Join us in October 2026 for our 17th conference in New York City.

October 15-17, 2026

at the New York Academy of Medicine

Subscribe to be notified of our early registration sale in January.

Since 2007, Horizons has helped the public understand the world of psychedelics.

Horizons: Perspectives on Psychedelics, our flagship conference in New York City, is one of the longest-running education and community institutions in the global psychedelic community.

Please join us on October 15-17, 2026 at the New York Academy of Medicine for our 17th edition to explore the many dimensions of psychedelics, including science, medicine, policy, business, culture, and spirituality.

Horizons Media, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational charity. We gladly accept donations to help further our mission and make our conferences accessible to a wider audience. Please contact us for more information about donations and grants.

The Psychedelic Business Forum

Thursday, October 15, 2026
at the New York Academy of Medicine

Briefings and dialogues for entrepreneurs, executives, and funders about the psychedelic industry and ecosystem.

Following our last conference in in August 2024, the FDA declined to approve a New Drug Application MDMA for the PTSD. While this may have closed the curtain on the second act of a long-running saga, it has hardly marked the end of the story.

Much was learned from the FDA’s response in 2024, and many see opportunity in the pipeline of candidates and the new federal regulatory climate.

In fact, it may not be long before another round of applications seeking approval of psychedelic medicines reaches the FDA. Presently, numerous Phase 3 trials are funded, underway, and expected to publish findings in 2026. Meanwhile, out in the market, several promising candidates have been acquired by major pharmaceutical concerns.

What lessons can we distill from the last few years now that the exuberance has abated, and what can we expect from the sponsors, trials, funders, pharmaceutical titans, and their regulators who will write the next chapters of this story?

Science, Medicine, and Psychedelics

Friday, October 16, 2026

at the New York Academy of Medicine

Briefings on psychedelic-assisted therapies and neuroscience from leading researchers and institutions.

Research into the potential of psychedelic medicine for the treatment of serious mental health and neurological disorders continues both in the US and across the world.

A growing number of large clinical trials are reporting findings for mental health indications whose treatments have progressed little in decades, while new trials seek to investigate neurological conditions beyond the sphere of psychological distress.

Alongside medical research, neuroscientists continue to try and unlock the mysteries of the mechanisms of these magic molecules with increasingly sophisticated tools and data.

Remarkably, these programs continue to blossom with philanthropic and industry support, even as other scientific and medical research has slowed due to the recent decline in federal grantmaking.

Join us at Science, Medicine, and Psychedelics for the headlines and intricacies emerging from the latest studies, and the essential questions awaiting the next generation of psychedelic researchers.

Psychedelics in the World

Saturday, October 17, 2026

at the New York Academy of Medicine

Dialogues about the political and cultural dimensions of psychedelics in the United States and across the world.

Each year, millions among us choose to experience psychedelics, with the latest government-administered survey indicating lifetime usage of psychedelics by 30 million Americans, and a recent trend for growth.

While the wheels of FDA-regulated medicine continue to turn at a federal pace, some of those who are in urgent need of new treatment options– as well as many who are simply eager to explore the frontiers of consciousness– are declining to wait patiently.

Well west of Washington, DC, statewide regulatory systems in Oregon and Colorado are already opening the doors to supervised psychedelic experiences, as well as broad decriminalization.

Meanwhile, the use of psychedelics for health, wellness, and entertainment continues to grow, with popular culture becoming increasingly comfortable with psychedelia.

And beyond recent trends, many societies in the Americas and beyond have practiced religious traditions that include psychedelics for generations.

Join us as we survey the American and global psychedelic frontiers, and the unique tapestry of communities that inhabit them.

Community Events

October 13 - 18, 2026

Brooklyn and Manhattan

As the core Horizons conference has grown, so too has the constellation of extracurricular events that surround it. 

Each year, our community allies— research institutions, advocacy organizations, businesses, professional associations, and local societies— host their own programming during the week of the conference.

Offerings include networking socials, film screenings, dinners and brunches, community meet-ups, charity benefits, and, yes, music and parties.

We are grateful to our community allies for the work they are doing in the world and for making the week of Horizons a richer experience for all who attend. A schedule of community events will be published closer to the conference.

The New York Academy of Medicine

Established in 1847, the New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) has been at the forefront of medical research, education, and advocacy for over 175 years. 

The building itself is a cultural landmark on the Upper East Side, featuring architectural significance and historical charm. The NYAM library and archives house valuable collections of rare books, manuscripts, and artifacts, preserving the heritage of medicine and healthcare. 

2026 marks our fourth year working with NYAM. Amenities include a spacious, column-free, two-tier grand auditorium, ample indoor space for socializing, on-site dining and social spaces, and proximity to Central Park— which is directly across the street.

About Horizons

Our mission is to help the public understand the world of psychedelics.

Since 2007, we have created 18 conferences that examine the role of psychedelics in science, medicine, policy, business, culture, and spirituality.

Horizons: Perspectives on Psychedelics, our flagship conference in New York City, is one the longest-running education and community institutions in the field of psychedelics.

In 2022 and 2023, we also held Horizons Northwest in Portland, Oregon, in collaboration with the Sheri Eckert Foundation.

Horizons Media, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational charity led by Kevin Balktick, Julie Holland, MD, and James Vasile, Esq.

Click below to learn more about our story.

The indigenous history of New York (and psychedelics)

Psychedelics have been used by indigenous communities for thousands of years in the Americas. 

Horizons has been privileged to collaborate with indigenous leaders who have messages to share with the wider psychedelic community. Our native allies have requested that we include land acknowledgements as part of the work of educating our audience about indigenous topics.

Our venues are situated on the Lenape island of Manhahtaan (Mannahatta) in Lenapehoking, the Lenape homeland.

We pay respect to Lenape peoples, past, present, and future and their continuing presence in the homeland and throughout the Lenape diaspora.

Due to centuries of colonialism perpetuated by genocide, forced displacement, and systemic oppression, today the Lenape Diaspora is dispersed throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Horizons thanks The Lenape Center for the language in the three above paragraphs, and Markley Boyer and The Mannahatta Project for the above rendering of pre-colonial New York.