London, UK
15 September 2026
Deadline for applications – 12 December 2025
The Victoria and Albert Museum is pleased to announce a conference addressing Ukrainian heritage past and present through the lens of material culture. Considering both the work done up to now by institutions in the UK that care for Ukrainian heritage, and future directions, this symposium will highlight the ongoing efforts within the V&A and other UK institutions to improve the understanding and interpretation of Ukrainian collections.
We welcome all explorations of the above context. Topics discussed may include, but are not limited to:
- How do objects reflect the complex history of the Ukrainian nation, its shifting identities, and geographies across time?
- How have Ukrainian objects entered UK collections, whether through histories of acquisition, donation or looting?
- How are institutions today examining and reassessing the cataloguing of Ukrainian collections?
- How is the work being done by institutions made visible in public facing ways?
- How has the ongoing war impacted heritage and cultural institutions in Ukraine, and how have UK institutions responded?
We are looking for proposals for 20-minute papers from researchers across an inter-disciplinary spectrum. In particular, as well as colleagues from the cultural sector we welcome proposals from those working in the fields of legal services, emergency planning, government, and heritage funding. Informal discussions in advance of submissions are welcome and can be sent to the email address below in the first instance.
Please send an abstract of no more than 250 words, along with a short biography of no more than 100 words, to: [email protected]
Travel stipends may be available to support speakers from outside the United Kingdom, if they are unable to afford their own costs; for more information, please contact the symposium organisers also at the above email address.
The deadline for submitted abstracts is 12 December 2025; all applicants will be informed of the outcome by 17 January 2026.
