CRACKS IN THE CONCRETE CONFERENCE

Dates:

March 20 - 22, 2026

Location:

Victoria City Hall

Cost:

Free general admission, or by donation

$10 - 15 for Culture Identity & AI: An Art Exhibition

$5 for Walking Tour: Mapping Power, Place & Belonging

Register:

Register for the conference here.

Donate:

All panels are free. Please consider making a donation.

conference schedule (click links below for tickets)

Friday, March 20:

Culture Identity & AI: An Art Exhibition (5:30 - 7:30 pm)

Saturday, March 21:

AI for Good: Accessibility, Community Mapping & Public Engagement (1:00 - 2:00 pm)

Healing in A Digital World (2:00 - 3:00 pm)

Youth Hackathon Showcase: If We Designed the Algorithm (3:30 - 4:30 pm)

Algorithm, Ancestry, and AI: Exploring the Intersection (4:30 - 5:30 pm)

Sunday, March 22:

Walking Tour: Mapping Power, Place & Belonging (1:00 - 2:00 pm)

 

About:

Join us for the 11th annual Cracks in the Concrete conference. For 2026, our theme, “Culture, Identity & AI: Reclaiming Our Digital Futures, explores how artificial intelligence, digital systems, and technology intersect with culture, identity, and community well-being

In an era where technology influences everything from mental health services to creative practice, the conference invites youth, practitioners, Elders, researchers, and community members to ask: 

Whose voices are shaping these systems? How can technology be used intentionally to support equity, accessibility, and cultural safety? And how can communities reclaim digital spaces as tools for connection, creativity, and healing?

Across three days, we’ll explore the possibilities and risks of AI through art, dialogue, and youth-led innovation while centering community knowledge, lived experience, and self-determination.

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Conference Highlights

 
 
 
 
 

Speakers and Artists

More To Be Announced Soon

Jumoke Brown

Jumoke Brown is a multimedia artist and designer born and raised in BC. As a recent cancer survivor and someone with many years working with children he sees art as a way to heal, help, and ground others. His afro-futuristic and dreamscape collage works will be featured for this event.

Candice Alder

Candice Alder is a clinical counsellor/psychotherapist and AI ethicist working at the intersection of healthcare and human services, and emerging technology. She is the co-founder and principal consultant at Synthetica, advising organizations, Boards, and professionals on integrating AI responsibly into high-stakes human-services work. Candice is a teaching fellow and policy group member at the Center for AI and Digital Policy, an IEEE CertifAIEd authorized assessor of emerging AI systems for ethical compliance, and a contributor to international AI standards development initiatives. Candice is also the author of Canada's first guideline on the integration of AI into mental health practice for clinical counsellors, released in March 2025 by the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors of which she is the president of the Board of Directors. In her therapeutic role, Candice has been supporting children, youth, and families for over 20 years in such settings as private practice, government, non-profit, and public education in both urban and rural communities in BC. Candice has worked with children and youth who have been victims of abuse and violent crime and witnesses to violence, substance abuse, and war. Candice's private practice focuses on family and relationship therapy, and she is also a roster member with the BC Hear the Child Society - supporting children in having their voices heard in family court matters. position: absolute; opacity: 0; z-index: -1; } .roww { display: flex; } .roww .coll { flex: 1; } /* Accordion styles */ .tabs { overflow: hidden; } .tab { color: white; overflow: hidden; border: 1px solid darkgray; } .tab-label { display: flex; justify-content: space-between; padding: 1em; background: darkgray; font-weight: bold; cursor: pointer; /* Icon */ } .tab-label:hover { opacity: 0.8; } .tab-label::after { content: "❯"; width: 1em; height: 1em; text-align: center; transition: all 0.35s; } .tab-content { max-height: 0; padding: 0 1em; color: #2c3e50; background: white; transition: all 0.35s; } .tab-close { display: flex; justify-content: flex-end; padding: 1em; font-size: 0.75em; background: #2c3e50; cursor: pointer; } .tab-close:hover { background: #1a252f; } input:checked + .tab-label { background: #1a252f; } input:checked + .tab-label::after { transform: rotate(90deg); } input:checked ~ .tab-content { max-height: 100vh; padding: 1em; }

Helen (Adiat Oluwadunni Sadiat)

Helen (Adiat Oluwadunni Sadiat)is a Nigerian visual artist based in Canada and the creative force behind Helina Arts. Her artistic practice explores identity, culture, memory, and community through vibrant colour, symbolism, and expressive forms. Inspired by nature, human experiences, and cultural heritage, her work reflects themes of resilience, belonging, and emotional storytelling. With over 10 years of professional experience, Helen has exhibited her paintings and drawings in local and national galleries in Nigeria. She is the founder of Helina Arts Studio and Gallery, where she supports artistic development and community engagement through visual art initiatives. Working across multiple mediums, she is recognized for her bold use of colour, layered textures, and her ability to merge traditional and contemporary influences. Through Helina Arts, Helen creates visual narratives that connect personal history with shared cultural experiences, inviting viewers into conversations about identity, heritage, and human connection.
 
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CREAN Conference Team

Email: hello@creansociety.org
Phone: 250-721-9611

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