ReCreative ARTs - call for proposals

ReCreative ARTs: Adaptation, Retelling, Reframing, Reconstruction, Translation

Societies shape and are shaped by their environments. This involves sustained interaction with influences of other cultures as well as – and necessarily including – those of the past, in a constant balancing of conservation and adjustment, continuity and change, sameness and difference. 

Given these dual imperatives, it is no wonder that individuals, communities and political entities often adapt already existing stories to new circumstances, retell or rewrite narratives, reconstruct (and deconstruct) buildings and objects, reframe analyses, and translate texts from one language, language variety or context into another. They do this with complex combinations of motivations, which include, among other things, responding to the present, reinterpreting the past, informing the future, negotiating identities, circulating ideas, strengthening social ties, developing skills, and providing or seeking comfort and pleasure.     

The ICOG theme groups Storytelling as Power – Identity, Equity, iNclusion, Sustainability (SAPIENS, Research Centre Arts in Society [AiS]) and Heritage and Memory (Research Centre for Historical Studies [CHS]) as well as the TaalX: Language in Context sector plan group of the Faculty of Arts, University of Groningen, invite all (primarily MA, ReMa and PhD) students and staff members of the Faculty of Arts and anyone who shares an interest in aspects of artistic-cultural acts of “recreation” – in all senses of the word – to exchange insights and questions with other participants during an inclusive and hopefully convivial symposium. 

Contributions can address theoretical, empirical, methodological, ethical, pedagogical and other relevant topics including, but not limited to, adaptation, appropriation, retelling, rewriting, reframing, reinterpretation, reconstruction, deconstruction, translation, transfer, emendation, and customization. 

Prospective participants and groups of participants can propose contributions in an array of possible formats, such as the following:

• Organized panels

• Standard individual presentations (20 minutes)

• Lightning presentations (7-10 minutes)

• Show-and-tell talks (5-10 minutes; use a cultural object/dataset for starting a discussion about a research question and/or about object-based teaching)

• 5-1-5 (single-slide, 5-minute presentations for each of 5 participants)

• Posters

• Roundtables (to discuss issues of broad or topical interest)

• Seminars (with papers circulated in advance)

• Workshops (e.g. storytelling)  

• Hands-on (re)creative sessions 

• Artwork installations/exhibitions (e.g. visual arts, crafts, etc.)

• Other formats.

Session slots will usually last 30, 60 or 90 minutes. There are no participation fees and refreshments will be provided. The event will be hosted at the Faculty of Arts of the University of Groningen.

Contributors can participate with up to 3 contributions as convenors, organizers or presenters. Proposals should include the following: 

• full name of (each) participant/contributor, pronouns (optional), email address, affiliation with educational programme(s) and/or research institutes and groups; 

• for each contribution, a brief (max. 150-word) description of the topic and its significance, the proposed format, and any special requirements (beyond standard audiovisual equipment, e.g. materials for creative sessions) 

Please email your proposal by 23:59 on 1 April 2025 to all of the following organizers:

• J. (Joanna) Chojnicka (TaalX)

• M.M.S. (Mayada) Madbouly (Heritage and Memory, Heritage Pasts and Futures)

• T.D. (Tekla) Mecsnóber (SAPIENS, TaalX)

• P. J. (Patrick) Outhwaite (SAPIENS)
  

The email addresses are j.chojnicka rug.nl, m.m.s.madbouly rug.nl, t.d.mecsnober rug.nl, p.j.outhwaite rug.nl

Applicants can expect to hear back within two weeks after the deadline.