary in 2022, a free Community Dinner anchors each VLC Forum, bringing together the politically engaged art community, near and far, all working towards just and joyous futures. The VLC Forum was established with and continues to be supported by, an endowment gift from VLC board member Jane Lombard.