The ICFA Annual Conference 2026 in Toronto will be taking place on November 24-26, 2026, at Aga Khan Museum.
Note: Please note that all participants must be individual members or representatives of institutional members of ICOM at the time of the conference.
Call for papers: 30 July 2026
→ Event official website
Fine arts exist with diverse meanings and values across different regions. At the same time, they can function as a shared language through which people from different cultural backgrounds engage in dialogue. However, artistic practices—as well as their historical framings—are deeply embedded in specific linguistic and political contexts, requiring a certain level of shared understanding and frameworks for meaningful exchange.
ICFA has sought to serve as a platform for such engagement. Yet it is not our intention to remain at the level of fleeting encounters with unfamiliar cultures. This conference aims to move beyond simply “learning about” different perspectives, and instead to explore how these perspectives can deepen specialized knowledge and generate new forms of research and practice. Creating momentum toward concrete next actions is essential.
In particular, our areas of expertise—grounded in museums and collections—carry significant responsibility in today’s increasingly uncertain world, including the preservation, interpretation, and recontextualization of what constitutes fine arts. From this perspective, this conference seeks to share concrete, practice-based approaches to bridging cultural divides.
With the Aga Khan Museum as a point of reference, and drawing on the rich cultural diversity of Toronto, Canada, the conference will offer a valuable opportunity for critical engagement and exchange. We invite presentations that not only introduce diverse perspectives, but also articulate how such perspectives can lead to tangible next steps in research, practice, and collaboration. Participants are expected to leave with new insights and a renewed sense of direction for future action.
Themes:
What constitutes (Fine) Arts in Canada?
The Language of Display: How to create Context for which audience?
Museums and Community Engagement in Multicultural Societies.