17th Conference of the Society for Artistic Research (SAR 2026)

Welcome to SAR 2026

Endangered Conceptual Worlds

The 2026 International Forum on Artistic Research took place from 23 to 26 June 2026. Hosted by the University of Galway on the Atlantic coast of Ireland, the Forum addresses the challenges of Endangered Conceptual Worlds. As the 17th annual conference of the Society for Artistic Research it has been the largest conference on practice-based research within and through the arts, bringing together over 350 participants from more then 50 countries worldwide: leading practitioners, scholars and policymakers from the entire range of arts-based disciplines.

The 2026 Forum was a bold experiment. While introducing a much wider range of formats and involving a significantly larger number of contributors, we tried to maintain a clear thematic focus throughout. Because of the unprecedented scale and unique character of the event, navigating this complex programme brought both rewards and structural challenges. We want to hear from you about what worked well and how we can continue to evolve. Please share your insights with us!

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Forum Programme

Explore the complete interactive timetable schedule of more than 120 programme contributions. Filter slots by days, formats, or session locations instantly.

Contributors A–Z

Browse the directory of all 161 international presenters. Access custom speaker biographies and session profiles.
Registration Background

Carbon Footprint

As part of our partnership with Fáilte Ireland, we are required to submit a carbon footprint report post event. Please complete the short survey.

Lingering Gaze of Thought

Read the paper presented by Henk Borgdorf at the 2026 Forum: “We should regard artistic research itself as a cutting-edge form of academic research.”

Letter to the EU Presidency

The Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union began on 1 July. The Artistic Research Alliance (ARA) gathered at the 2026 Forum to write to the cabinet.