CALL FOR PAPERS
We are extremely pleased to announce the forthcoming edition of the Theatre About Science International Conference.
The event will take place at the University of Coimbra, Portugal, from 23 to 25 October 2025. This will be the 3rd edition of this biennial conference, confirming a consistent and continuously renewed interest in the cross fertilisation between theatre and the sciences.
The founding objectives of the conference remain unchanged:
— Map and reflect upon theatre and science intersections around the globe;
— Promote, exchange and enlarge the knowledge in this field;
— Trace the evolution of previous trends and identify new types of intersections;
— Stimulate encounters between the artistic and the science communication worlds.
The previous two editions created a strong feeling of belonging among the conference participants, which laid the foundation for building a network of people who work and/or are interested in blending theatre with science, or vice versa.
We invite you to come and join this community by submitting a proposal for the 2025 edition of the conference.
The intersections of Science and Theatre can acquire multiple forms, address a myriad of subjects, touch several audiences, use varied spaces and venues or pertain to different contexts. Merging all these possibilities is the intermingling of theatrical and scientific languages, techniques, subjects, concepts, individuals, institutions, methodologies, spaces, systems or ideas.
We welcome contributions on subjects such as:
— Theatre about scientific subjects and concepts;
— Theatrical subgenres and forms;
— Contemporary practice in theatre about science;
— Theatre and the History of Science;
— Future trends in theatre about science;
— Theatrical research processes vs scientific research processes;
— Theatre in the training of scientific researchers;
— Funding in the arts and in science;
— Communicating science with theatre;
— Theatre on scientific stages.
That may address questions such as:
— Can theatre help solve scientific problems?
— Does scientific knowledge transform theatre?
— What kinds of audiences for science in performance?
— Does theatre make sense in science communication?
— What kind of knowledge about science can theatre add?
— Can theatre transform the ways scientists perform their research?
— How does theatre engage with public debates about science and scientific developments?
— Can theatre inspire new scientific research?
— Where are the boundaries between communicating science and performing science?
Accepted formats:
— Oral presentation on one of the themes of the conference (10 minutes).
— Workshop related to the themes of the conference (max. 90 minutes).
— Short performance related to the themes of the conference (max. 30 minutes).
Abstracts:
— Submissions should be in English.
— Between 300 and 400 words.
Relevant dates:— Deadline for proposals submission: by 21 February 2025
— New deadline for proposals submission: by 7 March 2025
— Notification of acceptance: by 28 April 2025
Grants:
Once the period for accepting proposals has ended, grants will be open to support participation, with the following deadlines:
— Application: 28 April to 9 May 2025 (1:00 pm GMT)
— Notification of acceptance: by 23 May 2025
Theatre about Science 