Jane Austen & the Arts: A Bicentenary Conference

March 23-25, 2017 SUNY Plattsburgh

Keynote speaker: Peter Sabor, McGill University Canada Research Chair in 18th-Century Studies

This interdisciplinary conference explores Jane Austen’s engagement with the arts.   Dance, song, painting, piano-playing, theatricals, recitations, novel-reading, needlework, bonnet-making, landscape design and other arts suffuse Austen’s novels.  Her characters either engage in the arts or are judged by their apparent failure to do so.  Discussions of the role of the arts in structuring Austen’s novels, shaping her characters, or enriching  her life are welcome.

All  sessions will be plenary sessions.  Thursday, March 23 is reserved for student presentations.  All other sessions will be given by faculty or independent scholars.

• Faculty and independent scholars are invited to submit one-page proposals for 2000-word papers (15-20 minutes) by September 1, 2016.  Notifications will be made by September 15, 2016.

• Graduate and undergraduate students should submit one-page proposals for 2000-word papers (15-20 minutes) by November 1, 2016.  Notifications will be made by November 15, 2016.

All proposals should mention any audio/visual requirements.  Please send copies of the proposal to Anna Battigelli (anna dot battigelli at plattsburgh dot edu) and Nancy Johnson (nancy dot johnson at newpaltz dot edu).

There are two ways of attending the conference:

• Paper Presenter: Deadline for registration is November 30, 2016. Registration available on this web site.

• Participant: Deadline for registration is January 15, 2017. Registration available on this web site.

An English Country Dance and pre-Dance Workshop will be open to the general public on Friday, March 24 at 7 p.m. in the Warren Ballroom at SUNY Plattsburgh.  Live period music and refreshments.  Bring soft-soled shoes.

This conference is made possible by a grant from SUNY Conversations in the Disciplines. Additional support has been provided by SUNY Plattsburgh.