CFP: ‘Going Green: turning an ecological lens on medieval art and architecture’, Leeds IMC, deadline 17 September 2026

 Call for papers to form part of a session at the International Medieval Congress in Leeds, 5-8 July 2027, on the theme of ‘Communities’. 

‘Going Green: turning an ecological lens on medieval art and architecture’

Communities are often understood in social terms, but they may also be defined by shared environments, and the opportunities and challenges those environments present at local, regional and global scales. This session explores how medieval communities – and the art and architecture produced by or for them – were shaped by their environment, and how in turn environments were determined by medieval art and architecture and/or their use and production. Papers might explore depictions of flora, fauna, and/or the built environment; relationships between topography and the built environment or between available natural resources and artistic materials; effects of climate change on art and architecture; or other questions that centre on the interactions between human communities and their larger environments in the production or use of art and architecture. Case studies that offer avenues for broader methodological reflection are especially welcome. Through these papers, the panel seeks to promote and facilitate greater engagement with ecologically-informed approaches to the study of medieval art and architecture, drawing in new audiences, students and scholars who are driven in part by concerns about the current climate emergency. 

Papers should be 15-20 minutes in length, delivered in English. If feasible, we are hoping for a fully in-person session, requiring attendance at the IMC Leeds in July 2027. Please send an abstract of no more than 250 words along with your CV to Kate Gerry (kgerry@smith.edu) and Tom Nickson (tom.nickson@courtauld.ac.uk).

Deadline for submission: Thursday, 17 September 2026