SibA Research Days 2026 discusses Change and the Arts – save the dates and join in!
The eigth SibA Research Days will be organised on 5 to 6 November 2026. The event explores the changing relationships between music and arts research, artistic practice, communities, and society.
SRD 2026 explores the changing relationships between music and arts research, artistic practice, communities, and society. It asks how research can deepen our understanding of the arts and support meaningful transformation, while considering the roles of communality and communities in shaping cultural meaning-making and artistic experiences. Furthermore, we may reflect on musicians and artistic work, art audiences, authenticity, musical value, and artistic value, examining how these concepts evolve in changing cultural contexts. The seminar brings together perspectives on adapting to change and actively making change—through arts, research, and the communities that connect them. At its core, Change and the Arts hopefully ignites us to explore how artistic and research practices can help us understand the forces shaping our world, navigate uncertainty, and imagine — and enact — new possibilities.
Important dates
- Call for presentations out: 2.9.2026
- CFP DL: 25.9.2026
- Notification of acceptance & registration open: (by) 9.10.2026
- Programme released: 22.10.2026
- Registration closed: 29.10.2026
- SRD: 5.-6.11.2026
Call for presentations
We warmly welcome presentation proposals to the 2026 SibA Research Days, touching the theme of The Change and the Arts, or any other topic or research project you are working on. The event is open to doctoral researchers, research staff, and students of Sibelius Academy and Uniarts Helsinki, as well as to researchers and practitioners outside Uniarts Helsinki.
The detailed info will be updated on the website
Master student – come and discuss your research idea!
This time, the programme will also include a specific Master student forum: a speficic workshop type of a session directed for the master students of SibA who’d like to present and discuss their research ideas. The forum includes brief research presentations (and/or posters) and following joint discussion on research at SibA. Call is distributed specifically by programme leaders and integrated in the teaching activities of programmes (e.g. with a reflection task). A separate invitation and registration will be created for master students attending this session. We also warmly encourage other participants to attend the forum, and students to attend the other SRD sessions.
Organizing team
- Toni-Matti Karjalainen, Professor (arts management), Head of Sibelius Academy Doctoral Programme and Research Centre
- Kaarina Kilpiö, University Lecturer (music history)
- Lilja Lehmuskallio, Doctoral Researcher (arts management)
- Laura Valoma, Doctoral Researcher (arts management)
- Livia Schweizer (global music)
- Jannika Lahin, production