2026 Emerging Creatives Student Summit: “Rewilding: New Stories of Collective Wellbeing”
About the Summit
a2ru is thrilled to announce that Michigan State University will host the 2026 Emerging Creatives Student Summit, taking place March 5-8 in East Lansing. This year’s theme is “Rewilding: New Stories of Collective Wellbeing.”
Rewilding is a form of ecological restoration that asks us to reimagine–or, in some sense, rewind–the relationship between natural processes and human interventions into those processes, a relationship that has been fraught with conflict for centuries. “Rewilding” may suggest a nostalgic return to the past, but it can also help us reconsider how we understand the present.Taking it further, how might we leverage the ideas of interconnectedness, dynamic change, and sustainability, found at the core of rewilding, to develop new visions for the future—across many domains? How might this allow us to consider human and natural forces as working in tandem, rather than operating in conflict? How might models of balanced ecosystems transform our ideas of human community and collaboration? How might these concepts support increased wellbeing at the individual, group, and global level?
Emerging Creatives is a three-day collaborative experience in which students form small cross-disciplinary teams to explore a specific area of the Summit’s theme. Over the course of the event, teams make something that represents their exploration: a syllabus, cookbook, podcast, app, opera, pair of shoes, urban blueprint, pop-up store, musical score, website…the list of possible outcomes is endless.
At Emerging Creatives, students not only envision and create their project; they also take field trips, meet extraordinary interdisciplinary thinkers, practice presenting their work, and exchange ideas about their project with peers and experts. Students also build collaboration skills in micro-workshops with a2ru staff.
Banner image credit: Ethan Seelig, MSU ’24
Nominating Students
a2ru member institutions are eligible to nominate up to 4 students to attend the 2026 Emerging Creatives Student Summit. Graduate students and undergraduate students in their junior year or above are eligible. One representative from each institution should submit the names of the nominated students via the form below no later than November 3, 2025.
In order to maintain the interdisciplinary nature of Emerging Creatives, a2ru asks that the students nominated by each institution represent a broad range of disciplines both within and outside the arts. The contributions of students from disciplines in the sciences, engineering, social sciences, business and other fields are essential to the success of the Summit.
Space permitting, non-member institutions may nominate students to attend Emerging Creatives; the registration fee for non-member students is $400.
Funding
Students who are accepted into Emerging Creatives will be eligible to apply for a limited number of $250 Travel Grants and $1000 Scholar Awards. Application information for these awards will be available on this page in September. These awards are intended to support students whose participation in Emerging Creatives is not fully funded by their home institutions.
Travel & Lodging
Students should make travel arrangements so they are available to participate in Emerging Creatives activities starting at 4pm on Thursday, March 5 (registration will open at 3pm) and ending on Sunday, March 8 at 1:30pm. Travel and hotel arrangements are the responsibility of the participating students and/or their home institutions.
Detroit Metro Airport (DTW) serves East Lansing. The Michigan Flyer shuttle bus is an easy and affordable ride between East Lansing and the airport; the ride takes approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes
a2ru and Michigan State have secured room blocks and preferential rates at several local hotels. All are near the Michigan State campus where Emerging Creatives activities take place.
1. Graduate Hotel East Lansing: 133 Evergreen Ave, East Lansing, MI 48823
$139/night for a Graduate King room. Room rate is based on availability (first come, first served) and does not include taxes and fees. Valet parking is $35/night. Breakfast is not included. The Graduate is 0.4-1.0 miles from Emerging Creatives activities.
The booking cut-off date is February 3, 2026. If you are interested in booking a room at the Graduate Hotel after the block sells out, please contact a2ruconnect@umich.edu before February 3, 2026.
2. Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center: 219 S. Harrison Road, East Lansing, MI 48824
$129 – $159/night double, queen or king. Room rate is based on availability (first come, first serve) and does not include taxes and fees. Parking is $15/night. This is not a room block; make individual reservations. The Kellogg Hotel is 0.5-1.0 miles to Emerging Creatives activities.
