[Commlist] CFP: 37th Society for Animation Studies (SAS) Annual Conference

Call for Papers

The 37th Society for Animation Studies Conference will take place in the 
city of Pittsburgh (USA) from June 15 to 18, 2026 (with optional 
excursions to follow on June 19-20). It will be hosted by the 
Pennsylvania Expanded Animation Alliance (PA XAA), a consortium of 
faculty from local universities (including Carnegie Mellon University, 
Point Park University, Robert Morris University, and the University of 
Pittsburgh) in concert with the Children’s Museum Pittsburgh. /The event 
will also be hybrid, with additional details to follow./

For this year’s conference, we especially welcome proposals that engage 
with the theme of “The Animate Experience.” While this theme presents 
many productive interpretations, this conference will attempt to raise 
questions about animation as a philosophical inquiry and as a way of 
processing extreme experiences that lead to such psychological states as 
affect and trauma. We particularly encourage submissions that explore 
the potential and limitations of animation as a means of coping with 
experiences for animation makers and animation audiences and as a 
vehicle for social emotional learning.

We invite proposals on any animation-related topic but encourage in 
particular proposals that engage with the theme of the Animate 
Experience. Topics may include, but are not limited to:

  *

    Animation as affective practice: Haptic and/vs digital

  *

    Animation as witnessing: Translating experience through animation

  *

    Mediated empathy: Creating safe distance or bringing closer to the 
event

  *

    Beyond indexicality: Abstraction and emotion

  *

    Vicarious resilience: Animation as a vehicle for (learning) coping

  *

    Animation and pedagogy: Animation in the classroom

  *

     From screen to community: Animation and its role in the public
    dialogue

  *

    Representation of experience: Hollywood and/vs independent animation

  *

    Documentary animation: Documenting the undocumentable

  *

    Animation and the Anthropocene: Animating environment

We welcome the following submissions:

  *

    Papers, Microtalks and Panels:

      o

        Individual conference paper: 300-word abstract, 3-5
        bibliographic references, 2-3 keywords, and 100-word author
        biography

      o

        5-minute micro talk: 150-word abstract, 2-3 bibliographic
        references, 2-3 keywords, and 100-word author biography

      o

        Panel: 500-word panel summary, plus 300-word abstract and 3-5
        bibliographic references per paper, and 100-word author
        biography per panel member. Proposed panels should comprise 4
        panellists.

/Please note that each person may only submit a proposal for //ONE// of 
the above categories. Multiple submissions from the same individual will 
be rejected./

Please submit your paper, micro talk, OR panel proposal: via Oxford 
Abstracts <http://submissions.animate-experience.com/> 
http://submissions.animate-experience.com/ 
<http://submissions.animate-experience.com/>

  *

    Animated Works

      o

        Screening: We will hold a screening of animated works from SAS
        practitioners as part of the conference proceedings.
        /Submissions should be no longer than 10 minutes in length/.
        Please include a link from which the proposed animation can be
        downloaded, supplemented with a project description of 350-500
        words, 2-3 keywords, and a 100-word artist biography. Please
        also confirm that you, as the creator of the work, have the
        necessary rights to screen the animation at the conference
        Please submit screening proposals here:
        screening@animate-experience.chttps://forms.gle/cHwSaKGi772Tw92c7
        <https://forms.gle/cHwSaKGi772Tw92c7>

  *

    Exhibition: We will host a gallery exhibition of short and or
    interactive animated works as well as production materials (stills
    or objects) from SAS practitioners & students as part of the
    conference proceedings. Animated artworks should be no longer than 2
    to 7 minutes in length, interactive animation length should be no
    longer than 30 minutes. Please include a link from which the
    proposed animation can be streamed/downloaded, supplemented with a
    project description of 350-500 words, 2-3 keywords, and a 100-word
    artist biography. Please also confirm that you, as the creator of
    the work, have the necessary rights to exhibit the animation at the
    conference gallery.

    Please submit exhibition proposals here:
    (exhibition /at/ animate-experience.com)
 <http://animate-experience.com/><https://forms.gle/cHwSaKGi772Tw92c7>https://forms.gle/cHwSaKGi772Tw92c7
    <https://forms.gle/cHwSaKGi772Tw92c7>

/Screening and Exhibition proposals may be made //IN ADDITION TO// a 
paper, micro talk, or specialist panel proposal./

The deadline for submissions is 11:59pm (EST) on Monday, January 5, 
2026. Notifications of acceptance will be sent by the end of February 2026.

If you have any questions, please email the team at 
(information /at/ animated-experience.com) 
<mailto:(information /at/ animated-experience.com)>

Please note that, as of the time of the Conference, you will have to be 
a member of the SAS. To learn how to “Join Today” please refer to this 
page: https://v4.animationstudies.org/register/ 
<https://v4.animationstudies.org/register/>

About the SAS

The Society for Animation Studies (SAS) is an international organization 
dedicated to the study of animation history, theory and practice. It was 
founded by Dr. Harvey Deneroff in 1987. Each year, the SAS holds an 
annual conference at locations throughout the world, where members 
present their recent research. For more information, contact SAS 
Co-Presidents Dr. Cristina Formenti and Dr. Mihaela Mihailova at 
(president /at/ animationstudies.org) <mailto:(president /at/ animationstudies.org)>.

About This Year's Hosts

The Pennsylvania Expanded Animation Alliance (PA XAA) is an educational 
non-profit corporation dedicated to cultivating a proactive, resilient, 
and mutually supportive animation ecosystem in our region. We champion 
workforce development rooted in interdisciplinary collaboration; 
Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) education; as 
well as expanded animation practices that go beyond conventional 
screen-based formats to explore immersive, performative, and pragmatic 
experiences across diverse aspects of life.

Any Questions may be directed to (information /at/ animate-experience.com) 
<mailto:(information /at/ animate-experience.com)>


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