February 22–24, 2018
Proposal deadline: February 15, 2017, 5pm EST
Committee decisions: February 27
Université Laval
Québec City
Canada
Academic host: Université Laval, with panels, tours and presentations also taking place throughout Québec City—the 2016 Culture City of the Year
TransCultural Exchange’s international conferences are the leading global forum for bringing together artists, critics, gallery owners, curators, residency directors and those working in other fields of interest to artists. These conferences aim to advance artistic innovation by helping artists find the time, funds, networks, inspiration and other means to pursue their goals.
Conference overview
What constitutes a studio practice, an artwork, the art market and the role of art today is expanding in ways never before imagined. Relatively new terms such as “artistic research,” “trans-disciplinarily” and “the creative industries” are now commonplace. Digital technologies have become standard tools in an artist’s arsenal, fabrication and outsourcing are readily accepted and a PhD in the arts is gaining ground in some countries while the arts are completely omitted from the education system in others. Meanwhile the traditional support mechanisms for artists—such as a gallery or patron—continue to be out of reach for most, while artist-run initiatives and artist-in-residence programs are gaining in popularity, popping up around the globe in hospitals, schools and social services. What does all this mean for today’s artist and their practice?
To consider these developments and help artists navigate this exciting new terrain, TransCultural Exchange invites submissions for its three-day conference Exploring New Horizons. Submissions can take the form of talks, roundtable discussions, poster sessions or workshops.
Scope of topics
Picking up where the last conference Expanding Worlds left off, the Conference Committee is soliciting presentations that promote opportunities for today’s artists. For instance, papers might present various international residency programs, offer practical advice (such as resources for funding, new technologies or managing a studio practice), address social or political interventions or promote collaboration with other disciplines, such as medicine, architecture, conservation and engineering. Presentations on current trends in art and new research in other fields are also encouraged. (In the past, papers on topics outside the arts have been among the most popular, because they inspire artists to think in new ways.)
For more information on how to submit a proposal, visit www.transculturalexchange.org/presenters.
For an overview of the Conference, check out www.transculturalexchange.org/overview.
For inquires, please contact Mary Sherman at [email protected].
About TransCultural Exchange
TransCultural Exchange is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, based in Boston, Massachusetts. Its mission is to foster a greater understanding of world cultures through high quality art exhibitions, cultural exchanges and, most notably, a biennal International Conference on Opportunities in the Arts. Since its grassroots inception in 1989, TransCultural Exchange has worked directly with hundreds of artists, arts organizations, foundations, galleries, museums and cultural centers in more than 60 countries to produce over 350 exhibitions. This over two-decade history of service has earned TransCultural Exchange awards from institutions such as the Northeast Chapter of the International Art Critics Association (AICA) and support from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the Massachusetts Cultural Council, Asian Cultural Council, Elizabeth Firestone Graham Foundation, Boston Foundation, swissnex Boston, among others.
About Université Laval
Université Laval, located in the world heritage city of Québec, is the first French-language university in North America. It is one of Canada’s top research universities, ranking 7th among the country’s institutions of higher learning with a research budget of 330 CAD million last year. Université Laval boasts more than 9,370 employees, including 3,685 professors, lecturers, and other teaching and research staff who share their know-how with more than 42,500 students, more than a quarter of whom are enrolled in graduate studies. Université Laval obtained STARS accreditation in 2014, ranking first in Canada and ninth worldwide for sustainable development. In 2015 it became Canada’s first voluntarily carbon neutral university. The university currently has more than 277,000 alumni.
