Twenty-First International Conference on the Arts in Society

  • Modeling Life Systems: Art, Algorithms, Ecologies
  • 10-12 June 2026
  • Department of Theatre Studies, School of Philosophy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece + Online

2026 Themes and Special Focus

The Twenty-First International Conference on the Arts in Society offers an interdisciplinary forum to discuss the role of the arts in society. We seek to build an epistemic community where we can make linkages across disciplinary, geographic, and cultural boundaries. As a Research Network, we are defined by our scope and concerns and motivated to build strategies for action framed by our shared themes and tensions.

The Twenty-First International Conference on the Arts in Society features research addressing the following annual themes and special focus.

  • 2026 Special Focus—Modeling Life Systems: Art, Algorithms, Ecologies
  • Theme 1: Pedagogies of the Arts
  • Theme 2: Arts Histories and Theories
  • Theme 3: New Media, Technology, and the Arts
  • Theme 4: The Arts in Social, Political, and Community Life

Participate as a Presenter

For over 20 years, we've offered a place for the critical engagement, examination, and experimentation of ideas that connect the arts to their contexts in the world – on stage, in studios and theaters, in classrooms, museums, and galleries, on the streets, and in communities. We welcome returning and new members to add their voices to the conversation.

In-Person: In-Person presentations will be delivered onsite. We offer innovative formats for a range of presentation styles.

Online Only: online presentations will be delivered and viewed online as asynchronous digital media. Online Only presenters also have discussion boards to structure conversations and access to other online activities.

Conference as Archive: we'll capture and add as much content as possible on the conference microsite. While it's a requirement for online-only presenters, we strongly encourage in-person presenters to pre-record and upload their presentations to the conference microsite. The conference microsite becomes an archive to which delegates and Research Network members can return anytime.

With this step-by-step guide, we walk you through the new phases pre/during/post-conference to ensure you have a productive conference.

Participate as an Audience Member

Audience Passes are for those who want to benefit from the content, connect with presenters, and join the discussion. Audience members will also be recognized in the program for their participation. We welcome returning and new members to add their voices to the conversation.

In-Person: participate in innovative in-person formats, plenaries, talking circles, garden conversations, and on a human scale. You will also have access to all online-only content.

Online Only: gain access to live and recorded presentations, welcome addresses, plenaries, and curated thematic content -- from any place and in your own time.

Conference as Archive: we'll capture and add as much content as possible on the conference microsite. And you can help here too. If you do not see digital media on a presenter page, you can request it from the presenter. You can also add comments to discussion boards of all content. The conference microsite becomes an archive to which delegates and Research Network members can return anytime.

Publication Opportunities

All accepted proposals are eligible to be submitted to The Arts in Society Journal Collection. And authors, reviewers, and Research Network members gain subscriber access to the collection.

We are working to change how knowledge is produced, validated, and shared within member-based Research Networks.

The Arts in Society Journal Collection offers pathways to transform your presentation into formal research objects. We also offer several affordable Open Access pathways to allow maximum flexibility to support principles of open research and funder mandates.

2026 Important Dates

We welcome the submission of proposals at any time of the year. The dates below serve as a guideline for proposal submission based on our corresponding registration deadlines. All proposals will be reviewed within two to four weeks of submission.

Proposal & Registration Dates

Proposal Deadlines

Advance Proposal Deadline 10 August 2025
Early Proposal Deadline 10 November 2025
Regular Proposal Deadline 10 March 2026
Late Proposal Deadline 10 May 2026

Registration Deadlines

Advance Registration Deadline 10 September 2025
Early Registration Deadline 10 December 2025
Regular Registration Deadline 10 May 2026
Late Registration Deadline 10 June 2026

Digital Media Deadline

All Presenters (In-Person and Online Only) are asked to upload Digital Media (a video of the presentation as embed code, MP4, PowerPoint, or PDF) to their Presentation pages. This content will be delivered and viewed online as asynchronous digital media. We require presenters to add their digital media to their Presenter Page at least one week before the conference start date, as our Program Development Team will review all media.

Tips on how to upload digital media to you your CGScholar Presenter Page. Take the link to the Event Microsite Guide to find out more.

Digital Media Deadline 3 June 2026

Submit Your Proposal

We also offer two language pathways to present your research or practice -- English or Spanish.

Use the buttons below to submit a proposal for review.