Transnational Artistic Relations in the Cold War Era

Join us for the Transnational Artistic Relations in the Cold War Era doctoral conference! Hosted on November 25, 2026, at the Institute of Art History, Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague, this conference is organized in collaboration with the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague and Palacký University in Olomouc.

We invite contributions that delve into how artists navigated and transcended geopolitical boundaries from 1945 to 1989. This one-day event encourages papers that focus on:

• Artistic mobility, residencies, and informal travels across the Iron Curtain 🛤️
• Exhibitions and festivals as sites for East–West encounters 🎪
• Roles of curators, critics, and intermediaries in cultural diplomacy 🤝
• Visual languages of solidarity and propaganda 🌈

We aim to shed light on the nuanced realities of transnational artistic relationships during the Cold War, emphasizing instances where art bridged ideological divides. Submissions from PhD candidates and early-career researchers in various disciplines are highly encouraged!

Practical Information:

• Location: Husova 352/4, 110 00 Praha, Czech Republic 📍
• Format: On-site 20-minute presentations; online contributions may be accepted in exceptional cases.

Submission Guidelines 📩

Please send a 250-300 word abstract and a short bio (up to 150 words) including your institutional affiliation to jana.farskahajkova01@upol.cz and lujza.kotocova@avu.cz by April 30, 2026. Acceptance notifications will be sent by June 15, 2026.

🔗 More Info Here!
🔗 Event on Facebook