Whether you’re looking for professional development, seeking to tap into sector trends or want to rub shoulders with cultural entrepreneurs, ArtsHub’s 2022 Conference and Symposia Planner maps out what’s on offer.
Note from editors: We’ve tried to be thorough, but additional dates are sure to be announced later in the year, so bookmark this story and check in with us again. We will also be tracking postponed events and new dates as they are published in response to COVID-19.
Jump to June: conferences in second half of the year.
February
MARKET SHOWCASE: Pause, Play, Perform 2022
The last two years have revolutionised artist and audience engagement in digital and hybrid performance. In May 2022, the Australian Performing Arts Market (APAM) will run an immersive digital program exploring the market for hybrid and digital performance. Pause, Play, Perform is a four-day digital program running 24-27 May. The program will include digital and hybrid performances, works in development, deep dives into the innovative practice of presenters and companies, talks, networking and artist-led workshops. EOIs open now. Registrations to attend will open in early April.
Details: 24-27 May.
APAM 2022: Gatherings will also be staged at festivals across Australia this year. To date they have not announced dates for 2022, but is expected to shortly.
CONFERENCE: Museums, Play & Games Summit (Online)
Museums are typically thought of as destinations to house and display art, artefacts and collections of cultural interest. But in an age of shortened attention spans, it’s becoming more obvious that museums can’t simply be something nice to look at — they must actively engage their visitors. To do this, many institutions are turning to play, in their various forms, to both engage and educate those who walk through their doors. The Museums Play and Games Summit will bring together museum professionals from around the globe to share best practice in creating engaging playful experiences both in the museum and online.
Details: 28 February — 2 March 2022.
TALKS: On Accountability: In Search of Lost Ethics in Performing Arts Programming (online)
How can we engage with situations of cultural complexity in ways that are accountable, transparent and ethical? An online conversation presented by APAM with guest speakers from AU and USA , this conference will explore the concrete changes that presenters/curators need to contemplate to present cultural specificity in culturally competent ways. This conversation is curated and hosted by Angela Conquet (AUS), and panel members include Merindah Donnelly (AUS), Yanira Castro (USA), Ananya Chatterjea (USA) and Thomas F DeFrantz (USA). Register your ticket.
Details: 24 February. Webinar.
March
CONFERENCE: REMIX Sydney 2022 (NSW)
REMIX Sydney 2022 is a special national summit to support the recovery and reinvention of the creative sector with the support of the RISE fund. The global conference that has roots in Australia, explores the intersection of art, technology and entrepreneurship. This year it will navigate the rapid shifts in fields such as tech, society and the environment. The first 35 speakers have announced, with more to follow. Early bird booking available.
Details: 8-9 March. Great Hall, UTS Sydney.
SYMPOSIUM: anti-symposium, Biennale of Sydney (NSW)
Rivers, wetlands and other salt and freshwater ecosystems feature in the 23rd Biennale of Sydney (2022), titled rīvus, as dynamic living systems with varying degrees of political agency. Key also is the role Indigenous knowledge systems and storytelling play alongside architects, designers, scientists, artists.
anti-symposium will be presented alongside the exhibition, and will ‘gift educators with new tools to explore within collaborative learning environments, through newly created exercises and resources that extend beyond the three-day experience.’
Each day of the anti-symposium will be led by artists and pedagogical practitioners including Pablo Helguera (Day 1), Stephanie Springgay (Day 2) and collective project, Creekulum (Day 3). The structure of anti-symposium is inspired by artist Asad Raza’s Schema for a School, 2015 and includes tea, meditation, active exercises, reading groups, reflective strategies and collaborative resource construction.
Details: 24-26 March, at The Waterhouse, The Cutaway at Barangaroo. Exhibition continues until 13 June.
CONFERENCE: Australian International Documentary Conference (VIC)
The Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) has announced the full program for its first-ever hybrid event – including over 40 sessions, more than 90 speakers and 70-plus industry decision makers. It will take place in-person at ACMI Melbourne, and simultaneously online, from 6-9 March 2022, with an online-only international marketplace 10-11 March 2022. AIDC 2022’s central theme – Bearing Witness – considering how documentaries have continued to bring us vital stories from the frontlines and the margins during unprecedented times. Check out the incredible line up of speakers.
