2021 Annual Conference

Online Event
14 – 17 April 2021

Thanks to everyone who participated in and attended #forarthistory2021 our first online Annual Conference. You will find recordings of 2021 keynotes and Fringe over in Latest News.

The 2021 Annual Conference will take place online from 14 – 17 April 2021. Follow the links for:

In light of the ongoing global situation with COVID-19 the Association for Art History’s 2021 Annual Conference will take place online as a fully virtual event. Our primary focus is the safety and well-being of our Annual Conference participants, prospective delegates and staff. Whilst it is disappointing not to be able to bring people together in person to share and exchange ideas we are excited about the opportunities that online engagement offers instead.

The 2021 Annual Conference will be 50% bigger than usual, with more international sessions, more workshops and more keynotes. The 2021 Annual Conference will also accommodate some sessions from the 2020 conference that was cancelled. We will continue to work with the Department of Art History, Curating and Visual Studies at the University of Birmingham, and with museums and galleries in Birmingham on the 2021 Annual Conference. Speakers and attendees will be invited to participate and present digitally, and participate in digital session discussions and debates on-screen, using a secure virtual event platform. Session and paper formats will remain the same, and the four-day programme will continue to offer a range of additional workshops, virtual tours, keynote lectures and networking opportunities for delegates. We will be conscious of international time differences and screen-fatigue, and will aim to offer delegates the same quality of content and experience that people have come to expect and enjoy at an Association for Art History Annual Conference.

About

The Annual Conference brings together international research and critical debate about art, art history and visual cultures. This key annual event is an opportunity to keep up to date with new research, hear leading keynotes, broaden networks and exchange ideas. The Annual Conference is open to all, and members of the Association receive discounted rates. Attracting around 500 delegates each year, the conference is popular with academics, curators, practitioners, PhD students, early career researchers and non-art historians engaged with art history research.

Scope/Provocation

The Annual Conference reflects the Association for Art History’s commitment to a broad and inclusive art history for all. We therefore strive for a broad and inclusive range of sessions, across all areas of research and practice, including Medieval, Early Modern, and research that focuses on practice outside of Europe and North America.

Our 2021 Annual Conference aims to draw out the latest international research and debates within art history, curating and visual studies that will set the agenda for future scholarship in these diverse but inter-related fields. We are particularly interested in sessions that work across established boundaries, be they disciplinary, geographical or conceptual. Sessions will also explore issues of pedagogy and historiography in art and curating histories, and debate the role of regional centres within art-historical and curating discourses.

Partnerships & Collaborations

Each year we work with one or multiple institutions who help us host and deliver this key international event. For 2021 we are working with the university and museums and galleries in and around Birmingham. As a place Birmingham has a rich and important history and location. It connects us historically and contemporaneously to vibrant and often challenging art histories. From its Victorian status as the ‘workshop of the world’ and proximity to the Jewellery Quarter and the Potteries, to the world’s largest collection of Pre-Raphaelite art at Birmingham Museum and Art Galleries, a home for refugees from Nazism, the cradle of Black British Art in Wolverhampton, and socially-engaged contemporary arts organisations including Ikon and Grand Union. Even virtually, we hope to bring you a bit of brilliant Birmingham, and what it has to offer for new encounters with art history.

2021 Tickets

The Association for Art History’s 2021 online Annual Conference is open to all. Enjoy the UK’s leading event for art history from the comfort of your own home. Our 2021 event offers you:

50% more sessions, more international papers and more inspiring keynotes
Lower ticket prices
A conference programme spread over more days
No accommodation or travel costs

	Day Ticket	Full Ticket
Member	£38 (usually £95/£115)	£138 (usually £205/£245)
Member Concession	£28 (usually £55/£70)	£96 (usually £120/£140)

Standard	£75 (usually £125/£150)	£225 (usually £310/£370)
Concession	£55 (usually £75/£90)	£130 (usually £140/£165)

* Usual ticket prices are based on 2020 ticket prices for a 3-day in-person event, compared to a 4-day virtual event. To make your life easier, we’ve introduced a new conference & membership ticket. Being a member is not compulsory, but if you want to take advantage of the membership discount, you can now get both together.

	Ticket with Membership	Ticket with Concession Membership

Day ticket	£98 (incl. £60 membership)	£58 (incl.£30 membership)
Full ticket	£198 (incl. £60 membership)	£126 (incl. £30 membership)

*Concession conference tickets and membership applies to students and those on low income of less than £20,000 per year. All delegates, including speakers and convenors, need to pay the appropriate conference fee. Your conference ticket includes access to all sessions, keynotes, bookfair, visits, tours and networking opportunities.

Go to our dedicated 2021 Annual Conference website for full session listings, tickets, information and FAQs.