The Symposium
Where/when is the symposium taking place?
The fifth edition of Poetics + Politics will take place at the University of Santa Cruz, California during May 14-17, 2026.
What will the symposium be like?
Poetics and Politics is conceived of as a small and intimate gathering, designed to nurture conversation and community across our time together. There will be few, if any, simultaneous panels or competing events/screenings, we will gather together as a group.
What will the presentations be like, and what is the A/V setup?
The symposium will take place in a mid-sized black box theater with a stationary Mac laptop, video projection and sounds. If accepted, you will be allotted approximately 20 minutes for your presentation. Presentation formats are open. While 20 minute presentations will be prioritized, we may be able to program a very limited number of screenings and space intensive projects like installations.
How much is the registration fee?
There will be a small registration fee, offered as a sliding scale. Details forthcoming.
Can I attend the symposium without presenting?
Yes! If your proposal is not accepted, you are still encouraged to participate. We will be offering registration via eventbrite.
Can I attend virtually?
Virtual participation is not encouraged. We do not have the capabilities to support a hybrid symposium with remote participation. However, we recognize the accessibility issues this creates, particularly in the current political climate, and we are open to making exceptions for a limited number of remote presentations. If you require a remote exception, based on capacity to travel (broadly defined), please email us after submitting your proposal with some context about your situation.
Is financial support available?
Unfortunately we do not have the resources to support attendance or pay for lodging or travel for participants.
How do I get there and where will I stay?
Travel instructions and lodging recommendations will be available closer to the date.
Submissions
When are proposals due?
Proposals were due December 1, 2025. Submissions are now closed.
Can you give me feedback on my proposal?
No, unfortunately we are not able to offer feedback on in process proposals.
What if my proposal idea doesn’t fit into the options presented?
We are open to people’s ideas and don’t want to be prescriptive, so please submit the format that you think is best for what you are trying to do. But please read the CFP and FAQs first, for additional guidelines.
Can I submit a finished film?
Yes, but we can only screen a very few feature length films (if any at all). The emphasis of the symposium is on works-in-process as we are hoping to engender interaction and dialogue.
How many proposals will be accepted?
Our acceptance rate is constrained by a relatively few open slots. In 2019, we staged 16 panels, with about 48 presenters.
Can I suggest a pre-constituted panel?
For most submissions, we will place accepted proposals into curated panels (of 3-4 participants). However, you may submit a proposal for a pre-constituted panel if that is important to what you are proposing.
When will I hear back about my proposal?
By February 1, 2026, you will receive an email, letting you know if your proposal has been accepted. Unfortunately, we will not be able to offer feedback as to why your proposal was not accepted.
Additional Questions
If you have additional questions, reach out to us at poeticsandpolitics@ucsc.edu.