Details: 6-9 March, ACMI Melbourne, and simultaneously online, plus an online-only international marketplace 10-11 March.
SYMPOSIUM: All About Women (NSW)
For the eighth year running, Sydney Opera House’s talks and ideas festival All About Women returns to celebrate International Women’s Day. Be inspired and challenged by remarkable guests discussing the latest thinking including Grace Tame, Rosie batty & Jamila Rizvi, Clementine Ford, among others. Program released and tickets now selling. View full program.
Details: 12-13 March, at Sydney Opera House.
TALKS: Asia Pacific Architecture Festival forum (QLD)
The Asia Pacific Architecture Festival runs from 12 – 25 March with online and in-person events taking place in Brisbane. The 2022 theme ‘co-operate, co-design, co-exist’ urges visitors to rethink the impacts of design, particularly in relation to the Asia Pacific region with its rich diversity. To view the 2022 speakers.
Details: 12 – 25 March. Multiple venues.
CONFERENCE: 2022 NAEA National Convention (USA + online)
The NAEA (National Art Education Association) National Convention is an annual event and the world’s largest art education convention. Over three days, 1,000 participatory workshops, panels, research reports, keynotes, discussions, exhibits, and tours by world-acclaimed educators, artists, researchers, and scholars are on offer. Plus, each year, some 110-200 exhibitor booths displaying the latest art textbooks, high-tech software, prints, slides, curriculum materials, equipment, and programs, as well as the latest studio and art history media are made available for examination and review by art educator delegates.
Details: 3-5 March, NYC (USA) or virtual option. Registration for the Virtual option is still open.
Read: Writers’ Festivals in 2022
SUMMIT: MuseumNext: Green Museums Summit (Online)
The health of our planet is one of the defining issues of the age, and cultural institutions have their own part to play. How can museums champion sustainable choices and educate the public about environmental impact? How can we make our museums more sustainable and embrace practices that reduce waste and move us towards net zero? The Green Museums Summit will bring together museums professionals from around the globe to share inspiration, Details: 28-30 March, online.
CONFERENCE: Design Research 2022 (online)
Design Research 2022 takes a deep dive into all things related to research for design work. Taking all aspects of research, from initial assessment to planning and conducting, and analysis and use. The event is divided into one day of workshops followed by two full days of conference presentations. The event will be hosted online, broadcasting live from Sydney. Most sessions are aimed at current practitioners, but they encourage those new to research to attend. Ticket on sale.
Details: 16–18 March 2022, online.
CONVENTION: Australian Partner Acrobatics Convention (VIC)
April
Tickets for the four-day annual training convention has been released, with workshops on acro-yoga, cheer stunting, circus, sports acrobatics and dance acrobatics for all skill levels. The festival will be held at Camp Cooriemungle in VIC. Registration open.
Details: 8–12 April, Victoria.
CONFERENCE: Rethinking the Museum (USA + online)
BML, the Climate Emergency, and the Pandemic have presented the culture sector with an opportunity to rethink the role of museums within our global realities. A series of surveys and webinars by ICOM and UNESCO, as well as the International Research Network on the Inclusive Museum, are laying out pathways to move forward. This research will be presented at the event to inspire us and provide options to make strikes forward. Registrations are now open for Rethinking the Museum: 15th International Conference on the Inclusive Museum.
Details:22-24 April. In-person Philadelphia (USA) and virtual attendance.
CONFERENCE: Association of Art Museum Curators Conference (USA + online)
The Association of Art Museum Curators (AAMC) conference offers a selection of panels, keynotes, workshops and breakout opportunities for socialising with other conference-goers. Targeted to the visual arts community, the conference will explore and create dialogues around the concept of sustainability and revitalisation. Registrations open.
Details: 30 April – 3 May, New York City (USA) and virtual attendance.
May
CONFERENCE: ICAT 2022: 16. International Conference on Art and Technology
International Conference on Art and Technology aims to bring together leading academic scientists, researchers and research scholars to exchange and share their experiences and research results on all aspects of Art and Technology. It also provides a premier interdisciplinary platform for researchers, practitioners and educators to present and discuss the most recent innovations, trends, and concerns as well as practical challenges encountered and solutions adopted in the fields of Art and Technology.
