07-13 November 2027, Lijiang & Shangri-La, Yunnan, China
Art, Tradition, Environment 2027 is an international field seminar: a small, experience-centred, walking-based seminar in which pre-circulated themes and papers are discussed in situ.
This field seminar investigates the interrelated nature of art, culture, and environment. From ‘high art’ to ‘folk art’, from Intangible Cultural Heritage to cutting-edge artistic interventions, from landscape architecture and design to traditional crafts, art is not merely an aesthetic expression or product; it is also a deeply situated practice within the complex terrain of local-global dynamics, coloniality, and agency. The geographical situatedness of art and the inherent artistry with which we approach our environments both reflect our worlds and actively constitute them, echoing the deep, interwoven, and changing histories and textures of place, identity, and belonging. The field seminar is envisioned as a shared, open-ended journey where our diverse experiences and lenses as international researchers and art practitioners can collectively co-create a sensitive, collaborative space—one that enables us to attune to the intricate connections between local belongings, artistic expressions, and the environment. We will learn from the landscapes and from each other as we go.
Art, Tradition, Environment 2027 will foster deep, interpersonal scholarly space and exchange through walks, discussions, time for writing and private contemplation, and experiences that are strongly situated in local landscapes and townscapes. The event is open to all interested participants but is focused on scholars who submit draft academic research papers prior to the event (deadline 15 October). These draft papers will be shared with and discussed among all delegates, with the aim of collaborative learning in preparation for final paper submission to the peer reviewed, non-fee charging open access journal Folk, Knowledge, Place in December 2027. It is recommended that delegates consider the aims and scope of the journal prior to submitting an abstract.
Locations
The field seminar takes place in Lijiang and Shangri-La, Yunnan Province, China. The Old Town of Lijiang and nearby Shuhe Ancient Town comprise a UNESCO World Heritage Site, combining exquisitely beautiful cobbled streets, waterways, alleys, shopfronts, and courtyards. These towns were shaped by the Naxi ethnic community, the influence of which remains present in local culinary, linguistic, and artistic cultures. They are also inescapably associated with their geography, having arisen as stops on the Ancient Tea Horse Road and today being frequently photographed with the spectacular Yulong Snow Mountain as their backdrop. Between the Old Town of Lijiang and Shuhe sits Qiao Xiaodao’s playful and surreal open-air art park Land of Wilderness.
Following three full days in and around Lijiang, our group will take the high-speed train north, travelling across cultural and environmental zones into Shangri-La. Shangri-La’s Dukezong old town is at the nexus of Tibetan cultural currents, with its winding streets and picturesque squares drawing tourists, artists, and craftspeople from across China. Songzanlin Monastery at the edge of town was established in 1679 and is both an active site of worship and a magnificent heritage tourism attraction.
Lijiang and Shangri-La are more than just pretty places; they are cultural capitals for Chinese ethnic minorities and sites of intense cultural imagination on the part of Chinese tourists. Art, Tradition, Environment 2027 will explore these tensions and our own situations within them in place.
Abstract submission and publication
If you wish to participate in the field seminar as an author, please submit your abstract proposal here: https://islanddynamics.org/abstractsubmission/. After submission, your proposal will be reviewed, and the organisers will respond with a decision as soon as possible. The earlier you submit your proposal, the earlier you will receive the decision. The first deadline for abstracts is 28 February 2027 (permitting early registration). Those delegates whose abstracts have been accepted for the field seminar will be asked to submit written draft articles by 15 October 2027 at the latest. Although publication in the journal Folk, Knowledge, Place is subject to peer review, the field seminar will establish the basis for a special section of the journal on the seminar theme, to which delegates will be invited to submit papers.
Provisional schedule for November 2027
07 November: Arrival in Lijiang.
08 November: Explore Old Town of Lijiang.
09 November: Visit to Shuhe Ancient Town and Land of Wilderness open-air art park.
10 November: Visit to Yulong Snow Mountain, including trip up the Glacier Park Cable Car to 4506 m above sea level.
11 November: Travel to Shangri-La and explore Dukezong old town.
12 November: Visit Songzanlin Monastery.
13 November: Departure from Shangri-La.
Throughout the event, time will be set aside for group discussions as well as private writing and reflection.
Registration
Registration for Art, Tradition, Environment 2027 includes all meals, accommodation, transport, and site fees from the evening of 07 November through the morning of 13 November. Participants may arrive in Lijiang earlier or depart from Shangri-La later if they wish, but the schedule will be organised so that no activities are planned on 07 November or 13 November, except for group meals. Registration does not include transport to Lijiang or from Shangri-La.
The early registration fee is 1200 Singapore dollars. Early registration ends on 31 March 2027, after which the fee will rise to 1400 Singapore dollars. The final deadline for registration is 31 July 2027.
To register, please fill out the event registration form. Within 48 hours of having filled out the form, you will receive an invoice, which will be payable within 15 days of receipt.
If you have any questions, contact organiser Adam Grydehøj (agrydehoj@islanddynamics.org).