CAA News Today

Many CAA members might not be aware that the Annual Conference Committee has approved the ability for artists and art historians to propose a wide variety of sessions in alternative formats for this year and subsequent conferences. Through its Open Forms category, members may submit, for example, themed panels that feature alternative formats such as panel discussions or interviews, or even sessions that provide alternate speaking lengths, rather than the usual five speakers in twenty-minute presentations. These are just some of the many possibilities that members may suggest. Of particular interest are sessions making use of new technologies, such as Skype, or other means to expand the scope of material that can be shared with session participants.

The new sessions will be added to the standard session process as a way of encouraging dynamic and experimental approaches to the conference. CAA supports this as part of its 2010–2015 Strategic Plan in which exploring alternative formats for the annual conference is a goal. A Board of Directors–appointed Task Force to Review Annual Conference Technologies, under the leadership of CAA’s vice president for Annual Conference, Jacqueline Francis, is currently investigating a wide variety of possibilities (including digital formats) for our conference and will be making recommendations to the board for changes at meetings in the coming year. An exciting innovation already in place for our coming 2013 conference is free Wi-Fi for conference goers. As CAA further explores how to implement new technologies and related new formats for presentation, member-driven ideas at upcoming Annual Conferences will be of particular interest for the board. As such, all members are encouraged to consider an alternative session proposal along with the traditional models.

To submit a proposal for an Open Forms session, please visit http://www.collegeart.org/proposals/2014. Deadline extended: September 14, 2012.