10th International Visual Methods Conference
22-24 March 2027
Teesside University, Middlesbrough, UK

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Background
Teesside University, home to the Institute for Collective Place Leadership (ICPL) and MIMA (Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art), is thrilled to invite contributions to the 10th edition of the International Visual Methods Conference (IVMC27), hosted from 22-24 March 2027 in the vibrant, culturally diverse city of Middlesbrough, UK.

Since its inaugural event in 2009, the International Visual Methods Conference has developed a reputation as a leading interdisciplinary forum for researchers, artists, visual scholars, activists, practitioners and other professionals to engage in dialogue with one another.

Theme
The topic of this 10th edition is “People, Place, Narrative”. It foregrounds the entanglements of visuality, lived experience, and spatio-temporal narratives. Building on recent editions focused on bridging perspectives, transitions, and generational shifts, we will foreground community-led visual methods, collaborative storytelling, and the politics of representation across urban, rural, and hybrid environments. This is an exciting opportunity to advance the field by exploring the intersection between decolonial, ecological, EDI and disability initiatives and participatory approaches to visual inquiry, drawing connections between people’s lived narratives and the places they inhabit and/or imagine.

We propose four tracks:

Imaginative and Innovative Places
Empowered and Inclusive Places
Sustainable and Resilient Places
Visual Methods: Collaborative Work and Practices at a Crossroads

Contributions can be in the form of extended abstracts, papers, panel proposals, workshop proposals, and/or proposals for visual exhibitions, participatory work or creative activities. We are looking to build an eclectic programme with the widest possible range of contributions and interventions. Please feel free to contact the conference chairs at Teesside University to discuss proposal ideas.

Conference format
The conference will primarily take place on site, hosted by Teesside University, in Middlesbrough, UK, but online presentations will be supported both live and pre-recorded too.