March 19–20, 2027
State Historical Society of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
How do people create a sense of home and belonging in places shaped by migration and mobility? How do communities sustain traditions, negotiate change, and build connections across difference? In confronting these pressing issues of our time, art and culture often play a central role, serving as powerful tools in building relationships, negotiating difference, and making space for new forms of collective life.
The Interdisciplinary Migration Studies Institute invites artists, activists, performers, faith leaders, educators, community organizers, cultural workers, students, migrants, and scholars to join us for a community event that explores this relationship between migration, mobility, creativity, and community. We welcome participants from all backgrounds and encourage contributions that draw on lived experience, creative practice, community engagement, research, or combinations of these approaches.
Deadline for Submissions: October 15, 2026
Submit Proposals here:
We especially welcome participants who can share their knowledge and experience about the following questions:
- How have artistic collaborations created spaces where people from different cultural, linguistic, or religious backgrounds can encounter one another in new ways?
- How have communities used art to navigate difference, address tensions, and build connections across lines of migration, identity, and experience?
- What role does participation in artistic and cultural life play in fostering belonging for both newcomers and established community members?
- How have artists, organizers, educators, faith leaders, and community groups used creative practices to cultivate trust, solidarity, and a shared sense of belonging?
- How have museums, cultural institutions, libraries, religious institutions, schools, public spaces, and community organizations used the arts to support meaningful encounters between immigrants and longer-standing community members?
The event will feature short presentations, roundtable discussions, performances, workshops, and a gallery exhibition at the State Historical Society of Missouri showcasing projects and creative works.
We encourage submissions from individuals and groups. Proposals may be submitted as individual presentations, performances, workshops, exhibits, panels, or other formats that support engagement and dialogue. If you have an idea that does not fit neatly into a traditional conference format, we would be delighted to hear from you.
Participation Formats
Presentations will typically be organized into thematic panels consisting of three 20-minute presentations followed by discussion. Presenters will have access to audiovisual support for slide presentations.
Roundtables bring together a small group of participants to engage in moderated conversation and audience discussion. Rather than formal presentations, roundtables emphasize dialogue, shared experiences, and collective reflection. We welcome proposals for complete roundtables as well as individual expressions of interest.
Workshops are one-hour, hands-on sessions designed to teach attendees (up to 25 participants) a particular creative practice, collaborative method, or community-engagement approach. Audiovisual support will be available.
We welcome both live and recorded performances that showcase or model artistic collaboration. Our venue can accommodate musical, dance, theatrical, spoken-word, and multimedia performances, as well as filmed versions of these forms.
The event will feature an accompanying exhibition showcasing artistic, cultural, educational, and community-based projects related to migration, belonging, and community formation. Projects may include visual art, photography, documentary work, storytelling initiatives, community-engaged arts projects, digital media, educational exhibits, oral history projects, and other creative or collaborative endeavors.
Proposal Submission Guidelines
All proposals must be submitted through the online application portal.
The following information is required for all submission types:
- Title of the proposed presentation, workshop, performance, or project
- Name(s) of all participant(s)
- Email address(es) of all participant(s)
In addition, please submit the materials listed below for your selected participation format.
- A description of the proposed presentation (300 words or fewer)
- A brief biographical statement, including institutional affiliation if applicable (50 words or fewer)
- A description of the experience, perspective, or expertise you would bring to the discussion (300 words or fewer)
- A brief biographical statement, including institutional affiliation if applicable (50 words or fewer)
- A description of the proposed workshop and its goals (300 words or fewer)
- A brief biographical statement, including institutional affiliation if applicable, and relevant experience leading workshops (100 words or fewer)
- A description of the proposed performance and its relationship to the event theme (300 words or fewer)
- Length of the performance
- A description of any on-site needs, including audiovisual equipment, changing rooms, or other accommodations
· A project description that includes a statement explaining the project's relevance to the event theme (300 words or fewer)
· Up to five images, links, or other supporting materials
· A description of display and technical requirements, including needs for wall space, table space, digital displays, audio equipment, or other resources