Special
Events

Please use our additional programming form to sign up for the special events listed on this page.

Additional programming

We are pleased to present a series of creative workshops, performances, and screenings, over the course of the conference, bringing together researchers, artists, musicians, film makers, archivists, and curators:

Lunchtime events:

• Wednesday 1st July, 13.00–14.15 Cleaved Into: a modernist sculpture writing workshop (led by David Bell, LU Arts): Lunchtime walking tour taking in some of the ‘weirder’ modernist/mid-century sculptures on campus, ending with a writing workshop. Takes place during lunch break (packed lunches available). This workshop is currently fully booked, to be added to the waiting list please email bamsmsa26@gmail.com.

• Thursday 2nd July, 12.15–13.15 One Page: Close Readings (led by Eve Sorum): Return to what brought you to this profession, drop your expertise at the door, and come to this gathering to read together one page—just one page—from a work of fiction, or one short poem. This is a completely low-tech event—the only media will be the piece of paper you receive at the door. Open to all who would like to gather and close read in the way that we so often ask our students to do, but so rarely get to do together. No advance warning of what the page or poem will be, so come prepared to enjoy the encounter and the discussion with your colleagues. All are welcome. Takes place during lunch break (packed lunches available). Limited space, please sign up if you would like to attend.

• Friday 3rd July, 12.00–13.00 Surreal Sea-Creatures: Creative Session (led by Ellen Angus and LU Arts): Inspired by surrealist artists, join artist Ellen Angus for a creative session exploring liminal spaces, sea-creatures, water, and sound. Takes place during lunch break (packed lunches available). Limited space, please sign up if you would like to attend.

• Saturday 4th July, 12.30–13.15 Weird Waste in Modernism: A Craft Drop-In (led by Molly Volanth Hall, Jade French, and Diana Cristina Proenza): Weird Waste is a scheduled workshop session during the conference. This afternoon session invites you back to finish your creation – or to drop in and meet others interested in craft/making. The workshop uses assemblage techniques to reimagine trash/found objects collected on campus. Takes place during lunch break (packed lunches available). Limited space, please sign up if you would like to attend.

Evening events:

• Thursday 2nd July, 6:30 Meet-Up for Contingent and Independent Scholars: An informal meet-up for Contingent and Independent scholars, organized by MSA’s Caucus for Contingent and Independent Scholars (CCIS). Location TBC.

• Friday 3rd July, 16.45-17.45 Ballet Stochastique: A Weird Modernist Soundscape (led by Ruth Clemens and Sandipan Nath): An evening performance, exploring the ghostly effects (and affects) of the ‘self-playing piano’. We encourage signing up to keep track of numbers but drop ins are welcome on the day.

• Friday 3rd July, time TBC Meet-Up for Graduate Students & ECRs: An informal meet-up for graduates and early career researchers, hosted by the BAMS and MSA postgraduate reps. We encourage signing up to keep track of numbers but drop ins are welcome on the day.

Evening Screenings Strand: MSA Film Studies SIG

The MSA Film Studies SIG presents a curated series of films, running alongside the official conference programme. Bringing modernist masterpieces from around the world to Loughborough, the series will showcase experimental shorts, documentaries, archival titles, and feature films over three days of the BAMS/MSA conference. Free to attend for all delegates, this has been made possible due to the generous support of the Visual, Material and Performance Cultures section and the College of Performance, Visualization & Fine Arts at Texas A&M University. Led by Jordan Brower, John Hoffmann, and Aurore Spiers, this collaborative undertaking will complement and extend the conference themes, each introduced by invited experts:

Wednesday 1 July, 4-6pm: Feminist Fever Dreams Location: Turing Room

Breaking Plates and Smashing the Patriarchy (2024): A 72-minute program including Breaking Plates (dir. Karen Pearlman, 2024, 25 min) and excerpts from Cinema’s First Nasty Women at the Holywell Park Conference Centre. Curated by Karen Pearlman, Maggie Hennefeld and Richard James Allen, with filmmakers Karen Pearlman and Richard James Allen in attendance.

We encourage signing up to keep track of numbers but drop ins are welcome on the day.

Thursday 2 July, 4-6pm: Sensuous Assemblies Location: Turing Room

Koodal (dir. Tyeb Mehta, 1970, 15min) and Arcadia (dir. Paul Wright, 2017, 82min) at the Holywell Park Conference Centre. Curated and introduced by Ritika Kaushik and Sean Batton.

We encourage signing up to keep track of numbers but drop ins are welcome on the day.

Friday 3 July, 7-9pm: Close Encounters Location: ODEON Cinema (7 Cattle Market, Loughborough, LE11 3DL)

A 99-minute program of modernist experimental masterpieces, including A Colour Box (dir. Len Lye, 1935, 3 min), Trade Tattoo (dir. Len Lye, 1937, 3 min), Night Mail (dir. Basil Wright and Harry Watt, 1936, 30min) and Borderline (dir. Kenneth Macpherson, 1930, 63 min) at the ODEON Theatre, Loughborough. Followed by a post-screening reception at Jam Garden, also generously funded by Texas A&M University. Tickets for the screening are limited. All are welcome to the reception from 9pm.

Limited space, please sign up if you would like to attend.

You can sign up for these free screenings through the additional programming form.

Adjacent programming

Post-Conference Film Screening at the Phoenix Cinema, Leicester Saturday 4 July, 6pm–9pm: Exit Medea (dir. Tony Paraskeva, 2025) Location: Phoenix Cinema (4 Midland Street, Leicester LE1 1TG) Attendees are warmly invited to a post-conference screening of Tony Paraskeva’s feature film, Exit Medea, an experimental horror road movie. The screening takes place takes place at the independent Phoenix Cinema in Leicester, conveniently located near the railway station and en route from Loughborough to London. The screening will be followed a reception on the cinema’s terrace, which remains open until 11pm.

More information:

Travel between Loughborough and Leicester (train travel time, approx. 15 mins) Travel between Leicester and London (train travel time, approx. 1hr 12 mins)