Historic preservation will take center stage in Santa Monica from May 15 – 18, 2011, as the 36th Annual California Preservation Conference explores provocative topics with the theme, “Preservation on the Edge.”  

Dozens of sessions—from seminars and panel discussions to mobile workshops and study tours—will redefine traditional notions of historic preservation and engage new audiences in setting its course for the future. Specific tracks include:  

• Peering Over the Edge: The Future of Historic Preservation
• Redefining the Edge: Conserving Community Character
• The Cutting Edge: Partnerships, Development, and Incentives
• On the LEEDing Edge: Sustainability, Preservation, and Rating Systems
• Gaining the Technical Edge: Innovative Preservation Practices  

“While preservationists have always seen the critical role historic preservation plays in economic development, sustainability, community well-being, and other areas, this conference seeks to bring this message into the mainstream and engage the many people who may not think of their efforts as related to preservation,” said Cindy Heitzman, executive director of the California Preservation Foundation. “Our cultural heritage belongs to all of us, preservation affects all of us, and we all have a role to play in preserving our heritage.”  

Based at the historic Fairmont Miramar Hotel, the conference will include special events at Santa Monica’s most remarkable historic locations, including the 1914 Santa Monica Bay Woman’s Club, the Spanish Colonial Revival-style La Señora Research Institute, the 1938 Streamline Moderne Barnum Hall on the campus of Santa Monica High School, the 1929 Miles Memorial Playhouse, and the Annenberg Community Beach House at Santa Monica State Beach.  

The 2011 conference will also feature appearances and keynote speeches from nationally renowned leaders in a number of fields. While the lineup is not yet final, past attendees, speakers, and honorees have included musicians the Black Eyed Peas and Ry Cooder; the late architectural photographer Julius Shulman; Academy Award-winning actress and producer Diane Keaton; former California Governor Pete Wilson; local broadcast legend Huell Howser; renowned modernist historian and architecture critic Alan Hess; and Ruth Coleman, Director of California State Parks.