Call for Presentations / Artist Pedagogy and Artistic Thinking: Perspectives and Practices Conference 2026

The University of the Arts Helsinki Research Institute and the Research Profiling Project 7 Artistic Thinking driven Artist Pedagogy announce    

Artist Pedagogy and Artistic Thinking: Perspectives and Practices  

International Research Conference, 27–29 August 2026 at University of the Arts Helsinki Sörnäinen Campus with an online post-conference on 4 September 2026

Among its many functions, art has a significant societal role in promoting new insights, a sense of community, and well-being. We believe that artists are societal change-makers and that nurturing their constructive growth in educational settings requires special attention. We are therefore interested in how artist pedagogies and artistic thinking can help shape our future in ever more uncertain times. As inequality, fragmentation, and polarisation continue to challenge our societies, how is our teaching responding and why?  

The conference addresses its thematics through a two-day live event at the premises of the Sörnäinen Campus of the University of the Arts Helsinki, Finland. The live event includes two keynote addresses, presentations by conference delegates, and social gatherings. The online post-conference day happens a week after and is meant for retrospective reactions and reflections. 

The Artist Pedagogy and Artistic Thinking: Perspectives and Practices conference will offer a lively opportunity for exchange and feedback allowing participants to envision new approaches in and future opportunities for artist pedagogy in contextually diverse and cross-artistic educational settings.  

The Call for Presentations is open until 1 December 2025.  

Please read the vision statement and full call and access the submision form here: Artist Pedagogy and Artistic Thinking: Perspectives and Practices Conference 

The conference is arranged by the University of the Arts Helsinki Research Institute and it is funded by the Research Council of Finland research profiling funding.