Details: 16-17 May, Sydney. Conference Code: 22AU05ICAT066
CONFERENCE: ALIA National 2022 Conference (National)
The ALIA (Australian Library and Information Association) National Conference provides the platform as a meeting point for all Library and Information Professionals, from all sectors across Australia and the international community. The Conference provides unparalleled opportunities to become strong as professionals and as an industry with engaging programs and a forum to collaborate and build partnerships.
Details: 16-19 May, National Convention Centre, Canberra.
MARKETPLACE: Showcase Victoria 2022
Showcase Victoria is Australia’s leading state-based performing arts marketplace and a critical part of Victoria’s touring process. The event is a unique platform for producers, artists and theatre-makers to make connections and showcase their work to a wide range of venue managers and programmers with the ultimate aim of facilitating touring. Plans are underway with an in-person event pencilled in for the 10 May at the Darebin Arts Centre.
The 2022 event will shift in format to be more responsive to the changing times and needs of the industry, focusing more on networking and professional development rather than live pitches and excerpts with an emphasis on dynamic online performance profiles.
Details: 10 May, Darebin Arts Centre, Victoria.
SYMPOSIUM: ISEA 2020 Symposium (Spain + online)
ISEA (International Symposium on Electronic Art) is one of the world’s most prominent international arts and technology events, bringing together scholarly, artistic, and scientific domains in an interdisciplinary discussion and showcase of creative productions applying new technologies in art, interactivity, and electronic and digital media. The event has been held over 26 times all over the world.
Details: Held in-person from 10 to 16 June in Barcelona, Spain, and virtual offering.
TALKS: Semi Permanent 2022
2022 marks the 20th anniversary of Semi Permanent – a demarcation in the evolution of both our purpose and our organisation. A milestone like this triggers a moment of reflection, imploring us to look back on our achievements and mistakes as the things that helped shape where we are today. It begs us to look forward, too, challenging us to think about where we might be in another 20 years’ time, or at the least where we hope to be. Returning with a lineup canvassing design, art, technology, fashion, music, film, video games, architecture and more – tickets are now on sale.
Details: 25 — 27 May, Carriageworks, Sydney. Tickets on sale now.
TALKS: Vivid Ideas 2022
Vivid Sydney is a festival of Ideas, Light and Music presented by Destination NSW in partnership with the City of Sydney across key venues. It is the largest festival of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. Alongside the spectacular site-responsive light works, a three week program of panel talks, masterclasses and keynote speakers is presented, which has garnered its own reputation for innovative thinking. Details of the 2022 program are yet to be announced.
Details: 27 May – 18 June, Multiple venues, Sydney.
SUMMIT: MuseumNext: Growing Audiences Summit (Online)
Museum visitation has been hit hard by the COVID Pandemic, so what are the strategies museums can use to rebuild their audiences? How can museums position themselves for success in summer 2022? And how can museums grow their audiences beyond those who traditionally visited pre-pandemic? The Growing Audiences Summit will bring together museum professionals from around the world to share inspiration, actionable idea and news.
Details: 25 — 27 May, online.
SUMMIT: MuseumNext: Digital Summit (Online)
The pandemic transformed the way in which museums used digital technology, so as the world reopens what’s next for digital in museums. We’re looking for inspiring case studies, actionable strategies and new ideas that can help our community to find digital success. The MuseumNext Digital Summit brings together more than forty international speakers to share action orientated presentations to help your museum find digital success.
Details: 30 May — 1 June, online.
June
CONFERENCE: AMaGA 2022 (Perth + online)
HEAR. US. NOW: turning conversations into action. Over four days we’ll hear from more than 50 speakers as they share their concerns for our culture and call museums and galleries into action. AMaGA 2022 will address how global issues are impacting the Arts in Australia and consider how your local activities connect to the Indian Ocean Rim communities. Delegates are invited to amplify each other’s voice, dissect the status quo, and collaborate on new models of practice. List of keynotes speakers has been announced, including Sabyasachi Mukherjee (India), Sara Raza (Punk Orientalism, USA), Gaye Sculthorpe (The British Museum), and Kristin Alford (MOD).
Details: 14-17 June, Boorloo/ Perth.
