ICCPR 2026 – Ottawa

The 2026 International Cultural Policy Research Conference (ICCPR) will be held at the University of Ottawa from August 17 to August 22, 2026.

Conference theme

Logo ICCPR 2026

Language plays an important role in cultural production; it is a fundamental dimension of art and heritage communication. Languages convey ways of being and cultural memory; they act as a repertoire for decisions and actions, and they enable us to engage with the world. For this edition of the ICCPR, we wish to reflect on the intersections between language and cultural policy. We wish to invite discussion on languages with regards to three distinct levels of analysis.

The first level of analysis has to do with cultural policy and strategies to protect and promote linguistic diversity in cultural production. Through this level of analysis, we wish to interrogate language as a dimension of accessibility in cultural policy. This question brings us to consider the place of language in different strategies that aim to sustain and promote cultural industries (music, theatre, cinema, literature) both nationally and internationally. Similarly, some argue that artificial intelligence and algorithms may carry a number of biases, including linguistic biases. How are cultural policies addressing the changing technological landscapes in terms of language and the accessibility of cultural content? Likewise, the intersection between language and cultural policy also brings to light the issue of cultural rights, along with several other issues such as the regulation of cultural content through quotas.

In addition to work that aligns with the main theme of the conference, we will also welcome submissions on other topics related to cultural policy research. We will be welcoming submissions and presentations in English or French. Some select sessions will feature English or French interpretation.

Important dates

Call for papers: end of September 2025

Deadline for call for papers: January 20, 2026

Notification of acceptance: end of March 2026

Registration: early April 2026

Conference: August 17 to August 22, 2026

Contact

For more information about the conference, please send us an email at: [email protected]

Organization

The 2026 ICCPR conference is co-organized by: the Collège des chaires de recherche sur le monde francophone and its Research Chair on Cultural Heritage Policies in the Francophone World; the CREAT Research Chair (UQO); and the School of Social Innovation of Saint Paul University in Ottawa.

Logo Collège des chaires de recherche sur le monde francophone
Logo CREAT Chaire en économie créative et mieux-être
Logo École d'innovation sociale Élisabeth-Bruyère

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