Shifting Gears
College for Creative Studies / Cranbrook Academy of Art / Wayne State University - Detroit, MI |
October 09 - October 11, 2025
The 2025 MWSPE Conference, Shifting Gears, invites photographers, educators, lens-based artists, and scholars to gather in Detroit—long celebrated as the Motor City—for a critical examination of transformation within photographic practice. Drawing on the city's rich history of innovation, industry, and reinvention, this conference examines how photographers are navigating change across technological, pedagogical, and cultural terrains. Through presentations, workshops, and exhibitions, Shifting Gears provides a platform to engage with the evolving methodologies and conceptual frameworks shaping the future of photographic education and image-making.
Shifting Gears is hosted by the College for Creative Studies, Cranbrook Academy of Art, and Wayne State University. It is organized by faculty across Michigan and northern Ohio.
Conference goers will be given a complimentary pass to the Detroit Institute of Art.
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CALL FOR PROPOSALS
Now accepting Conference Proposals!
The organizers of the SPE Midwest Chapter Conference in Detroit invite all image makers (advanced and student), educators, historians, and others, to submit proposals for presenting at the upcoming conference.
Proposal categories include:
Image-maker Lecture: a 30-40-minute presentation by the artist about their own work.
Snapshot Talk: a 15-20-minute presentation by the artist about a new or recent project.
Student Presentation: a 15-minute presentation on the artist's work, with a brief introduction to their education program. Open to students 16+.
Panel Discussions: a 40-50 min presentation with up to 3 panelists, including a moderator.
Pedagogical Presentation: a 30-40-minute session on educational techniques and strategies.
Hands-on workshops: an interactive workshop where participants can learn a new technique (digital, lighting, alt-process). Please include a time frame and budget with your proposal.
Lecture: a 40-minute presentation on a historical topic, theoretical concern, or another artist's work.
Submit your proposal here: https://spenational.slideroom.com/#/login/program/84006Deadline for Proposals is August 1, 2025
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Bigger & Better
SPESC 2025 Conference
Tarleton State University - Fort Worth, Texas |
October 10 - October 12, 2025
Saddle up for three days of photography, education, and community at 'Bigger & Better' the SPE South Central 2025 Conference! Hosted at Tarleton State University's Fort Worth campus.
Conference Planning Committee
Chair: Michael Mulvey
Chris Ireland
Lauren Allen
Kim Wasson Eagan
OPEN CALLS
Visit the call for more information about each .
Honored Educator | Call for nominations | Deadline: Extended to July 20
Conference Proposals | Call for Proposals | Deadline: July 20
Schedule to be posted soon!
Questions?
Email southcentral@spenational.org
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Remixed
Rethink, Remake, Reimagine
Tyler School of Art - Philadelphia, PA |
October 11 - October 11, 2025
SPE Northeast and Mid-Atlantic invites submissions for its upcoming regional conference centered around the theme Remixed. This conference seeks to explore the dynamic intersections of contemporary photographic practices and education through the lens of remix—how artists and educators are reinterpreting, reimagining, and remixing photographic works and concepts in innovative ways.
We encourage artists, educators, and students to share their contemporary photographic works and projects that embody the spirit of Remix | Re-Think, Re-make, Re-imagine.
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Remixed
Northeast Mid-Atlantic Chapter Conference
- Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia, PA |
October 11 - October 11, 2025
Please see the Northeast Chapter Conference Portal to learn more, see our schedule, and purchase registration!
SPE Northeast and Mid-Atlantic invites submissions for its upcoming regional conference centered around the theme Remixed. This conference seeks to explore the dynamic intersections of contemporary photographic practices and education through the lens of remix—how artists and educators are reinterpreting, reimagining, and remixing photographic works and concepts in innovative ways.
We encourage artists, educators, and students to share their contemporary photographic works and projects that embody the spirit of Remix | Re-Think, Re-make, Re-imagine.
Please see the Northeast Chapter Conference Portal to learn more, see our schedule, and purchase registration!
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2025 SPE West Chapter Conference
UCR ARTS California Museum of Photography
UCR ARTS - Riverside, California |
November 06 - November 08, 2025
Mark your calendars for November 6-8, 2025! Join us at the California Museum of Photography at UCR ARTS in Riverside, California, for the 2025 SPE West Chapter Conference.
Tentative Schedule:
Thursday, November 6th, 2025:High School Educators Programming
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM: Presentations, workshops, and hands-on learning sessions designed specifically for high school educators
Focus: Partnering with educational vendors and CTE programs to enhance high school photography education
Host & Site: Riverside Unified School District - 4011 14th St. Riverside, CA 92501
Thursday, November 6th, 2025:
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM: Opening Reception at UCR ARTS California Museum of Photography, featuring the SPE West Members Exhibition in the f-stop pedestrian gallery
Friday, November 7th, 2025:Pedagogy for Educators
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM: Program presentations, pedagogical strategies, and practices with a focus on pragmatic scholarship
Student Portfolio Reviews, California Museum of Photography Archives
Saturday, November 8th, 2025:Imagemaker and Research Presentations for Educators and Students
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM: Presentations, workshops, hands-on learning, keynote speaker
We welcome submissions of photographic work, pedagogy, research, and imagemaker presentations. Please submit your entries.
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