“Connecting Mosaic Artists: Building Community” conference comes to Albuquerque, NM, March 4-8, 2026
CMA2 (Contemporary Mosaic Art 2), an international community of mosaic artists, announces its 2026 members conference, “Connecting Mosaic Artists: Building Community.” The conference takes place March 4 to 8, 2026 at Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town, 800 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, Albuquerque, NM.
The CMA2 conference is a members-only gathering designed to bring mosaic artists, educators, and vendors together for five days of workshops, presentations, exhibitions, and community-focused experiences. Programming is limited to CMA2 members. However, select exhibitions and public events will be accessible to the community through the launch of Albuquerque Mosaic Festival 2026, sponsored by the city of Albuquerque.
Bonnie Fitzgerald, Conference Coordinator, shared, “Mosaic art is more than just tiles and grout. It is conversations, connections, and shared stories. By bringing our community together in Albuquerque’s vibrant atmosphere, we hope to deepen our practice and expand the ways we collaborate.”
Conference Highlights
Hands-On Workshops, Presentations, and Community Building
CMA2 members will take part in a variety of interactive events. These include a collaborative mosaic project, keynote lectures, breakout sessions on technique and design, and panel discussions exploring the role of mosaic art in both private and public spaces. A dedicated Merchant Hall will feature a unique shopping experience for mosaic materials, tools, and specialized supplies. Social gatherings throughout the week will provide opportunities for members to connect and build relationships.
Community Mosaic Project to Benefit Local School
A signature CMA2 tradition is the creation of a Community Mosaic that is donated to a local organization. For 2026, CMA2 is partnering with The Albuquerque Sign Language Academy, an ASL-English, tuition-free public charter school that provides a language-rich, inclusive learning environment tailored to each student’s needs. Conference attendees will contribute to a permanent mosaic artwork for the Academy’s new campus. The project will be led by Jennifer Kuhns, the conference’s Community Mosaic Lead Artist, whose extensive talents and experience in public and community art brings cohesion and purpose to this large-scale collaborative effort.
“Pieces of Us” Fine Art Exhibition, Open to the Public
The juried fine art exhibition Pieces of Us will be presented at The Gallery ABQ from March 4 to 28, 2026. This exhibition highlights mosaic artworks created by CMA2 members and includes juried awards.
The exhibition is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. An artists reception will be held on March 5. Reception attendance is limited to CMA2 conference participants, but the exhibition is available to all visitors throughout March.
Site-Specific and Community Public Art Exhibition
A second juried exhibition, Site-Specific and Community Public Art Mosaics, recognizes mosaic artworks created for specific locations and projects developed in collaboration with communities. This exhibition is open exclusively to CMA2 members and spotlights the stories, technical considerations, and partnerships behind each project.
Selected works will be presented during a conference plenary session on March 7, 2026, with juror awards announced at that time. A post-conference virtual exhibition will also be available to CMA2 members. This program is not open to the public.
Inaugural Albuquerque Mosaic Festival 2026
The CMA2 conference date and location was chosen with the desire to align with the First Friday Albuquerque Art Walk, which happens each month. The conference would not be possible without the support of local volunteers on the ground in Albuquerque being led by Erika Harding, a local mosaic artist and owner of The Groove ArtSpace. Inspired by the desire to align the focus and celebration of mosaics beyond the conference, Erika has leveled and anchored the conference as the start to a month-long celebration of mosaic arts, Albuquerque Mosaic Festival 2026, sponsored by the City of Albuquerque. Organized by Groove ArtSpace, Mosaic Month brings together galleries, studios, and community partners for a citywide celebration of mosaic artwork throughout March.
About CMA2
CMA2 (Contemporary Mosaic Art 2) is an inclusive, international, and free-to-join community of mosaic artists and enthusiasts. Members connect through conferences, exhibitions, live online presentations, workshops, and collaborative initiatives that support artistic growth, professional development, and meaningful community engagement. The organization holds a member wide conference every two years and is supported fully by volunteers and donations. If you would like to support this 501c non-profit, donations can be made here.
