The Creative Futures: Prelude — A Downtown Salon

Before the stage. Before the schedule.
This is where it starts.

Join us for the official kickoff to The Creative Futures at Sojourn Trading Co.

The Creative Futures: Prelude — A Downtown Salon is a free opening experience bringing together creatives, founders, artists, and community leaders for an evening of conversation, culture, and connection.

This is where the energy begins—where the community comes together before the summit unfolds.

Thursday | Starting at 5:00 PM
📍 Sojourn Trading Co. + Centro de Artes
🎟 Free to attend (RSVP required)

🎤 Opening Talk — Now Is The Time to Make Something New
AJ Rose, Joaquin Muerete, Ben Hodge
A high-energy kickoff on creative resilience, collaboration, and why now is the moment to build.

🎨 Walls That Speak: Where Inspiration Meets History
Andi Rodriguez (Centro San Antonio / Art Everywhere)
Rudy Herrera (Muralist)
A conversation exploring public art, storytelling, and the vision behind the Sojourn mural.

🖼 Exhibit Activation — Centro de Artes (Free Admission)
“A Postmodernist Says ¿Qué?”
On view April 9 – August 30, 2026
Presented by the City of San Antonio Department of Arts & Culture

🍻 18 Years of Thirst: Building Community Downtown
Ken & Cindi Hack (Founders, Thirsty Thursdays)
A reflection on how a simple idea grew into a lasting downtown tradition—bringing neighbors together through conversation, cocktails, and community for nearly two decades.

🤝 Community Mixer + Creative Futures Connections
Connect with speakers, organizers, collaborators, and attendees over drinks, small bites, and conversation.

• Curated cocktails + HighWheel beer specials
• Early access badge + swag pickup
• Meet speakers, volunteers, and organizers
• A relaxed, high-energy space to connect before Day 1

This isn’t a pre-event.
It’s the start of the weekend.

For the next two days, Sojourn Trading Co. becomes the official gathering space of The Creative Futures—where conversations continue beyond the stage.

🔗 Learn more: thecreativefutures.com

Big. Real. Future.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher The Down Market