We are pleased to announce the Call for Proposals for the 2026 Virtual Islamic Art History Seminar Series (VIAHSS). We invite proposals for individual papers and workshops for our Spring and Fall 2026 series.

Founded at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in May 2020, the Virtual Islamic Art History Seminar Series (VIAHSS) has brought together a diverse community of researchers from around the world interested in the history of art and visual culture in the Islamicate world. The series’ monthly virtual seminars and workshops have successfully filled a new niche in academic discourse. While travel has resumed and in-person events have begun again, the need for a forum which brings together international and intergenerational audiences in an inclusive and supportive fashion remains.

We are inviting proposals for paper presentations on topics related to the history of art, architecture, and visual culture of any time period from the Islamic world for spring and fall of 2026. We welcome submissions from current graduate students, faculty, curators, and independent scholars.

The virtual seminar series will take place on Zoom from mid-January onwards. Each session will include a 20-30 minute presentation followed by a 20-minute discussion in a constructive and friendly manner. In addition to individual proposals we are also open to workshop proposals, which might include moderated discussions of pre-circulated papers, roundtables, discussions with practicing architects or artists, or other formats.

Please upload an abstract presenting your topic suggestion (not more than 500 words) and your CV or resume by Friday, November 14, 2025, to this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSft18j9ZomsQ58XNp7QU4z-6aGDrkMFyKmmqaXzt7bVBm9wyQ/viewform.

If you have any questions, please contact co-organizers Dr. Alexander Brey (alexander.breywellesley.edu), Dr. Rachel Winter (winterr6msu.edu), and Dr. Jaimee Comstock-Skipp (jaimee.comstock-skippames.ox.ac.uk) with the phrase “VIAHSS 2026 proposal” in the subject line.