Theme: Creative Industries: Technologies, Tools, and Transformations

Date: 11th June 2026

Venue: London TBC

The Creative Industries Futures Symposium invites academics, industry professionals, researchers, practitioners and students to contribute to our fourth annual event. This year’s theme, Technologies, Tools, and Transformations, explores the integration and application of innovative technologies within the creative industries/practices, spanning music, games, film, and beyond.

ACM’s Creative Industries Futures offers a unique platform for the exchange of ideas, best practices, and cutting-edge research, fostering collaboration between academia and industry. We welcome submissions that engage with the theme from diverse perspectives, exploring topics such as:

  • Recent impact of technological advancements on industry practices

  • The role of technology in shaping the future of creative industries

  • Technologies as agents or inhibitors in creative practice

  • Technologies and tools as paradigm disruptors (intentional or accidental)

  • The development of new music-making tools: instruments, tools, periphery apparatuses.

  • Innovative developments in software/hardware

  • The evolution of technology and education

Types of Contribution

We invite submissions for the following formats:

  1. Research Presentations

    • Abstracts of 250-300 words outlining your research, project, or findings related to the theme.

    • Presentations should be approx. 20 minutes in length, followed by a short Q&A session.

  2. Panel Discussions

    • Proposals for engaging panel discussions (4–5 panellists) on critical issues affecting the creative industries and education.

    • Panels should encourage interaction with the audience and cover a variety of viewpoints on the theme.

  3. Workshops/Interactive Sessions

    • Proposals for hands-on workshops or interactive sessions that allow participants to explore practical aspects of education and the creative industries (desired length of workshop should be provided in proposal).

    • Workshops should provide takeaways or skills that attendees can apply in their own work or studies.

  4. Industry Case Studies

    • Submissions from industry professionals detailing real-world applications of innovative technologies in the creative sector.

    • These case studies should highlight specific collaborations, projects, or initiatives that have advanced the sector or related practices.

Submission Guidelines

Please submit your contributions through the symposium’s submission portal (from January) All submissions should include:

  • A title for your presentation, panel, or workshop

  • A 250–300 word abstract describing your contribution

  • Names, affiliations, and bios of all contributors (up to 5 participants for panel discussions)

  • Audio-visual or other technical requirements (if applicable)

We welcome submissions from a diverse range of contributors, including academics, educators, industry professionals, and students. All selected contributions will be reviewed by a peer panel for relevance, originality, and engagement with the theme.

Key Dates

  • Call for Contributions Deadline: 2nd April

  • Notification of Acceptance: 14th April

  • Event Date: 11th June 2026

We look forward to your contributions to this dynamic, thought-provoking symposium!

Check back soon for the submission portal!