Call for Proposals

Van27: New Horizons

LMDA’s 2027 International Conference and Digital Symposium

Proposal deadline: December 8, 2026

Submit a Proposal

LMDA seeks proposals for presentations, sessions and conversations to be held in-person and via digital formats around the theme: “New Horizons.” The proposals will be reviewed by LMDA to generate / curate content for both the LMDA International Conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in July 2027, as well as our online Digital Symposium (early 2027, specific dates TBD).

Van27: New Horizons will centre new Canadian play creation processes as both a collection of diverse dramaturgical practices and a prompt for meaningful conversations about dramaturgy.

Situated on the West Coast of Canada, Vancouver is the country’s youngest major metropolitan area. It occupies an ancient location: the traditional and unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples who have been stewards of this land from time immemorial. Astride the Pacific Ocean, embedded in the Coastal Temperate Rainforest, and beneath the gaze of the North Shore Mountains, Vancouver encompasses the meeting places of sea and land, of mountains and sky, of city and forest.

It is this place of overlap that we will gather to consider the multiplicity of voices in our craft, to welcome the spirit of collaborative dialogue, and to learn from our differences.

We seek proposals that speak in various ways to the theme of “New Horizons”: a prompt to examine the creation and support of new works of performance. “New Horizons” embraces the value of optimism for the future and the exciting promise that comes with new projects, new ideas, and new relationships.

We welcome topics related to the practice of dramaturgical and literary management, as well as the work of producers, directors, choreographers, writers, filmmakers, librarians and other creative partners. We especially encourage proposals that address current issues facing local communities in Vancouver and British Columbia and proposals that centre Canadian new play creation.

We invite proposals from artists working dramaturgically in any performing arts or related field, particularly from artists in Canada, Mexico and the United States. We also welcome artists from other nations to consider proposing sessions (in-person or digital) to continue to expand our interaction with dramaturgical practices globally.

LMDA will review the proposals and consider them for the following contexts:

  • Digital content to be created and released during a Digital Symposium to take place in Early Spring 2027 (February or March);
  • In-person sessions to take place during LMDA’s annual international conference in Vancouver, Canada, July 9–11, 2027.

When imagining your proposal, please consider whether it is best suited to a digital format, or an in-person session, or if you would like your proposal to be considered for both options (or possible hybrid formats, yet to be determined).

We are aiming to make the 2027 LMDA conferences – both the international in-person Conference and the digital programming – as accessible as possible to those constrained by borders, language, or any other constraint or accessibility need.

Proposals are welcome from both LMDA Members and Non-Members. Questions pertaining to the Digital Symposium can be directed to digitalconference@lmda.org, and those pertaining to the in-person conference can be directed to admin@lmda.org and canada@lmda.org.

Proposals for Digital Programming

Synchronous digital content will be scheduled for the Digital Symposium. This may include panels, roundtables, workshops, performances, and other dynamic conversations.

Asynchronous digital content will be posted during our Digital Symposium. These videos must be created in advance and will be shared online during the Digital Symposium.

If your proposal is selected, you will be contacted by the Digital Coordinator with further information that you can assess before your acceptance.

Proposals for In-person Content

Proposals will be considered for sessions to take place in-person at the 2027 LMDA Conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, July 9–11, 2027. Selected applicants will work with conference chair Stephen Drover to tailor the presentation to the conference schedule and venues. You must be available to attend the conference for your proposal to be selected.

If you are selected to create a conference session, you will be responsible for your own housing, transportation, conference registration, and other costs associated with attending the in-person conference in Vancouver. Conference registration rates will be announced no later than March 2027. Limited financial assistance may be available on a case-by-case basis and upon request.

If you are unsure whether or not you can attend the in-person conference at this time, please feel free to propose an activity. If your activity is selected but your schedule or situation has changed, you can decline and not attend. The proposal may also be considered for one of LMDA’s digital platforms.

Proposal deadline: December 8, 2026

Submit a Proposal