CultureCon NYC 2026 is bringing John Legend, Mahershala Ali, Colin Kaepernick, Niecy Nash-Betts, Olandria Carthen and more to Brooklyn this fall as the festival expands its focus on Black creatives, entrepreneurs and changemakers. The event follows CultureCon 2025, which TheGrio described as an affirmation for thousands of Black creatives, and continues a gathering that has long connected emerging talent with established names across entertainment and business.
People reported that this year’s CultureCon will return to the Duggal Greenhouse at the Brooklyn Navy Yard on Oct. 3 and 4. Sherri Shepherd, Daniel Kaluuya, Miles Caton, Danessa Myricks, Rajah Caruth and Scott Evans are also among the announced speakers and guests.
The 2026 theme, “Museum of Us,” centers on recognizing the people shaping culture in real time rather than waiting for their work to be validated later. CultureCon founder and CEO Imani Ellis said the festival is also putting more emphasis on what attendees can take with them after the weekend, including new relationships, career skills and business opportunities.
For the first time, CultureCon will partner with Black Girl Art Show and Black Boy Art Show to spotlight emerging Black artists. Literature and Libations will also bring a curated book selection and author meet-and-greets to the event.
Organizers are adding a new campus space featuring Braindate, a Career Lounge, a Small Business Marketplace and a Creative Business Stage. Existing programs such as the Founder Summit and Creator Summit are also expanding, with more resources aimed at helping creatives build sustainable careers and businesses.
CultureCon Week will begin before the main festival with five days of dinners, screenings and community events. Chase Ink, Cricket Wireless, Lincoln, HBO Max, TikTok and Audible are among the major partners announced for 2026.
CultureCon NYC 2026 arrives eight years after Ellis and The Creative Collective NYC launched the annual event. This year’s expansion reflects a shift from simply creating a space for Black and multicultural creatives to building a broader network designed to connect them with opportunities, resources and one another.
