9-12 June 2025

Richcraft Hall, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON

Proposals Deadline:

December 11, 2024, 11:59 pm PT

The 2025 ACA Program Team invites proposals that reflect on the theme of ACA at 50: Critical Reflections, Envisioning the Future.

Types of Proposals:

Traditional Session: Presentation of research papers, case studies, and thought pieces. Usually 20 minutes per speaker followed by a question period.

Panel Discussion: Presentation of research papers, case studies, and programs or projects, followed by a discussion period.

Roundtable:  Presentations of programs, projects, and tools,  with open discussion.

Focused Debate on Specific Topic: Brief presentations with debate to follow.

Sprint Session on Specific Challenge: Presentation of a challenge to registered group of participants. Timed exercise to brainstorm a solution to a problem.

Performance: Presentation of a short film, video, dance, song, or performance with a discussion period.

Storytelling session

Workshops: In-person interactive workshops, 1.5 – 3 hrs in length. Participation can be limited to a specific number if necessary. All workshops will be given on the first day of the conference, June 9th.

Other format: Please share your ideas! (e.g. fishbowl).

Suggested Conference Topic Areas:

PEOPLE: Personal and Professional Identities

• How have the concepts of archives and archivists evolved since ACA's Inception?
• What specific role do archivists have in stewarding cultural memory?
• In what ways have excluded and underrepresented communities been welcomed into the field, and how might we work toward even greater inclusion?
• What do we envision our role to be in another 50 years?
• Additional keywords: community archives; knowledge; identity; dreams/envisioning; records and recordkeeping.
  

PROCESSES: Technologies and Techniques

• How have new technologies and workflows facilitated efficiency in archival practice?
• What are the opportunities and concerns central to artificial intelligence?
• How are collecting institutions navigating the exponential growth of born-digital fonds?
• How have archives adopted linked data and Records-in-Context?
• How do we contend with expanding ideas of the 'record' in a digital age - e.g. social media - and how are institutions taking it upon themselves to keep these records?
• What technologies/techniques might we imagine into the future of archival work?
• Additional keywords: technologies; media; ethics and legalities; processes and procedures; records and recordkeeping.
  

POWER: Turning Disconnection into Collaboration

• How are Indigenous Archives making their holdings accessible to their communities?
• What explicit and implicit barriers prevent access to Indigenous documentary heritage in non-Indigenous Archives and Indigenous Archives?
• How do Canada's and the World's archives work together?
• Is the vision of the 'Total Archives' still realistic?
• Why do certain communities reject acquisitions by traditional archival institutions, and what might we learn from these resistances?
• What role do power and privilege play in determining which records and stories are deemed archival and worthy of preservation?
• Additional keywords: reconciliation; archival ecosystems; records and recordkeeping.
  

While panels and presentations related to people, processes and power will be highlighted at the 2025 ACA Conference - with proposals approaching these topics in an intersectional manner especially encouraged - the Program Team will consider submissions exploring other areas.

Submit your Proposal Here

The Call for Student Papers and a Call for Posters will be announced in early 2025. Scholarships are available to students and are administered by the ACA Foundation.

Feel free to direct questions to:

Patti Harper,

Chair, ACA 2025 Conference Program Team

Program Team Members

Gracen Brilmyer
Cindy Custodio
Daniel German
Laura Hernandez
Shadio Hussein
Grace Isibor
Tracey Lauriault
Lisa Lawlis
Lisa Mullins
Rohini Singh
Adele Torrance