Grounding the Sacred is the third in a series of conferences presented by The Sacred in Literature and the Arts (SLA), a community of interest that brings Australian and international writers, artists, musicians, academics, religious and members of the general public together to explore the interplay between the arts and the sacred.
Grounding the Sacred will feature a mix of keynote addresses, conference papers, performances, readings and exhibitions revolving around the question: how can literature and the arts make the sacred tangible? The theme is expounded in more detail in the Call for papers and presentations - http://www.acu.edu.au/660870.
The 2015 conference is organised in conjunction with members of the Religion and Creativity project in the Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry at ACU. Guest speakers include David Jasper (Glasgow University), Thaddeus Metz (University of Johannesburg), researcher on Aboriginal art Vivien Johnson, poet and philosopher Kevin Hart, Imam Afroz Ali (Founder and President of the Al-Ghazzali Centre for Islamic Sciences & Human Development), Australian writers Carmel Bird, Michael McGirr and David Malouf, recorder virtuoso Genevieve Lacey and religious broadcaster Rachael Kohn. Kathleen Deignan (Director of the Iona Spirituality Institute and the Thomas Merton Contemplative Initiative) will present a keynote address from New York via Skype.
There will also be a pre-conference meeting for postgraduates on Thursday afternoon, 23 July, in the Multifunction Room, Block E on the Strathfield campus, with invited guests Professors Hart, Jasper and Metz and Dr Alison Jasper (University of Stirling), chaired by Dr Dermot Nestor. Attendance is free but HDRs should email elaine.lindsay@acu.edu.au by 16 July if they wish to attend.
The McGlade Gallery will host an exhibition of paintings by Papunya Tula Artists and the Warlayirti Artists of Balgo, provided by Lloyd Graham.
Registration is now open: a link to the registration form is on the left-hand sidebar on this page. Single day registrations are $65 (unwaged, including students) and $95 (waged). A four-day package is available for $190 (unwaged, including students) and $340 (waged). Registration includes refreshments. Please register by 8 July 2015.
The conference is part of the ACU's 25th anniversary celebrations and is supported by a generous grant from the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.
The closing date for submission of abstracts for papers and presentations was 27 February 2015 but late offers will be considered: contact elaine.lindsay@acu.edu.au to discuss. Further conference details will be posted on this site from time to time. In the meantime, inquiries can be directed to the conference convenors, Associate Professor Michael Griffith (Michael.griffith@acu.edu.au) and Dr Elaine Lindsay (Elaine.lindsay@acu.edu.au), Faculty of Education and Arts, Australian Catholic University.
This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:
http://www.acu.edu.au/about_acu/faculties,_institutes_and_centres/education_and_arts/research/sla/grounding_the_sacred_2015