GUIDELINES FOR CONVENORS & SPEAKERS

If you are convening a panel session or presenting a paper in a session here are some useful guidelines and conference protocols.

Selecting, Presenting and Attending

• All convenors and speakers are required to confirm attendance by completing a convenor/speaker agreement form.
• All convenors and speakers are required to pay to attend the conference, unless they have been awarded a DECR conference bursary. 
• We will support convenors and speakers who require an invitation or proof of attendance for visa and/or funding purposes. However, we can only provide these letters for convenors and speakers who have been selected to speak at the conference.
• A convenor or speaker may only present ONE paper per conference – you cannot present multiple papers in different sessions. However, a convenor may present a paper in their own session. If a speaker has had a paper accepted by more than one session that speaker will be asked to chose which ONE session they would like to present in. The Annual Conference is a highly competitive event which receives many session and paper proposals and therefore limiting papers to one person per conference allows opportunities for more people to present.
• A session convenor cannot give a paper outside of their own session, but they can give a paper within their own session.

Contents and conduct

• We expect all delegates to be polite, respectful and collegiate throughout the event, and pose questions and comments in a constructive tone and manner. For instance, consider ways in which your comment might further or open discussions up, rather than narrow or close it down.
• Session convenors are in charge of how they chose to format and conduct their sessions, and are the final arbiters of what papers are selected for their sessions. Providing that the session format and timings comply with the allocated programme times as set out by the conference organisers.
• Session convenors are responsible for their prospective speakers, and should make them aware that they will be required to pay to attend or are eligible to apply for a bursary.
• We ask and expect that all prospective speaker provide a paper abstract by the agreed deadline to their session convenor. This deadline is in place so that we can publicise all session and paper abstracts at the same time, in advance of the conference. If speakers don’t submit abstracts in time it holds everything up.
• We currently include all session abstracts and paper abstracts online on the Association for Art History website. We also keep an online archive of all session and paper abstracts.
• Convenors and speakers maintain intellectual property rights for their own sessions and papers. Aside from publishing session and paper abstracts we do not ask for transcripts or copies of papers before or after the conference. Nor do we publish conference proceedings. Convenors and speakers may chose to publish their own session proceedings or papers via their own channels.

Time-keeping

• We kindly request that all session convenors adhere to the agreed timetable of speakers in the conference programme. If a speaker fails to show for their session, convenors should either leave the slot blank, and perhaps have a discussion, or if possible the convenor should present the paper on behalf of the speaker.
• We kindly ask that convenors and speakers make requests for additional support for their sessions in accordance with the deadlines.
• We are happy to support Sessions and speakers with additional technology, accessibility and language requirements where and when possible.

Audience experience

• We encourage all convenors and speakers to think carefully about the title of their sessions and paper so that it’s easy to identify what it is about.
• We encourage all convenors and speakers to take in to account that the Association for Art History and its Annual Conference champions broad and inclusive art history.
• We encourage all convenors and speakers to present their sessions and papers with an audience in mind (not a reader).
• We encourage all convenors and speakers to read their papers out loud ahead of presenting, and ideally to another person, to check that it doesn’t overrun and is suitable for people listening to, rather than reading about, the contents.
• All convenors and speakers are encouraged to become members of the Association for Art History to take advantage of the reduced member rates. However, membership is not compulsory to submit a session or paper proposal, or attend the conference itself.

Concerns and complaints

• We make available the cancellation and refund policy for the Annual Conference and ask that all convenors and speakers know the deadline and terms for that.
• When any delegate books to attend the Annual Conference their personal booking details are taken and stored in accordance with our privacy policy, which is online at all times on our website.
• We usually look to photograph and document the Annual Conference for use by the Association for Art History in accordance with our GDPR compliant privacy policy, which we make available at all times on our website. We make it possible and easy for attendees to opt-out if they are not comfortable with being photographed.
• Convenors or speakers who have not paid to attend the event will be reminded to pay, but if payment is not made, their session or paper may be withdrawn from the conference.
• Attendees who attend and not pay will be asked to pay retrospectively and if payment is not received may not be permitted to attend an other Annual Conference until the outstanding balance is settled.
• Issues of appeal, in the case of any potential session convenor or speaker who feels that there has been a procedural irregularity, will be dealt with by the conference organisers and board of trustees if necessary.