Istanbul, 11–15 September 2023

The International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives (IASA) and the International Council for Traditions of Music and Dance (ICTMD) invite you to participate in a joint event to be held from 11–15 September 2023 at the Istanbul University in Istanbul, Türkiye.

This joint event comprises the 54th IASA Annual Conference and the 4th ICTMD Forum in which, for the first time, ICTMD and IASA join forces in a shared scholarly gathering. It promises to be a wonderful opportunity for collaboration between the organizations and their many shared interests.

The event will be hybrid, combining in-person and online components. Istanbul University will be the main venue and we will also offer online access to significant portions of the event for those who are not able to attend in person. The IASA Conference will take place during the first four days. The ICTMD-IASA Forum will be featured on the last, fifth day of the event, with the aim of bringing together both IASA and ICTMD members/representatives.

The programme will include spoken papers, posters, panel discussions, keynotes, exhibitors, workshops and tutorials, the IASA General Assembly, and IASA Committee & Section meetings. Other activities are being planned and, subject to confirmation, might include: a boat tour on the Bosphorus, a traditional music concert and dance evening, traditional performers for the opening and closing events, and professional visits to the university libraries and to Turkish Radio and Television (TRT).

The ICTMD-IASA Forum on 15 September will bring together papers and panels prepared by the members of both sister societies, their ideas, experiences, and proposed solutions to the shared concerns. We expect all participants present at the Istanbul event to take advantage of being together during all five days in both formal and informal situations, to inspire and get inspired, and to build mutually beneficial foundations for future collaborations between IASA and ICTMD.

The IASA Conference and ICTMD-IASA Forum is taking place at a time marked by great challenges involved in the digital preservation of sound and audiovisual collections, as well as the threat of loss of undigitised recordings. In addition, human migration, conflict and war, and the exclusion of minorities pose threats to the safeguarding of cultural heritage. In the digital age, we wish to strengthen dialogue and collaboration to address the complex situation and preserve and safeguard the sound and audiovisual heritage of peoples of the world.

For the IASA Conference presentations on 11–14 September we invite proposals on the following themes:

1. Digital preservation in sound and audiovisual archives: new collaborative tools and strategies
2. Metadata and curation
3. Migration and sound and audiovisual archives
4. Collaborative ideas to protect sound and audiovisual heritage at risk
5. Research and dissemination
6. Diversity, accessibility, and inclusivity in archives
7. The past and future of archival studies and audiovisual archives in Türkiye and the Turkic World

For the ICTMD-IASA Forum presentations on 15 September, we invite proposals on the shared theme "Collaborating to Preserve, Document, and Safeguard Traditional Music and Dance." 

ICTMD members interested in sound and audiovisual archiving, research of historical sources, and audiovisual ethnomusicology are especially encouraged to apply to this event.

Please note that the deadline is approaching: 31 March 2023. Additional information and submission platform can be found at https://2023.iasa-web.org/call-for-presentations.