Social Theory, Politics, and the Arts Conference
September 21-23, 2023 | Lexington, KY USA
Hosted by the University of Kentucky
Call for Proposals
The STP&A Conference is the oldest and one of the most influential academic gatherings in the field of arts management and cultural policy. STP&A participants are drawn from a broad range of disciplines including political science, sociology, economics, law, arts management, arts education, art history, museum studies, cultural studies, education, and policy studies as well as arts managers and artists.
Each year, the STP&A Conference Committee welcomes proposals that address the following topics:
- Accessibility & social inclusion
- Arts and cultural participation, marketing, & audience development
- Arts learning and/or training
- Arts management, business models, & strategic thinking
- Arts & technology
- Arts workforce & labor issues
- Cultural/creative industries & market structures
- Cultural democracy
- Cultural economics and impact assessment
- Cultural planning & community development
- Cultural policy
- Diversity, equity, & inclusion in the arts
- Festivals & events
- Heritage policy & administration
- Indigenous cultural practices
- Popular & high culture
- Society & evolving aesthetics
Submissions will be accepted from March 1- April 17, 2023.
Submissions are accepted through our conference proposal and registration website, ExOrdo. You will need an account to submit your proposal.
Abstracts
All applicants should read the following guidelines prior to submission of their abstracts.
Applicants may submit up to two abstracts for review. The maximum number of paper or panel presentations for any author is two. An author accepted for two paper/panel presentations may also submit to lead a roundtable discussion.
Abstract Guidelines
- Title of abstract: maximum 150 characters.
- Abstract word limit: 500 words.
- The abstract may include in-text references.
- Use the headings relevant to the type of abstract you are submitting (see Content of Abstract).
- To facilitate the blind review process, individuals and institutions should not be identified in the body of the abstract; e.g. use ‘author’s institution’ instead of using the name of the university or organization.
- All abstracts and final papers/presentations must be presented in English.
- Submit the abstract as a PDF.
Content of Abstract
The abstracts for this conference are peer-reviewed and available online post-conference. By submitting to this conference the author hereby affirms that the work submitted is theirs, original and recent. Please provide the following information in the abstract. The use of the corresponding headings when submitting your abstract is encouraged.
- Background
- Aim and objectives of the study
- Methodology
- Findings
- Conclusions and Implications
All abstracts must be submitted as a PDF.
Proposal Types
Proposals will be accepted for papers, panels, workshops, performance-based research, and roundtable discussions.
Paper Proposal
(A 20-minute presentation in a session with other paper presenters.)
Paper proposals may take one of two forms: research or scholarly papers.
- Research (or data-driven) papers present the results of quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods studies or report the findings of studies that use historical or philosophical methods. These studies are based on original data collection or secondary data analysis. Research paper proposals should describe studies that are fairly mature both conceptually and methodologically, ideally with some preliminary data analysis and findings that are suggestive of the impact and significance of the research. The final paper should be a complete discussion of finalized data analysis and findings.
- Scholarly (or non-data-driven) papers are essays that present well-developed arguments on philosophical, theoretical, or practical problems in the study of the arts. They are not required to adhere to an empirical research design (e.g., methods, data collection, and data analysis). Rather, scholarly papers pose critical questions, synthesize divergent bodies of literature, or elaborate new theoretical or conceptual frameworks.
Final papers may be submitted to the Journal of Arts Management, Law, and Society for consideration in the special STP&A issue.
Panel Proposal
(A 75-minute panel that consists of four panelists in a singular session.)
In a panel, the session organizers are proposing a complete session that consists of three to five research or scholarly papers that address a particular topic.
Workshop Proposal
(A 75-minute session that offers hands-on activities for the participants.)
A workshop is a hands-on session that features interaction between and among the presenter(s) and the audience to advance knowledge of a particular issue or research problem.
Performance-Based Research Proposal
(Research presented through performance.)
Performance-based research projects may take the form of art, music, dance, spoken word, or theatrical performance. Proposals should describe how they relate to the conference theme or any of the other appropriate topics.
Roundtable Discussion
(Lead a 45-minute discussion based on a topic.)
Roundtables provide an opportunity for scholars to share information regarding their research in an informal, conversational format with interested persons. Accepted proposals will be assigned to a numbered table in a large meeting room. The roundtable chair will facilitate participation, but there will be no formal presentations. Given the informal structure of the roundtable, no audiovisual equipment will be provided.
Submissions are accepted through our conference proposal and registration website, ExOrdo. You will need an account to submit your proposal.