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2026 International Lecture Series Tickets

 Distinguished speakers explore American themes, including whiskey, national parks, culinary culture, and American works of art

On July 1, tickets go on sale for the 44th season of Vero Beach Museum of Art’s International Lecture Series—the Treasure Coast’s most celebrated arts and humanities lecture series. This year’s esteemed speakers will explore uniquely American themes in conjunction with the nation’s 250th birthday and the arrival of the touring American Made: Paintings and Sculpture from the DeMell Jacobsen Collection exhibition, on view at VBMA from January 31 through August 16, 2026.

Bottom Shelf: Finding Purpose in American Whiskey
Monday, February 23, 2026, at 4:30 p.m.

Fred Minnick, Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author, Award-Winning Podcast Host, and Bourbon Critic

In 2005, Fred Minnick returned home from Iraq broken. Therapy saved his life and taught him a new life skill called “Taste Mindfulness,” which helped him use taste and smell to overcome war trauma. He then embarked on a 20-plus-year journey to study bourbon. From the flavor and how it’s made to the United States presidents who influenced bourbon and the laws that helped shape this country, Minnick, a Wall Street Journal-bestselling author, will intertwine the true and incredible stories of American whiskey with his own personal anecdotes of becoming the world’s leading bourbon critic.

Leave Only Footprints: My Journey Through Every National Park
Monday, March 9, 2026, at 4:30 p.m.

Conor Knighton, CBS Sunday Morning Correspondent

When Conor Knighton set off to explore America’s “best idea,” he worried the whole thing could end up being his worst idea. Over the course of a single year, Conor set out to visit every national park in the country, from Acadia to Zion.

In his talk, filled with entertaining dispatches from some of the world's most scenic spots, the CBS Sunday Morning correspondent takes us on a whirlwind tour through our national parks, highlighting some of the unexpected stories, colorful characters, and profound lessons he unearthed along the way. Through his unique lens, America the Beautiful becomes America the Captivating, the Hilarious, and the Inspiring.

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Savoring History: Stories from the American Table
Monday, March 23, 2026, at 4:30 p.m.
Ashley Rose Young, Ph.D., Historian and Smithsonian Research Associate

There is still much to be learned, appreciated, and examined about the founding and development of our country. Food history is a surprisingly effective tool to unearth this knowledge.

Whether analyzing early American politics through the dishes served at George Washington's dinner parties, the evolution of New Orleans’ famed Creole culture through dishes like gumbo and jambalaya, or the popularization of frozen TV dinners and the rise of suburban neighborhoods after World War II, culinary cultures have important stories to tell about American life. Dr. Ashley Rose Young explores these connections, revealing how food provides a lens into the nation’s past.

American Made: Highlights from the DeMell Jacobsen Collection
Monday, April 13, 2026, at 4:30 p.m.
Regina Palm, Ph.D., Harold and Anne Berkley Smith Senior Curator of Modern Art, Norton Museum of Art

The history of American art is as layered and diverse as the nation itself. The DeMell Jacobsen Collection invites us to appreciate that richness through works that span early portraiture to bold expressions of modern American identity. The exhibition, American Made: Paintings and Sculpture from the DeMell Jacobsen Collection, celebrates the creativity and vision of American artists spanning over 250 years. Join Dr. Regina Palm as she shares highlights from the exhibition and offers insights into how these works celebrate the range of voices that shape our understanding of American artistic heritage.

The 2026 International Lecture Series offers live and simulcast options, and post-event receptions in the VBMA’s Buck Atrium. To learn more and to register, visit www.vbmuseum.org/international-lecture-series/.

Full Series (four lectures) Subscriptions

• $360 per person for VBMA members/$415 per nonmember—Live, in Holmes Great Hall
  $270 per person for VBMA Members/$310 per nonmember—Simulcast seating in the Leonhardt Auditorium or via streaming

Individual Lectures

• $130 per person for VBMA members/$160 per nonmember—Live, in Holmes Great Hall
  $90 per person for VBMA Members/$110 per nonmember—Simulcast seating in the Leonhardt Auditorium or via streaming

The 2026 International Lecture Series is made possible by Presenting Sponsor: Harry and Virginia Van Wormer Lecture Fund; Supporting Sponsors: Kjestine and Peter Bijur, FHL Foundation, Emily and Ned Sherwood, Carolyn and William Stutt Endowment for the International Lecture Series, and Caroline and Tommy Vandeventer; Patron Sponsors:

Susan L. Bouma and Kenneth W. Cunningham, Jr. Endowment Fund; and Reception Sponsor: Wilmington Trust.