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Expo 2031 Minnesota Unveils USA Pavilion Vision, Appoints BRC Imagination Arts as Official Creative & Experience Design Partner, and Names Shanna Woodbury Executive Director
- Wendy Meadley
- 2 hours ago
- 5 min read
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 9, 2026
AIPH MEETING - SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
At the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) Spring Meeting in Sydney, Expo 2031 Minnesota today announced three major milestones for the USA Pavilion, the host nation pavilion for the first A1 International Horticultural Exposition ever held in the United States:
The official vision for the USA Pavilion concept has been unveiled
Shanna Woodbury has been named Executive Director of the USA Pavilion
BRC Imagination Arts has been appointed as the pavilion’s Official Creative & Experience Partner
The announcement was made before global horticulture leaders, international expo organizers, and representatives from participating countries gathered for the AIPH meeting, marking the first formal international unveiling of the host nation pavilion concept.
“World expositions are moments when nations share their boldest ideas about the future,” said Wendy Meadley, CEO of Expo 2031 Minnesota. “The USA Pavilion will express the American Dream in its most modern form where innovation, entrepreneurship, and creativity work in harmony with the living world to build a regenerative future. With the creative vision of BRC Imagination Arts and the leadership of Shanna Woodbury as Executive Director, we are assembling an extraordinary team to bring this pavilion to life.”
USA Pavilion Vision: “Where the American Dream Meets the Living World”
The USA Pavilion’s vision is “Where the American Dream Meets the Living World.” Designed as both a national showcase and a global gathering place, the pavilion will invite visitors to explore the evolving story of the United States through immersive storytelling, living landscapes, innovation showcases, and cultural programming.
The pavilion celebrates the enduring spirit of the American Dream including innovation, entrepreneurship, creativity, resilience, and community while demonstrating how human ingenuity and the natural world can flourish together in a regenerative future.
Inspired by Minnesota’s identity as “the land where the water reflects the skies,” the pavilion’s design is organized around three elemental forces: Land, Water, and Sky. Living gardens, reflective waters, and open-sky architecture will create a powerful environment where visitors experience the landscapes, ideas, and aspirations that define America.
Shanna Woodbury Named Executive Director of the USA Pavilion
Expo 2031 Minnesota also announced the appointment of Shanna Woodbury as Executive Director of the USA Pavilion.
In this role, Woodbury will oversee the pavilion’s strategic development, international coordination, and operational planning, working closely with Expo leadership, federal partners, international delegations, and private sector collaborators to ensure the pavilion delivers a world-class experience and represents the United States on the global stage.
“World Expos are extraordinary platforms for global exchange and collaboration,” said Shanna Woodbury, Executive Director of the USA Pavilion. “The USA Pavilion will welcome the world to experience the creativity, innovation, and optimism that define the American spirit, while showcasing how humanity and the living world can thrive together.”
BRC Imagination Arts Appointed Official Creative & Experience Partner of the USA Pavilion
Expo 2031 Minnesota has appointed BRC Imagination Arts, one of the world’s leading experience design firms, to lead the pavilion's creative design and development, including its immersive visitor experiences. For more than four decades, BRC has created iconic destinations, museums, brand homes, and exposition pavilions that welcome millions of visitors annually.
“Creating the host nation pavilion for a world exposition requires both visionary storytelling and world-class delivery expertise,” said Wendy Meadley. “BRC Imagination Arts brings extraordinary creative leadership in designing transformative experiences. They will provide the global design expertise creating a USA Pavilion worthy of welcoming the world.”
Christian Lachel, Chief Creative Officer of BRC Imagination Arts, said:
"The greatest pavilions don't just show you a nation they let you step inside its story. The USA Pavilion at Expo 2031 will celebrate what makes the American Dream enduringly alive: the belief that innovation, nature, and human creativity can shape a better world together."
A Pavilion Designed as a Global Destination
Rather than a single exhibition, the USA Pavilion will be a dynamic destination composed of multiple experiences, including:
• The USA Experience: an immersive journey through American innovation, culture, and future living
• The Living Laboratory: a vertical greenhouse showcasing breakthrough horticultural science and regenerative technologies
• The American Dream Living Stage: a daily broadcast and performance venue bringing global audiences into the pavilion
• Diplomatic and Business Spaces: meeting places for international delegations, trade missions, and partnership forums
• Native Plant Displays: integrated throughout the pavilion
• Pavilion Dining: a culinary showcase featuring rotating residencies from celebrated American chefs
• USA Pavilion Retail: a curated destination highlighting American brands, artisan products, and official Expo merchandise
Throughout the Expo’s six-month run, the pavilion will host evolving exhibitions, performances, and thematic programming exploring horticulture, health and wellbeing, sustainability, food systems, technology, and future living.
A Lasting Legacy
Built to endure beyond the Expo, the USA Pavilion will stand as the iconic legacy structure of Expo 2031, advancing horticulture, innovation, and the creation of a livable community of the future. Aligned with Expo 2031’s theme, “Human / Nature: Where Humanity & Horticulture Meet,” the pavilion will continue operating as a year-round destination for tourism, education, and community engagement.
Expo 2031 Minnesota will take place May through October 2031, welcoming participating nations, organizations, and millions of visitors to Dakota County, Minnesota.
About Expo 2031 Minnesota
Expo 2031 Minnesota, USA will be the first A1 International Horticultural Exhibition ever hosted in the United States, convening nations, innovators, growers, and industry leaders to explore the future of horticulture, agriculture, and livable communities. Presented under the governance of the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) and supported through the United States federal government, the six-month global exposition will feature international pavilions, gardens, cultural programming, innovation exhibitions, and global convenings focused on solutions for a rapidly changing world.
Expo 2031 is expected to attract millions of visits from across the United States and around the world. Through immersive gardens, international pavilions, cultural programming, and global leadership forums, Expo 2031 will demonstrate the power of horticulture, agriculture, and technology to improve how people live. The Expo will leave a lasting legacy through the creation of a permanent Future Living District, transforming the site into an enduring center for education, tourism, and healthy living.
About BRC Imagination Arts
BRC Imagination Arts is a full-service strategy, design, and production company that transforms how people feel, think, and connect. For 45 years, BRC has turned brand and cultural stories into destinations built for lasting change, powered by Deep Story™ and guided by a creative philosophy called Magic with Heart: the belief that imagination and precision belong together, and that the best work moves hearts and moves numbers in equal measure. Our portfolio includes Johnnie Walker Experience on Princes Street, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Las Vegas Raiders Allegiant Stadium Tour, Great Wolf Lodges, and World Expo pavilions for nations and corporations across the globe, from Shanghai and Milan to Osaka 2025. Proudly independent, with more than 500 international awards, BRC remains the most trusted name in transformational experience design.
For media inquiries or partnership opportunities
Expo 2031 USA
Richard Larkin McLay
BRC Imagination Arts
Elizabeth Hildebrand
+1.424.353.9376