CONVOCATION III
CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
DEADLINE:23 February 2026, noon CET
A Gathering of Language-based Artistic Research
30 June - 3 July 2026
Expositur Rustenschacherallee 2-4
University of Applied Arts Vienna
1020 Vienna, Austria
Convocation — from com ‘with, together’ and vocare ‘to call’. We call for a live “coming together” of artistic researchers whose practices engage with the materiality and mediality of language: from the wordless corporeality of body language to the virtuality of digital text, from the voicing of spoken utterance to the textility of words on a page. Taking place in Vienna (30 June - 3 July 2026), Convocation III is a gathering of expanded language-based artistic research. Convocation III is conceived as a reciprocal space for creating interconnections with a wider international community of artistic researchers working with language. The focus on language within artistic research is considered from a broad and transforming perspective to include diverse fields such as visual arts, performance, film, theatre, music, choreography as well as literature. The intent is not to define or fix what language-based artistic research is but rather to reflect how it is practised in its diversity.
CONVOCATION III is not a public event, nor is it a conventional ‘conference’ with presented ‘papers’ followed by Q+A. CONVOCATION is conceived as an intimate gathering of language-based artistic research involving the sharing of practice between contributing researchers. Rather than a public conference or symposium as such, CONVOCATION III has been planned with a more personal format, allowing for exchange and conversation between contributors, especially through a process of ‘practice sharing’.
LOCATION
The building on Rustenschacherallee, the former studio of sculptor Fritz Wotruba, belongs to the University of Applied Arts Vienna. It is facilitated by the Support Kunst & Forschung unit, which generates and connects independent artistic research. The site comprises various indoor research spaces surrounded by a walled garden. It is situated on the edge of the Prater, a large public park in Leopoldstadt, the second district of Vienna. We invite proposals that make the most of this distinctive location, whether inside the building, in the gardens or further afield in the Prater or neighbouring districts.
BACKGROUND
Convocation III is hosted by the Society of Artistic Research Special Interest Group for Language-based Artistic Research (co-founded by Emma Cocker, Alexander Damianisch, Cordula Daus and Lena Séraphin).
For more on previous Convocations see the following links:
Convocation I - Venice, 2019.
Convocation II - Vienna, 2023
CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
The focus of Convocation III is on the sharing of language-based artistic research practices - accordingly contributions need to be “language-based”; “artistic research” and focused on the sharing of “practices”.
Contributions can take the form of:
FORMAT 1: Participatory Practice Sharing
Duration: 30 – 90 minutes
* an experiential encounter with the live unfolding of a practice — we invite diverse forms of sharing that could be participatory, exploratory, experimental, speculative. These could include “doing things” together, walks, collective activities or exercises, actions, workshop formats (and other possibilities …)
FORMAT 2: Performative Practice Sharing
Duration: 20 minutes max
* a performative encounter or sharing of a practice — we invite you to test and to try something out with a peer-audience, rather than presenting ‘ready-made’ performances as such.
FORMAT 3: Glimpses
Duration: 10 mins max
* short sharings or presentations that give a flavour or offer a glimpse into a practice — we invite you to share/show/activate/expose a practice rather than presenting a power-point ‘about’.
- We welcome proposals from individuals as well as from collaborations and groups.
- Please note this is an in-person event and will not be streamed or recorded.
- Please make sure you carefully read the guide on ‘how to apply’, as applications which deviate from the specific format for submission will not be accepted.
HOW TO APPLY
PROPOSAL DETAILS
* Title:
* Who: For groups, please list group members as well as main contact.
Description (300 words max)
* Briefly outline how language-based practices feature within your artistic research approach?
* What language-based artistic research practice do you wish to share during Convocation III?
* How do you propose to share your practice?
* Which format of sharing do you propose:
(FORMAT 1) Participatory Practice Sharing (Duration: between 30 - 90 minutes [please specify in your application]); (FORMAT 2) Performative Practice Sharing (Duration: 20 minutes max) or (FORMAT 3) Glimpses (Duration: 10 min. max)
* Requirements: Please describe preferred location (indoor/outdoor, etc.) and technical requirements.
Please note: The event will have minimal technical support – there will be a beamer/projector for presentations. Please consider if you need to bring specific technical items.
VISUALS/MATERIALS
1-3 images per practice (300 dpi, jpg format, 3 MB max), video [mov. or mp4 for video, max. 3 minute] or audio [wav. or mp3 for sound files, max 3 minute] showing/sharing the practice (if appropriate).
Deadline: 23 February 2026 noon CET
Notification of acceptance: 15 March 2026
WHERE TO SEND:
Please send submissions to emma.cocker@ntu.ac.uk, using the phrase ‘Convocation III 2026' in the email subject-line.
In the case of large files, please send by wetransfer.com or swisstransfer.com only. Please do not send links to dropbox, google drives, one-drives etc.
COSTS
* There will be a modest cost to be paid by each person (expected to be less than 100 EURO) for attending Convocation III, to contribute towards hospitality and catering.
* Selected contributors can be issued a letter of acceptance (on request) to assist you with securing funding from your own institutional and other funding sources - for travel etc. The organisers of Convocation III cannot assist with or advise contributors on making funding applications.