At night, the Tenderloin is illuminated by some of SF's most historic and iconic neon signs. The craft and construction of this century old medium is a captivating and enduring force of color and beauty in the visual landscapes of our lives. Thus, the Tenderloin Museum is thrilled to host the Neon Speaks Symposium and Spotlight Forum, a central event in the Neon Speaks Festival & Symposium: a Celebration of Neon Signs. The weekend-long festival is presented by the San Francisco Neon/Historic Neon Network, a non-profit organization sponsored by the Tenderloin Museum that aims to raise awareness and promote information sharing about the artistic legacy of historic neon signs and restoration best practices. The ticketed Saturday afternoon Symposium at the Tenderloin Museum will feature many luminaries from the neon community, followed by a free “Spotlight Forum” on the future of neon preservation.

Featured symposium participants include: Eric Lynxwiler, who will expound on what makes a neon sign museum-worthy for the Museum of Neon Art; legendary historian Debra Jane Seltzer, who will present a coast-to-coast virtual tour of America's neon beauties and the survivors of roadside architecture in a disappearing landscape; Corky Sholl, who will describe the preservation efforts in Denver's historic Colfax district; and Tom Swormstedt of the American Sign Museum, who will detail the steps involved in restoring a vintage neon sign. The Symposium portion of this event will conclude with a panel discussion on neon preservation best practices, moderated by John Law.

The free, "Spotlight Forum" on the future of neon will wrap up the afternoon, hosted by Al Barna and Randall Ann Homan, authors of San Francisco Neon: Survivors and Lost Icons. Learn about the other events in the Neon Speaks Festival & Symposium at sfneon.org. This symposium is sponsored by the Tenderloin Museum, San Francisco Heritage, and the Art Deco Society of CA.

Purchase Tickets Here.