Photograph by John Gruber, Gruber-09-079-018
Registration is now open – Click the Registration tab for link.
Roaring Through Rondout, Watercolor on Paper, by Gil Reid The annual conference hosted by the Center for Railroad Photography & Art provides an excellent platform for engaging with a diverse community of railroad photographers, artists, magazine editors, industry leaders, and scholars. This event is a unique opportunity to participate in inspiring and thought-provoking conversations about the rail industry and its history, as well as explore its visually captivating nature. Schedule of Events Friday, May 16 – Milwaukee, WI The Kalmbach Exhibition opening reception will take place at the Grohmann Museum on the campus of MSOE. Saturday, May 17 – Lake Forest, Illinois Coffee and pastries, (McCormick Auditorium), 8:00 AM Sunday, May 18 – Lake Forest, Illinois Coffee and pastries, (McCormick Auditorium), 8:00 AM Presenters
Registration Conversations 2024. Photographs by Elrond Lawrence Cancellation Policy: Cancellations must take place no later than April 25 for a full refund. Any cancellations after April 25 will not be refunded. Your Photographs After reserving your place at Conversations 2024, please send one of your recent photographs, preferably from the past year, for inclusion in a presentation of attendees’ photographs at the conference. Send one JPEG image file, either 1920 pixels wide or 1200 pixels high, to info [at] railphoto-art.org.
The conference will take place at two locations this year, the Grohmann Museum and Lake Forest College. Grohmann Museum The Center for Railroad Photography & Art (CRP&A) along with the Grohmann Museum present the first public exhibition of Kalmbach Media’s historic art collection. Totaling fifty-nine original paintings, it is a pillar of rail—themed art filled with landmark works from Howard Fogg, George Gloff, Gil Reid, Ted Rose, John Swatsley, and many others. Tens of thousands of railroad enthusiasts have viewed these paintings thanks to their use in Kalmbach publications including Trains magazine or and best-selling books such as The Hiawatha Story and The Nickel Plate Story. Grohmann Museum Parking Limited parking is available for free east of the museum at the NW corner of Milwaukee and State Streets. This lot is accessed from Milwaukee St. Additional street parking can be found nearby. Please refer to the city of Milwaukee’s parking services for the governance of these spaces. Lake Forest College The campus of co-sponsor Lake Forest College (campus map), is thirty miles north of Chicago. Learn more about the City of Lake Forest online or download the PDF overview. McCormick Auditorium We will again host all presentations in McCormick Auditorium in the Lillard Science Center to support a higher capacity and to provide more comfortable seating. Session times will be similar to previous years (see past conferences as reference). Conference presentations will run from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Saturday and 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM on Sunday. Following presentations on Saturday, a reception will be held at Brown Hall from 5:00 to 7:00 PM and an optional banquet dinner will be served in Calvin Durand Hall at the Mohr Student Center as a conference add-on. Please note that lunch on Saturday is included in the registration cost; no lunch is provided on Sunday.
Conversations, the Center for Railroad Photography & Art’s annual conference, is coming back to Lake Forest College in Lake Forest, Illinois, on the weekend of May 16 – 18, 2025. Explore past conferences here. Conference scholarships are available to younger and/or emerging photographers and visual artists. They are available to individuals creating photography or other visual art focusing on rail-related subjects, who meet at least one of the following requirements: The due date to submit your application (scroll down for details) is February 28. Recipients will be notified on March 15, 2025. Conference scholarship award recipients at Conversations 2024. Photograph by Elrond Lawrence Application process Applications will only be accepted electronically. Please submit the following to info@railphoto-art.org Conference attendees at the Friday reception at Conversations 2024. Photograph by Elrond Lawrence About the Center: The Center for Railroad Photography & Art (www.railphoto-art.org | @railphotoart) is America’s foremost organization for interpreting the intersection of railroad art and culture with America’s history and culture. The Center has achieved that status through successful publications (especially its quarterly journal, Railroad Heritage), exhibitions, conferences, and an awards program, all of which showcase the best of railroad photography and art in ways that enhance understanding of railroad history, technology, and artistry. Founded in 1997, the Center works with photographers, artists, writers, and historians across the country, although its home is in Madison, Wisconsin. The Center does not maintain its museum or archive space, but instead collaborates with other institutions. About the Conference: The conference is the nation’s premier venue for presentations on railroad art and photography. The three-day event is held on the picturesque campus of Lake Forest College, just thirty miles north of Chicago. Attendees include active railroad photographers and artists, magazine editors, industry leaders, and scholars from wide backgrounds. Past presenters include photographers David Plowden and Lina Bertucci, railroad executive Henry Posner III, writers such as novelist Linda Niemann and Washington Post transportation columnist Don Phillips, and curators Ian Kennedy of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Anne M. Lyden of the J. Paul Getty Museum, and Ashlee Whitaker of the Brigham Young University Museum of Art.
The conference registration package includes the opening reception on Friday for the Kalmbach Art Collection exhibition at the Grohmann Museum in Milwaukee, Wis. Pastries and coffee on Saturday and Sunday mornings, and lunch on Saturday are also included. The banquet dinner on Saturday can be purchased as a conference add-on while registering. Please let us know in advance if you have any special dietary needs, and we will make every effort to accommodate them. Hilton Garden Inn Residence Inn Chicago Lake Forest Mettawa *Room blocks are not being offered due to underuse in recent yearsHome Page
Welcome, 9:00 AM
Presentations, 9:25 AM
Break, 10:10 AM
Presentations, 10:40 AM
Lunch (provided), 12:00 PM
CRP&A Updates, 1:00 PM
Presentations, 1:30 PM
Break, 3:00 PM
Presentations, 3:30 PM
Reception (Brown Hall), 5:00 PM
Additional Dinner (Calvin Durand), 7:00 PM
Presentations, 9:00 AM
Break, 10:30 AM
Presentations, 11:00 AM
Conclusion, 12:30 PM
Registration
CLICK HERE to register for Conversations 2025
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Location
MSOE
100 N Broadway
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Lillard Science Center
Lake Forest College
555 N. Sheridan Road
Lake Forest, Illinois 60045Conference Scholarships
Expand your creativity: Apply for a scholarship at Conversations 2025!
Catering & Lodging Suggestions
Conference attendees enjoy lunch in Calvin Durand Hall on Saturday. CRP&A Conversations 2019 photograph by Henry A. Koshollek
Nearby Hotels:
26225 N. Riverwoods Boulevard
Mettawa, IL 60045, 847-735-8374
26325 N. Riverwoods Boulevard
Mettawa, IL 60045, 847-615-2701
*We recommend booking lodging early as several weddings and student sporting events are taking place in the local area over the conference weekend