Conceived by Gilane Tawadros, Detour to the Imaginary is a three-day residential convening bringing together 12 artists, curators, writers, and philosophers in conversation to explore the role of the contemporary art institution in the twentyfirst century in providing critical spaces and platforms for different perspectives. Held on the Terra Foundation for American Art’s Giverny properties in October 2024, this convening focuses on how public institutions can respond and contribute to public discourse on global changes through public programming and  identifies the topics of greatest urgency:  censorship and freedom of speech; the politics of immigration and race; cultural activism and resistance; the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements; the ethics of patronage; and the climate crisis.