Join Us!
Tickets for our 2026 National Gathering in Philadelphia are available now.
2026 National Gathering
Imagining the Future of Local Production
May 12 – May 14, 2026Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
We’re hosting “Imagining the Future of Local Production” in partnership with the City of Philadelphia’s Department of Commerce.
Overview
Attended by thought and community leaders from across the country, Mechanism’s 2026 Gathering will give guests a one-of-a-kind opportunity to work together on frameworks for a more interconnected production ecosystem—locally and nationally.
In Philadelphia, we’ll learn and collaborate together around four themes: climate adaptation, circular economies, worker power, and shared ownership.
Our 11th National Gathering continues our tradition of bringing together a uniquely broad range of traditional and non-traditional stakeholders—from businesses and workforce development experts to makers and faith leaders—and capitalizing on our collective creative energy to learn, share, and dream what’s possible, together.
Our Gathering is:
- an exploration of what’s possible and
- a demonstration of how communities can lead the way in reimagining local production ecosystems.
We will explore how local production can:
- sustain local identity
- restore balance with natural systems, and
- foster community resilience.
Schedule
Main Gathering Agenda
Futures Thinking Workshop
We will begin the day with a workshop to get us in a generative and creative mindset. The workshop will serve a dual purpose: setting a shared cognitive and imaginative frame for the convening, and piloting a futures-based methodology that will inform our work throughout the day.
Inspiration Now Rapid Shares
Rapid Share sessions are 6 minute lightning-style presentations, giving a quick picture of the work organizations are doing around production in Philadelphia and across the country.
Invited presenters include: Fab City, Circular PHL, PA Fibershed, and Blue Tin Production.
New Inspiration on the Horizon Rapid Shares
This version of our Rapid Share sessions is new for Mechanism. As an organization, we are broadening the definition of what organizations and which communities we see as contributing to a local production ecosystem. We will be hearing from presenters from climate advocates, faith organizations, well-being initiatives, and more.
Invited presenters include: Taproot Earth; Research & Degrowth; and Full Frame Initiative
Activating Space for the Future of Production
Participants work in teams to identify challenges, generate solutions, build prototypes, and present bold new ideas in this hands-on workshop. Over the course of the afternoon, participants will focus on reactivating underutilized spaces across the city (empty high-rise offices, vacant storefronts, deteriorating buildings). Rather than seeing these spaces as symbols of decline, we will reframe them as opportunities for creativity, entrepreneurship, training, and local production.
Tours Across Philadelphia
To be announced
Local Host Committee
Anna Solomon Consulting
Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce
Thank you to our sponsors
