National Conference on Citizenship 2026
The Power
of Place.
November 16–17, 2026
Lexington, Kentucky
Research shows that strong communities are built on participation, connection, belonging, trust, and the ways we show up for one another. Lexington is a national model for strengthening democracy through active citizenship, collaboration, and community connection, which makes it a fitting home for conversations about how place shapes our relationships and drives shared prosperity and well-being.
Each year, NCoC brings together civic leaders, funders, policymakers, researchers, journalists, and practitioners from across sectors to explore the ideas, data, and partnerships strengthening civic life in America.
Tuesday afternoon belongs to attendees. Sessions are built from the questions you bring. Registered attendees can propose a question once the form opens.
Keynote conversation
Elections & Civic Engagement
A bipartisan conversation about the 2026 midterms, strengthening civic participation, and what comes next, with the two Secretaries of State who oversee elections in Kentucky and Arizona.
On the program
Speakers
-
Mary BerryExecutive Director, The Berry CenterThe legacy of Wendell Berry's Citizenship Papers, and citizenship and community in rural America. -
danah boydGeri Gay Professor of Communication, Cornell UniversityFindings from Data Are Made, Not Found: an ethnography of the U.S. Census Bureau and the struggle to make democracy's data in 2020. -
Elisa ShearerSenior Researcher, Pew Research CenterA recent Pew Research Center study on how Americans engage in society across politics, civics, news, and religion. -
Elissa LeeFormer Director and Senior Advisor of Community Engagement, California Governor's Office of Service and Community EngagementRoundtable: Stewarding Civic Health in Place. -
Evan WeissmanFounding Executive Director, Warm Cookies of the RevolutionRoundtable: Stewarding Civic Health in Place.
Why Lexington
Named a national model for strengthening American democracy by the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, Lexington is home to our partners CivicLex and the University of Kentucky, and is one of the 26 Knight communities.
What to expect
- Keynotes and fireside chats with civic leaders
- Attendee-driven unconference sessions
- American Conversation Project conversations on site
- Cross-sector networking and tools to bring home
Your attendee account
Ticket holders have an account here. Sign in to complete your profile, choose whether to share it with other attendees, and submit unconference ideas.
With gratitude to our sponsors
