Now accepting proposals to present at Crosscurrents: Land, Labor, and the Port
TSA’s 15th Biennial Symposium in Savannah, Georgia
Berkeley, CA—The Textile Society of America (TSA) announces its 15th Biennial Symposium, Crosscurrents: Land, Labor, and the Port, which will take place in Savannah, Georgia, October 19th – 23rd, 2016. Hosted in collaboration with Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), the organizers invite submissions of proposals for paper presentations, organized sessions, panels, exhibitions and poster sessions that address the ways in which textiles shape, and are shaped by historical, geographical, technological and economic aspects of colonialization and/or globalization. The deadline for submissions is October 1, 2015.
TSA symposia appeal to a diverse group whose specializations span the textiles field and beyond, and proposals from all disciplines are welcome. “The cross-disciplinary character of the membership makes the Symposium exciting”, emphasizes TSA Vice President Vita Plume. “Presenting at the Symposium is an opportunity to share the latest research, meet new colleagues, and make friendships that develop and strengthen over the years.”
“TSA continues to create new opportunities for participation, foster an environment that encourages diversity, and cultivate the next generation of textile professionals,” says Executive Director Tali Weinberg. “This year we are proud to announce two new submission categories: A call for exhibitions to offer additional opportunities for contemporary textile artists and curators; and a call for poster sessions to encourage participation from students and new professionals and provide a platform for research-in-progress.”
TSA President Roxane Shaughnessy adds: “Due to our partnership with Digital Commons, University of Nebraska – Lincoln, participants’ presentations have a broad and ongoing impact on the field. In addition to the dynamic conversations that take place at every symposium, the published TSA Proceedings reach tens of thousands of people worldwide. Nine hundred and thirty papers have been published online since 2011, and have been downloaded close to 300,000 times.”
Savannah’s location and history in the southern United States is an ideal place to examine the interaction between local practices and global markets. “Savannah is, and has been since its inception, a hub for textile and design flows, as people, goods, raw materials, art and media have moved through her ports, rail lines, highways, universities, and museums,” says Symposium Co-Chair and SCAD Anthropology Professor Susan Falls. “SCAD is very excited to co-host the 2016 Symposium and we hope participants will find this a productive site for stimulating conversation, research, and aesthetic responses to the ongoing dynamics powering the world of textiles.”
The complete call for submissions including guidelines, eligibility, timeline, financial aid opportunities, and a link to online submission forms is available at https://textilesocietyofamerica.org/call-for-papers/.
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The Textile Society of America is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that provides an international forum for the exchange and dissemination of textile knowledge from artistic, cultural, economic, historic, political, social, and technical perspectives. Established in 1987, TSA is governed by a Board of Directors from museums and universities in North America. Our 800 members worldwide include curators and conservators, scholars and educators, artists, designers, makers, collectors, and others interested in textiles.
Founded in 1978, the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) offers 40 majors and 60+ minors taught by 650 full time faculty for 11,000 students at campuses located in Savannah, Atlanta, Lacoste (France) and Hong Kong. SCAD has eight galleries in Savannah, four in Atlanta, two in Lacoste, and one in Hong Kong as well as a major museum space in Savannah.
