Weeklong lineup includes U.S. premiere of P. Staff exhibition, immersive dance, and community activations.
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA) will participate in San Francisco Art Week with a series of free exhibitions, performances, artist talks, workshops, and civic programs, opening its galleries to the public throughout the week. The multidisciplinary programming brings together visual art, performance, and community engagement reflecting contemporary cultural, political, and social themes shaping the Bay Area.
The week will include the U.S. premiere of THE PRINCE OF HOMBURG, a major solo exhibition by internationally acclaimed artist P. Staff, curated by Jeanne Gerrity. The exhibition centers on a 23-minute video installation alongside sculptural works examining power, state control, and the pressures placed on queer and trans bodies. The exhibition will be accompanied by public tours and conversations with the artist and curatorial team.
Also on view is BAY AREA THEN, a group exhibition featuring work by 21 artists whose practices helped define Bay Area art in the 1990s. The exhibition spans large-scale installations, photography, and performance-oriented spaces, and will include a public poetry reading featuring Kevin Dublin, Magick Altman, and Tongo Eisen-Martin.
YBCA’s programming will extend beyond exhibitions to include free workshops and public events. These include CITYSCAPE DIORAMA, an all-ages art-making workshop inspired by Margaret Kilgallen’s work, as well as Yerba Buena Museums Day, offering early gallery access and guided tours. Public conversations with P. Staff, Mel Y. Chen, and Mara Hassan will explore the themes and contexts of THE PRINCE OF HOMBURG.
Ticketed performances during the week include the debut of END POINT | OPEN TIME, an immersive dance installation by Liss Fain Dance, presented across multiple performances. The week will conclude with a civic activation by the Sanctuary City Project in collaboration with Refugee and Immigrant Transitions, featuring a participatory tote bag project supporting immigrant and refugee communities.
YBCA leadership said the programming reflects the organization’s commitment to supporting artists whose work engages directly with contemporary life and civic experience, positioning art as a space for dialogue, resilience, and collective imagination.
YBCA will be open to the public with free gallery admission during San Francisco Art Week. Some performances are ticketed. Full schedules, program details, and ticket information are available through YBCA.
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