Conference | AAAANZ Art Association Australia and New Zealand

The annual AAANZ conference takes place in either Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand. The conference brings together scholars from Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, and further afield. The conference attracts bewteen 300 and 500 delegates for a two-to-three day program, which typically includes over 150 papers, keynote lectures, graduate masterclasses, networking, round-tables on publishing, funding and other events. The annual conference is an important event for scholars working within the art history, art theory, curatorship, art education and arts practice. Each year the program features range of speakers from students to established, senior academics. Our aim is to support research in the arts and to draw together the diverse range of people working in universities, museums, libraries and independently.

The venue changes each year and each host venue engages with the local arts and educational groups. By holding the conference in a different major city every year the Association maintains a visible and active presence across the region. Through this geographical spread the Association develops key relationships with a large number of art museums, galleries and educational organisations broadening our scope with each new stakeholder we work with.

AAANZ works in partnership with the organising committee in the host city and each year our conference encourages collaboration between universities and the gallery sector.

The 2026 conference will be hosted by the University of Canterbury │ Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha and Christchurch Art Gallery │Te Puna o Waiwhetū in Ōtautahi │ Christchurch, Aotearoa │ New Zealand from Wednesday 2 to Friday 4 December. The title for this years conference is Haereka, a Māori word meaning journey. The title honours the journeys of those who have come before us, through time and place, while encouraging fresh readings of politics, movement and migration in art. The title acknowledges the history of Te Waipounamu South Island as lands Māori have journeyed across for hundreds of years, and know intimately, from mountain ranges to the Canterbury Plains and windswept coastlines. Opportunities to explore the city and surrounding region will be a key feature of the program.

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