Use the button to book rooms online, or call 800-875-5090.
3. AC Hotels Marriott Lansing University Area
Hyatt House: 3150 E Michigan Ave, Lansing, MI 48912
AC Hotel Lansing University Area: 3160 E Michigan Ave, Lansing, MI 48912
$129/night single or double (King or Two Queen Beds), $134/night single or double (Studio Kitchen Suite King Bed). Room rate is based on availability (first come, first serve) and does not include taxes and fees. Complimentary parking. Breakfast is included. The Hyatt House and AC Hotel Lansing are approximately 1.5 miles from Emerging Creatives activities. Transportation options: walk, Lyft, CATA bus. (Buses run approximately every 30 minutes. Note that buses do not run on Sundays in this area. MSU routes are free – see CATA fare information).
The booking cut-off date is February 16, 2026. If you are interested in booking a room at the AC Hotels Marriott Lansing University Area after the block sells out, please contact a2ruconnect@umich.edu before February 16, 2026.
FAQ
- What do I (or my school) pay for?
- Travel: plane tickets or other transportation costs, transportation between airports and destinations, any additional car-fare
- Lodging. We have recommended hotels, but you can stay where you choose.
- Food: any meals not provided by a2ru
- Are meals provided?
- The following meals will be provided as part of the program:
- March 5: dinner
- March 6 and 7: coffee and light continental breakfast (students are responsible for lunch and dinner on your own)
- March 8: coffee and light continental breakfast, lunch
- In keeping with a2ru’s commitment to sustainability, all provided meals are largely plant-based. Some meat options will also be available.
- The following meals will be provided as part of the program:
- Where will Emerging Creatives take place and how do I get there?
- Emerging Creatives will take place on and near the Michigan State University campus in East Lansing, Michigan. Planning and paying for transportation to and from the summit are the responsibility of the student and/or their institution. See Travel and Lodging for planning your trip.
- Emerging Creatives registration and opening day activities will take place at Michigan State’s STEM Teaching and Learning Facility, 642 Red Cedar Road. Most activities for the remainder of the summit will take place at the MSU Museum, 409 West Circle Drive. Both sites are on Michigan State’s campus, and both sites are within a mile of the Graduate Hotel and the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center. Students are responsible for transportation to and from summit activities.
- Where will I stay?
- Lodging is the responsibility of the student and/or their institution. a2ru and Michigan State have secured preferred room rates for Emerging Creatives participants at three recommended hotels, but students may stay where you wish. The recommended hotels are near the Michigan State campus where Emerging Creatives activities take place. See Travel and Lodging to book a room in one of these blocks.
- What are we going to do at Emerging Creatives?
- meet other Emerging Creatives from across the country
- explore the theme of “Rewilding: New Stories of Collective Wellbeing” through a panel discussion with inspiring Michigan State scholars, field trips, and hands-on art-making and discussion
- form small teams to go deeper into an aspect of the theme that interests you
- brainstorm and prototype new ideas
- get feedback on your prototype from peers and mentors
- present your prototype in a Fair on the final day
- learn strategies to make interdisciplinary collaboration more fun and effective
- What should I wear?
- We recommend casual and comfortable clothing. Some students like to dress more professionally for their final presentation, but this is not necessary.
- How should I approach Emerging Creatives?
- With excitement about sharing your insight and ideas, and with curiosity and openness to the ideas that mentors and other students bring to the summit.
- What should I do if I still have questions?
- Ask us! Email vstanich@umich.edu
Information Session
An information session was held Tuesday, September 9 with an open Q and A session about Emerging Creatives. The session provided a brief overview of the event, and an outline of how some schools select and send their students.
For those who missed the Information Session, see the Info Sheet for Nominators for all the details covered in that session. Contact Veronica Stanich (vstanich@umich.edu) with additional questions.
Sponsors
