Call for Papers - English version

 

What does the street say? Art, visuality, practices and narratives of urban space. An academic conference to mark the 80th anniversary of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń

 

The city and art exist in an inseparable symbiosis, which serves as a starting point for a discussion on how this symbiosis manifests itself and how the passage of time affects it. Discussions about adapting streets (and cities in general) to human (or non-human) needs are by no means insignificant for the urban fabric. Art visible on the streets can act as society’s commentary on current issues or serve as a tool for gentrification. We intend to focus on this topic and related issues at the conference ‘What does the street say? Art, visuality, practices and narratives of urban space. An academic conference to mark the 80th anniversary of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń’.

We are keen to create an event where a wide range of perspectives can be heard, highlighting the multifaceted nature of the issues under discussion. Therefore, in addition to art historians, artists and architects, we invite cultural studies scholars, sociologists, museum professionals, cultural organisers and anyone else interested in the conference’s theme to take part.

We look forward to receiving your abstracts for presentations of up to 15 minutes, in which the following topics will be considered the most important:

•          the role of art in urban spaces;
• the influence of the city on art;
• the dialogue between art and urban space;
• narratives used in urban spaces;
• the city and social tensions;
• the city and transformation (e.g. from urbanisation towards eco-cities and 15-minute cities).

At the same time, we encourage you to propose topics relating to the city’s relationship with the arts that go beyond the list mentioned above.

The conference will take place on 3–4 December 2026 in Toruń (Poland) at the WBP – Książnica Kopernikańska building at 8 Juliusza Słowackiego Street. The presentations will be delivered in Polish and English. Abstracts may be submitted until 14 September 2026 via the registration form; the list of accepted speakers will be announced by the end of September. The conference fee (if the abstract is accepted) is 400 PLN and must be paid into the bank account specified by the organisers; the organisers do not cover travel and accommodation costs. In addition, a post-conference publication is planned.