Diwan, A Forum for the Arts, Seeks Call for Artisitc Presentations

posted on: Oct 10, 2008

The Arab American National Museum (AANM) is seeking artistic presentations and proposals for panels and papers for its 2009 DIWAN: A Forum for the Arts, as it builds on the great success of the 2006 and 2007 gatherings. The 2009 conference will be held at the AANM in Dearborn, Michigan March 26-29, 2009. Topics include: Performing Arts; Visual Arts; Media Arts; and Literature.

The purpose of DIWAN is to generate a national dialogue among our artists and their audiences about the state of Arab American art and to document the contributions of Arab Americans in creative fields. A book of selected papers from 2006 DIWAN has been published by Cambridge Scholars Press under the title Etching Our Own Image: Voices From Within the Arab American Art Movement.

PAPERS: Please send a one-page abstract (250–300 words) for a 15–20 minute presentation relating to Arab American arts historical development, production, aesthetics, and/or identity.

PANEL PROPOSALS: Multiple speakers required for a presentation. Please submit the panel title, presenters’ names, and an abstract for each paper within the panel.

ARTISTIC PRESENTATIONS: Please submit the theme(s) of the work that you will present, an abstract of your presentation, the format of your presentation and your technical needs. Also submit one copy of a CD-ROM, DVD, VHS formatted video, and/or a set of slides (10 images max.) that best represents your proposal. (These materials will not be returned.)

In your proposal, be sure to include your name, the title of your presentation, an email and/or postal address, your occupation, academic affiliation (if applicable), resume, and your audio-visual/technical needs. Presentation at the Forum is open to scholars, artists, and activists. You will receive an invitation to present at the Forum if your paper or artistic performance is selected.

Selected participants must submit a full-length paper to the AANM prior to the conference. Proceedings from the Forum will be compiled and made available to the public and researchers.

HONORARIUM FOR PRESENTERS: Presenters will receive an honorarium to partially subsidize travel and hotel costs to participate in DIWAN. Amount of honorarium will correlate to distance and cost of travel for each participant. Honoraria will be provided after the submission of a full paper to the AANM prior to the conference.

The deadline for proposal submission is November 14, 2008.

Acceptance notification will be made by January 9, 2009.

Please send your proposals to:
DIWAN
Arab American National Museum
13624 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn, MI 48126, USA

You may submit your proposal electronically to DIWAN@accesscommunity.org

Call 313.624.0200 for further information.