Alliance for the Arts in Research Universities opens call for proposals for fall conference at KU

LAWRENCE — The Alliance for the Arts in Research Universities (A2RU) invites proposals for its national conference Nov. 7-9 at the University of Kansas. The submission deadline for proposals is April 5.

A2RU is a national organization — supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts — that advances the role of the arts in higher education through promoting interdisciplinary research, curricula, programs and creative practices. The 2019 A2RU conference theme is “knowledges: artistic practice as method.”

“A2RU has found fertile ground for discovering and exploring new intersections of ‘knowledges’ for our annual meeting in partnership with the University of Kansas. We are eager for our partners to experience KU’s thriving, connected interdisciplinary community,” said Maryrose Flanigan, associate director of A2RU.

The Spencer Museum’s Integrated Arts Research Initiative (IARI) and The Commons are among several campus partners supporting the A2RU conference at KU, and they have played a key role in connecting KU research communities with A2RU.

“Hosting this conference gives us an opportunity to both showcase the exceptional and innovative collaborative work being done at KU and share the work of scholars at other institutions and universities as a way to better understand and inspire knowledge formation across disciplines,” said Emily Ryan, director of The Commons.

Researchers, artists and other practitioners are encouraged to submit proposals that take the format of group inquiries that challenge previously held beliefs, lightning talks that connect ideas for work in development, or presentations and performances that share work that is more fully developed.

Visit the A2RU 2019 national conference page for more details about the call for proposals. Conference registration will open this summer.