2026 Conference and Education Programs – Call for Proposals
Deadline: Thursday, July 31st, 2025
General Details
The California Preservation Foundation is excited to announce that the 2026 Annual California Preservation Conference will take place next Spring in Riverside (April or May 2026, with specific dates to be confirmed). The conference will culminate with the 2026 California Preservation Awards gala and reception. We invite you to share your innovative ideas for sessions, tours, or other program offerings!
Proposals received here will be considered for both our annual conference as well as for our education programs throughout the year, including workshops, seminars, webinars, and other special events.
Submitting a Proposal or Idea
Simply fill out the form below. This simple form is meant to be completed in less than five minutes, and you may submit as many program suggestions as you would like. Simply refresh this page to submit another proposal or idea.
Please submit your ideas by Thursday, July 31, 2025. The 2026 conference will take place in Riverside, California—a region rich in cultural heritage, environmental diversity, and community-led preservation efforts.
We invite proposals that chart new directions in historic preservation and actively engage diverse communities across race, class, gender, age, and ability. Submissions that highlight grassroots advocacy, place-based interpretation, building technologies, code development, and strategies for environmental sustainability and climate resilience are especially encouraged. We also welcome proposals that reflect the broad scope of the preservation field, including public history, digital humanities, materials conservation, and innovative tools for documentation, planning, and policy.
Tracks from 2025 included:
- Planning for the Future. Examining our existing regulations and planning tools to address challenging preservation problems and to protect and adapt our most valued historic landmarks.
- Tech Forward California. Innovative methods, treatment approaches, and technologies that break new ground or revolutionize preservation practices.
- Building Inclusive Preservation Programs. Ensuring the rich diversity of California’s heritage is recognized and celebrated with creative methods on how to engage underrecognized communities and to make true stakeholders of community partners.
- Central Valley Visions. Approaching the unique challenges of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Central Valley.
- Housing & Heritage. Expert-led training and case examples drawn from historic preservation practice for the retention and adaptive reuse of historic structures for housing, both market rate and affordable.
Submit Your Proposal or Idea Here
Not all fields are required. If you’re unsure about potential speakers or just want to propose a general idea for a program, feel free to submit it! However, please note that more detailed submissions help our program and education committees better evaluate your proposal for inclusion in the conference or online programming.