BAN9 Exhibition Reopening Announcement

Dear Members of the Community,

Starting Friday, March 15, Bay Area Now 9 will reopen featuring all 30 artists’ work—including artwork that was altered during the event on February 15. The exhibition will be open during our standard operating hours, Wednesday through Sunday, from 11am – 5pm until May 5, 2024.

The decision to exhibit the altered artworks reflects our commitment to supporting artists’ voices and creating a space where diverse perspectives are welcomed, celebrated, and thoughtfully explored. In a community as broad as the Bay Area, we understand that the Israel–Hamas war impacts each of us in profoundly personal yet distinct ways. Our hope is that engagement with the exhibition will foster a sense of understanding within the art community and beyond.

While the altered artwork remains unchanged since February 15, new signage will provide context regarding the alterations made by the artists. The opinions expressed by each artist are their own, and are not those of YBCA.

We invite members of our community to join us in engaging with the exhibition, considering the significance of the alterations and participating in thoughtful reflection and dialogue. As we said last week, we acknowledge that this has been a challenging time, and we have struggled with how best to respond. We’ve taken into consideration viewpoints across our staff, visitors, artists’ communities, and our broader community.

Thank you for your continued support as we navigate these important conversations and strive to uphold our mission of celebrating creative expression and fostering connection.

Sincerely,

YBCA Board of Directors

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About Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

Opened to the public in 1993, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA) was founded as the cultural anchor of San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Gardens neighborhood. Our work spans the realms of contemporary art, performance, film, civic engagement, and public life. By centering artists as essential to social and cultural movement, YBCA is reimagining the role an arts institution can play in the communities it serves. For more information, visit ybca.org.

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