Call for Papers & Performances - The Ambient Music Conference

Dear SAR Members,

We are pleased to announce The Ambient Music Conference, taking place on September 15–17, 2026, in Copenhagen. Hosted by the Rhythmic Music Conservatory (RMC) in collaboration with the Sound Studies Lab at the University of Copenhagen as well as Roskilde University, the conference marks the first international research event of this decade dedicated entirely to ambient music. We invite artists, researchers, and practitioners from around the world to contribute with research papers, audio papers, or performances.

Call for Contributions

We welcome submissions from diverse disciplines, including artistic research, sound studies, musicology, media studies, anthropology, cultural studies, performance studies, and more. The conference aims to explore the evolving landscape of ambient music in its many forms, expressions, and contexts.

Possible topics for consideration could be (but are not limited to):

• Local variants and approaches to ambient music all around the planet
• Ambient music scenes and social music practices in diverse regions and societies
• Ambient music, digital streaming platforms, and the environment
• Listening technologies and production networks for ambient music - including immersive sound formats
• Historical, current, and future approaches in the distribution of ambient music
• Ambient music, mood regulation, and affective control
• Ambient music subgenres and hybrids such as Dark Ambient, Lowercase Ambient, Witch House, Isolationist Ambient or Goblincore
• Ambient uses of music and ambient listening strategies in architecture, art, design and film
• Ambient music in social media and audiovisual media genres

For this conference we are looking for local histories, practices and reflections from all areas on this planet. We especially encourage contributions engaging with ambient music from outside the well-known cities and cultural hubs in Europe and the US. We invite contributions especially from Africa and Asia, from South America and the Middle East. Join us in exploring the past, present, and future of ambient music in an international research community.

Presentation Formats:

• Research Papers (20-minute presentations)
• Audio Papers (12-15 minutes, combining spoken argument with sound-based inquiry)
• Performances (20-30 minutes)

Please note that an immersive 16-channel sound system is at your disposal if relevant to your work.

📌 Submission Deadline: June 1, 2025, at 12:00 PM (CEST)
📩 Send abstracts or outlines to: ambient@soundstudieslab.org

For full details, please visit: Call for Papers & Performances.

We would be grateful if you could share this call with colleagues, artists and researchers who may be interested.