CONFERENCE: The Design Conference (QLD)
The Design Conference is an event for creatives. Attendees are offered an opportunity to evolve their practice through an elevated way of thinking. From professional insights and advice to anecdotes of self-care and growth, this experience is designed to help you find your path, expand your mind and learn from those who came before you
Details: 9-11 June, Brisbane Powerhouse (QLD)
CONFERENCE: ABA annual conference 2022 (NSW)
The Australian Booksellers Association (ABA) conference is the premier industry event for booksellers nationally. They are looking forward to welcoming the industry back to an in-person event in March taking place in Sydney. The ABA conference is a time to step away from the-day to-day business of selling books and writing and to connect with your industry, to be challenged, recharged and inspired.
Details: 12-13 March, Sheraton Grand Hotel, Sydney.
Read: 2022 arts festivals and events calendar
July
CONFERENCE: 17TH International Conference on the Arts in Society (Spain + online)
2022 Special Focus for the 17th International Conference on the Arts in Society is History/Histories: From the Limits of Representation to the Boundaries of Narrative. The conference offers an interdisciplinary forum for discussion of the role of the arts in society. It is a place for critical engagement, examination, and experimentation, developing ideas that connect the arts to their contexts in the world – on stage, in studios and theatres, in classrooms, in museums and galleries, on the streets and in communities.
Details: 4-6 July, San Jorge University, Zaragoza, Spain + online.
SUMMIT: MuseumNext: Creative Museums Summit (online)
Museums are often seen as places that put creativity on display, whether that is art, design, music, writing or science. But museums are also engines of creativity, offering audiences opportunities to make, learn and collaborate. How are museums building creativity into their organisations, and how they’re providing new opportunities to make, learn and collaborate? The Creative Museums Summit will bring together museum professionals from around the globe to share case studies, actionable strategies and new ideas on creativity in museums.
Details: 27 — 30 June, online.
August
CONFERENCE: UX Australia (online)
UX Australia is Australia’s premier conference about UX, product and service design, and the surrounding disciplines of research, content, operations, management, and more. Now in its 14th year, this online event includes conference presentations, activities and workshops, with local and international presenters covering topics and ideas relevant to experienced practitioners, newbies, and everyone in between. As our third time running things online, you can be sure they have the networking and social component covered as well. Registration now open.
Details: 23-26 August, online.
CONFERENCE: Australian Festival Industry Conference (AFIC) (QLD)
Established in 2019, the Australian Festival Industry Conference (AFIC) is the only conference in Australia dedicated exclusively to servicing the thousands of festival industry professionals that produce quality music, arts and culture, food and drink, “intellectual and ideas” and sporting festivals! Keynote speakers this year are Keynote speakers: Thea Jeanes-Cochrane – Director of Cochrane Entertainment and Ulrich Schrauth – Founder and Artistic Director behind VRHAM! Festival: the world’s first virtual reality festival, held in Germany. Other speakers and registration.
Details: 30 August – 1 September, Sea World Resort, Gold Coast.
September
TALKS: Sydney Contemporary (NSW)
Sydney Contemporary is set to return to their physical venue, Carriageworks from 8 – 11 September, showcasing 80 leading galleries and four days of art with a full program of talks.
Details: 8-11 September, Carriageworks, Sydney.
CONFERENCE: Australian Performing Arts Exchange [APAX] (NSW + online)
Across a week in September, and in partnership with host venue NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Art), the Australian Performing Arts Exchange (APAX) will offer a new look online conference. Market Applications Open Monday, 21 March 2022
Details: 5-9 September, NIDA (Sydney) and online.
October
CONFERENCE: 2022 ASA Conference
Here We Are, is the 2022 Australian Society of Archivists (ASA) conference for 2022. It will be held in Canberra and will reflect on ‘Where We Are’. Registration opens in May.
Details: 17-20 October, Hotel Realm, Canberra.
November
None yet announced.
December
CONFERENCE: ICACM 2022: International Conference on Arts and Cultural Management (NZ)
ICACM 2022: 16. aims to bring together leading thinkers and professionals to exchange and share their experiences and research results on all aspects of Arts and Cultural Management. Each month, conferences are offered globally, heading to Auckland in December, and Melbourne in February 2023. For Auckland, ICACM has teamed up with the Special Journal Issue on Arts and Cultural Management, with papers published for the special journal issue.
Details: 1-2 December, Auckland, New Zealand. Venue TBC.
What did we miss? Email editor@artshub.com.au with updates.
