13 April, 2026
The Design History Society (DHS) is looking for the host for its 2027 annual conference.
The conference is a prestigious, international event which offers the opportunity for lively intellectual exchange, the sharing of research, and discussions of new approaches in design history. Founded in 1977, the Design History Society works internationally to promote and support the study and understanding of design history and the 2027 conference falls in the 50th Anniversary Year.
The DHS welcomes proposals from individuals and institutions that support and engage with teaching and research in the field of design history. Recent conferences have been hosted in New York (2018), Newcastle Upon Tyne (2019), Basel (2021), Izmir (2022), Porto (2023) and Canterbury (2024), Ankara (2025). The 2026 event will be held in Brno, Czech Republic on 3–5 September 2026. More information on past conferences can be found on the DHS website: https://www.designhistorysociety.org/conferences
Hosting the DHS annual conference is an exciting opportunity for bringing your institution to the attention of the design history community. It also allows delegates to visit local collections and sites significant for the study of design and design history.
Application and assessment process:
Proposals for the 2027 conference using the DHS form should be based on current themes or historical perspectives on design. Please refer to the guidelines when preparing your proposal.
For the 2027 conference we are looking for ideas for how you would look to work with the DHS to mark the significance of the DHS 50th Anniversary. This could perhaps by integrated this into the conference theme or be special strand. Suggestions for other ways to mark the event are expressly welcomed as part of the application. Please discuss with us if you need advice.
To maximise intellectual interaction, the DHS is committed to in-person conferences, but hybrid elements may be integrated in consultation with the DHS. We encourage applicants to embrace sustainability in all aspects of their proposals.
Applications will be evaluated by members of the executive committee of the Design History Society, which is committed to principles of equity, integrity and confidentiality in the treatments of all applications competing to host the Annual Conference.
The DHS values the principles of inclusion, diversity and academic freedom. We request that as a host institution you are able to align with these values. If this needs more detail, please let us know.
Download the conference guidelines here: CONFERENCE GUIDELINES
Download the proposal form here: PROPOSAL FORM
Applications should be sent by 23:59 BST on 31 May 2026 to:
DHS Senior Administrator, Dr Jenna Allsopp-Douglas at designhistorysociety@gmail.com
Questions or queries regarding the application process:
DHS Conference Liaison Officer, Dr Jessica Jenkins at jessica.jenkins@falmouth.ac.uk
Questions or queries regarding a post conference publication:
Journal of Design History Editorial Board, Dr. Kjetil Fallan at <kjetil.fallan@ifikk.uio.no>
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