CFP: 5th International Artefacta Conference “Sustainability and Heritage”

The Fifth International Artefacta Conference, organised by the Estonian National Museum and the University of Tartu, will be held in Tartu and Viljandi, Estonia, April 14–16, 2027.

The theme of the Fifth International Artefacta Conference is “Sustainability and Heritage”, which connects objects and material culture to discussions of sustainability and cultural heritage. Sustainability is increasingly significant and relevant to the study of artefacts, material culture, and heritage. Beyond cultural, social, and economic sustainability, concerns about ecological viability and the climate crisis are prompting scholars to view artefacts, material culture, and the materiality of cultural heritage in new light and contexts, and to ask new questions. The meaning of cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible, is shifting from an object of preservation to a cultural resource for sustainability and resilience.

The conference welcomes abstract proposals on the theme from around the world and from interdisciplinary perspectives, including material culture studies, history, archaeology, ethnology, anthropology, folkloristics, craft science, conservation, museology, art history, design, architecture, heritage science, cultural policy, and related fields. The conference is open to all kinds of academic research, including practice-led and artistic research.

The conference invites oral and poster presentations, as well as practical workshops. The length of the proposals is a maximum of 1000 characters. Multiple presenters or workshop conveners are permitted.

The deadline for submissions is November 15, 2026.