The 58th Congress of the International Association of Art Critics will take place in Rennes (France) from 12 to 16 October 2026. This event will include, from 13 to 15 October, an international symposium organised by Rennes 2 University, the French National Institute for Art History (INHA) and AICA, the three founding members of the Archives of Art Criticism (ACA).

Entitled “Art criticism and eco-socially engaged practices: new writing, new challenges?”, this congress seeks to explore the social, cultural and political functions of contemporary art criticism in light of the evolving relationships between art, society, and politics since the 2000s.

It is intended for researchers in the arts, art history, philosophy, the humanities and social sciences, as well as for artists, critics, curators, and all those in the contemporary art world who, over the past three decades, have been engaged in reflecting on the forms of engagement and the social responsibilities of criticism.

The congress is also open to non-academic forms of communication, such as readings, performances or action-oriented lectures, in order to foster dialogue between critical, artistic and theoretical practices.

Proposals for papers (approximately 2,500 characters, including spaces), together with a short bio-bibliographical note, should be sent in PDF format to aca-direction@univ-rennes2.fr by 16 February 2026 at the latest. They will be reviewed through a double-blind process by the scientific committee (currently being formed).

Download open call for papers.