Confer­ence Overview

We live in a time in which we’re constantly reminded of the economic and cultural primacy of digital and AI tech­nolo­gies. In this context, we’re play­fully conjur­ing the orig­i­nal digital, the hand­made. What do craft and furni­ture making — as mate­r­ial, cultural, economic, and social prac­tices — offer? What ques­tions does craft invite that are partic­u­lar to this time? How does craft nourish commu­nity when many working in public health speak of a crisis of lone­li­ness? How do we find adap­ta­tion, inspi­ra­tion, and resilience in the handmade?

Call for Proposals

The Furni­ture Society invites you to submit propos­als for FS27: THE ORIG­I­NAL DIGITal: the Hand­made in a Rapidly Chang­ing Envi­ron­ment. Together we will explore both the chal­lenges makers and educa­tors in craft and furni­ture making are facing today, and amplify the ways in which indi­vid­u­als and commu­ni­ties are creat­ing new systems and models, bridg­ing digital and analog tech­nolo­gies, rethink­ing our use of resources, and build­ing resilient and more equi­table commu­ni­ties. What do you look to for inspi­ra­tion?

We are accept­ing propos­als for the following programs:

• Pre-confer­ence workshops

• Artist talks

• Panel discus­sions

• Demon­stra­tions

• Other — What would you like to see/​do at the confer­ence to engage attendees?

Submis­sion Guidelines

We invite indi­vid­u­als, groups, and orga­ni­za­tions to submit propos­als that align with the confer­ence themes and ques­tions. Please complete the submis­sion form which will include: 

• Title of your presentation

• Abstract (150 – 250 words): A brief overview of your session’s content and objectives.

• Format: Specify whether your proposal is for a presen­ta­tion, panel discus­sion, pre-confer­ence/­dur­ing confer­ence work­shop, artist talk, etc.

• Bio (100 words): A brief biog­ra­phy high­light­ing your exper­tise and rele­vance to the topic.

• AV Require­ments: Any audio-visual needs for your session.

• Images: If visuals are essen­tial to the expla­na­tion of the proposal

For ques­tions, contact Pam Robin­son at education.​director@​furnituresociety.​org

Time­line:

Oct 5: Call for proposals open

Nov 22: Call for proposals close

Dec 14 — 15: Noti­fi­ca­tions for accepted proposals 

Dec 22: Dead­line for acceptance

Jan 11: Contact rejected proposals