The 2026 SNAG x Detroit conference highlights the work and heritage of jewelry artistry and metalsmithing in a setting that has become known worldwide for its commitment to creativity and innovation.
The theme for the June 10–13 event is Labor and Legacy, which honors the labor that comes with creative work as well as makers’ commitment to sharing knowledge; it’s about building collaboration that lasts for generations, says SNAG (Society of North American Goldsmiths) executive director Brienne Rosner.
“SNAG conferences uniquely hit so many aspects at once: networking opportunities; thought-provoking talks, presentations, and demos; a plethora of jewelry on display and for sale,” Rosner says. “Attendees leave with lifelong friends and new inspiration.”
Hosted at Wayne State University, the 2026 SNAG Conference includes a June 11 keynote from Detroit-based artist Tiff Massey. Massey, who represents the Labor aspect of the conference, is the first Black woman to earn an MFA in metalsmithing from the Cranbrook Academy of Art and held a hugely popular exhibition in 2024–2025 at the Detroit Institute of Art that scaled her jewelry up to the size of architecture.
The second conference keynote tied to Legacy is Tiffany Momon, whose lecture will honor the legacy of early Black metalworkers whose work shaped the nation’s material and cultural identity. Momon is an associate professor of history at Sewanee, The University of the South.
The June 11 schedule also includes a moderated panel on how labor is valued, supported, and sustained through jewelry and metalsmithing featuring Rebel Nell cofounder and CEO Amy Peterson and jewelry artist and journalist Sarah Rachel Brown.
Presentations on June 12 include talks on building your artist statement, photography techniques for jewelry and metalwork, and how to rebuild the bench pipeline for new jewelry talent at the high school level.
On June 13, SNAG will present its 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award to jewelry artist Joyce Scott and the 2026 IMPACT Awards to Jessica Calderwood and Jolynn Santiago. These awards go to practitioners whose project, initiative, or collection of their work demonstrates significant influence within the field of jewelry and metalsmithing in areas such as social practice, sustainability, and technical and/or creative innovation.
To end the conference on June 14, attendees can tour Cranbrook Academy of Art. This event includes talks from Iris Eichenberg, who led Cranbrook’s Metals Department, and a lecture by curators Kevin Adkisson and Shelley Selim on the Cranbrook Metals Collection.
The conference’s location in Detroit was selected because the city is known for its industrial history as the birthplace of the automotive manufacturing, as well as its labor movements, Rosner says. The city also has a rich art, music, and design scene that has grown exponentially over the past two decades.
For example, Detroit is the first and only UNESCO City of Design in the United States, a nod to its deep legacy of design in art, architecture, and automotive industries. As a result, the city has one of the highest concentrations of commercial and industrial designers in the United States.
SNAG is an international nonprofit organization that supports, promotes, and advances the fields of metalsmithing, jewelry, and adornment by inspiring creativity, encouraging education, and fostering community.
The first SNAG conference took place in St. Paul, Minn., in 1970, with about 100 people. Today, according to organizers, SNAG conferences bring in more than 750 participants.
Top: Logo courtesy of SNAG
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