Call for Papers | 2026 SUNY New Paltz Undergraduate Art History Symposium

Abstracts deadline January 31st 

We are delighted to announce the eighth annual SUNY New Paltz Undergraduate Art History Symposium. This entirely virtual event will take place over Zoom from April 8-12, 2026.

Undergraduate students are invited to submit abstracts for a 10-minute talk on any art historical topic of their choosing. We welcome research informed by any and all theories and methodologies and encourage interdisciplinary exploration. Submissions may include a version or part of an
undergraduate thesis, an exceptional course paper, or independent research. Please send your title and abstract of no more than 300 words to
Professor Keely Heuer at heuerk@newpaltz.edu.

Note: A bibliography is not necessary. Your submission should also include your name, your major, academic year, institutional affiliation, and email. Students will be notified by the end of February 2026.

We welcome papers focused on any topic or scholarly approach within the field of art history and other related disciplines involving visual and material culture (e.g., film studies, archaeology, etc.). Students may present past or present work, whether based on a research paper, an independent study, or an honors thesis. Each talk will be ten minutes in length followed by a brief question and answer session.

All undergraduate students are eligible to apply, including those who might be recent alumni (graduating in May 2025 or after) who have not yet enrolled in a graduate program.

Abstracts of 300 words or less may be sent to at heuerk@newpaltz.edu until January 31, 2026. We ask that the submission also include the student’s name, major, academic year, institutional affiliation, and email. Students will be notified whether their paper has been accepted by the end of February.

The last symposium in April was our largest yet, with over 330 remarkable student-scholars participating from across the globe. We look forward to expanding further with your assistance, and we invite you to explore the most recent symposium, where you can access all of the session recordings, here.

It is our goal to provide students with the opportunity to share their research with a wider audience in a supportive, welcoming, and professional setting at no cost to speakers and attendees alike.