Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks
February 7, 2026 - June 7, 2026
Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks is a groundbreaking new exhibition featuring nearly 60 futuristic footwear designs pushing the boundaries of what footwear can be. Exhibiting an incredible mix of fashion, design, gaming, new media, architecture, and material arts as well as sustainable and collaborative practices, the exhibition showcases work by designers as diverse as Rem D. Koolhaas and Zaha Hadid, innovators Mr. Bailey and Salehe Bembury, as well as designs made in collaboration with fashion icons Rick Owens, Stella McCartney, and Yohji Yamamoto, and top gaming and innovation companies such as PlayStation, Gravity Sketch, and more.
Future Now features sections exploring Innovation, Sustainability, Transformative, and Virtual shoes. Exhibition highlights include the self-lacing Nike MAG (first conceived for the movie Back to the Future Part II), digitally designed and 3D-printed shoes, sneakers made from mushroom leather and reclaimed ocean plastics, virtual footwear, and more.
“The future is always being shaped by the present. The exhibition includes many incredible and innovative new footwear designs that are promising to transform what we will wear tomorrow. From sneakers created to address issues related to sustainability and inclusion to shoes that blur the line between the real world and the metaverse, this exhibition explores how forward-looking creators are helping us step into the future.”
—Elizabeth Semmelhack, Director and Senior Curator, Bata Shoe Museum
View Sponsorship Opportunities
Show off your footwear and join the KIA at Future: REMIX on March 20!
Join us for additional programming in connection with this exhibition:
KIA Playlist:
Listen to the KIA Playlist on SpotifyKIA Playlist Liner Notes:The artists featured in the Future Now playlist span decades, genres, and cultural movements, mirroring the evolution of footwear from practical necessity to design centered brands to athletic innovation to global fashion icons. From trailblazers who defined early Hip-Hop’s pulse to modern producers shaping the sound of the future, each artist represents a moment in time where music—like sneakers—signaled identity, aspiration, and reinvention. The music artists create reflects changing technologies and tastes, the evolution of creative expression, and the belief that music is a universal language. Whether rooted in the basslines of Jazz, or the raw storytelling of Hip-Hop, the experimental edge of Electronic & House music, or the genre-blending aesthetics of contemporary pop and R&B, these artists collectively form a sonic timeline that parallels the themes in Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting Edge Kicks. Just as sneakers have transformed from everyday footwear into symbols of culture, performance, and style, these musicians push boundaries, remix traditions, and shape new artistic frontiers. Together, they create a soundtrack that celebrates movement, innovation, and the ever-evolving rhythm of modern life.-Jason B. Williams, Music Enthusiast and Content Creator
Special Exhibition Admission
Adults: $15
Seniors (60+), Groups (10 or more): $13
College Students (18+ with ID): $12
Youth (ages 7–17): $10
Active Duty Military Service Member: $10
Children (ages 6 & younger): Free
Members: Free
Admission price includes all exhibitions and the museum’s permanent collection galleries. No advance ticket sales or timed tickets required.
Ask a member of our guest services team about discounts for families.
Admission discounts such as Art Bridges Foundation Access for All, Museums for All, and Blue Star Museums may apply to your visit. Click here for more information.
The exhibition is co-organized by the American Federation of Arts and the Bata Shoe Museum, and curated by Elizabeth Semmelhack, Director and Senior Curator of the Bata Shoe Museum.
This exhibition at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts is made possible, in part, with generous support from:
Innovative Sponsor:
Si & Shirley Johnson
Virtual Sponsors:
Sustainable Sponsor:
Carole & Samuel Cupps
Friend Sponsor:
Media Sponsor:
