Director's Talks

Join Cooper Hewitt for a talk with Design Visionary Award winner Robert Earl Paige—the first program in a new series spotlighting the 2026 National Design Award winners in conversation with Director Maria Nicanor. Paige is an artist, designer, and educator whose work disregards boundaries between fine art, craft, and design. A participant in the Black Arts Movement, Paige champions community engagement in art and culture, and his practice reflects a love of color, a commitment to design principles, and a belief in making art accessible for everyday people. Repurposing is central to his work, transforming found fibers, cardboard, and paper into new creations that invite others to embrace curiosity and making. View full event details here.

Join Cooper Hewitt for a talk with Communication Design winner Thought Matter—the second program in a new series spotlighting the 2026 National Design Award winners in conversation with Director Maria Nicanor. Thought Matter is a New York–based studio working at the intersection of design and civic life. Founded in 2015 by Tom Jaffe and led by Jessie McGuire, the studio uncovers untold stories and merges the personal and the political—using design to reframe narratives, shift perspectives, and shape the future. View full event details here.

Join Cooper Hewitt for a talk with Fashion Design winner Josh Tafoya—the third program in a new series spotlighting the 2026 National Design Award winners in conversation with Director Maria Nicanor. Josh Tafoya is a textile artist redefining the "Southwestern" aesthetic and American fashion from an Indigenous perspective. Drawing on his Genízaro, Spanish, and Chicano heritage, Tafoya blends ancestral knowledge of Rio Grande Valley weaving with contemporary fashion innovation to ensure the traditional cultural crafts of New Mexico live on in a contemporary world. View full event details here.