'Let's Get it Together:'
Gatherings, Club Cultures, Parties, and Beyond
presented by the The Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at Tisch School of the Arts, New York University
Here is the link to pre-register.
The Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at New York University will return as the host of this year’s in-person Pop Conference, the first Pop Conference to be held in person since 2019. All events, with the exception of a few remotely scheduled or off-site activities, will be held in person at The Clive Davis Institute, 370 Jay Street, Brooklyn, New York 11201.
ABOUT THE POP CONFERENCE
The premiere annual music writing and pop music studies conference, Pop Conference — now in its 21st year — features the world's leading scholars, journalists, writers, musicians as they present papers, roundtables, discussions, and performances about popular music.
ABOUT THIS YEAR'S CONFERENCE THEME
This year’s conference compels a reflection on the power of getting together in the past and present while acknowledging the necessity for new ways of congregating. Several years of quarantine and social distancing have set ablaze the desire to gather safely in community in the midst of an ongoing pandemic. Gathering to celebrate is and has been a key technique for many to continuously resist land occupation, dehumanization and policing of their existence. From the cabaret, juke joint, hootenanny and honkytonk to the punk pit, rave, tango ballroom; from break dancing, salsa, norteña or 1990s quebradita to the remixed sounds of traditional Pow Wow music and electronica, club cultures have launched and sustained innumerable styles of music and dance; from festivals to backyard parties and Tea dances to BBQs, ballrooms, community centers, parking lots and cars, abandoned warehouses, dive bars, circuit parties, parties in the forest, swap meet dance competitions, fairy gatherings, and queer ritual—we wanna dance.
CONFERENCE REGISTRATION
All presenters and attendees must pre-register to attend. Pre-registration is free: yes, you read that correctly—there is no registration fee this year for presenters or attendees. If you will be bringing guests or want to encourage others to register – simply have them register online. Seating varies for events and due to space restrictions, all attendance is first come first serve; registration is necessary but does automatically not guarantee a spot.
Here is the link to pre-register.
SCHEDULE INFORMATION
This year’s conference is scheduled for April 27 - 30 2023. It will feature more than 50 panels and roundtables split into five concurrent slots on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with additional keynote and special events slated on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. A small number of select panels and roundtables will be presented virtually, though the bulk of sessions will be held in-person at the official venues.
The opening day, Thursday April 27, is scheduled to start around 5 pm ET with a welcome reception and a keynote event likely at 7 pm ET. On April 30 panels, roundtables and special mentorship sessions are scheduled to end around 5:00 pm ET, though there may be additional special programming, including a possible closing keynote event, on Sunday evening. Detailed scheduling information has now been shared with participants and It will be shared with general public in late March.
VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS
All visitors to NYU facilities (including all Pop Conference panelists and attendees) must be in compliance with NYU’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements and be prepared to present proof of compliance if asked to do so, and must be able to show a valid government-issued photo ID while on campus. Visitors are required to adhere to NYU's COVID-19 related health and safety protocols, which you can find here. Please read about NYU's compliance protocols for visitors in detail here.
HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS FOR ATTENDEES AND VISITORS
There are many hotels near to the Clive Davis Institute.
The New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge is the closest hotel to the conference venue. It is located at 333 Adams Street, and is the building right next to 370 Jay Street (30 seconds walk). Other nearby hotels include the Ace Hotel at 252 Schermerhorn St, Brooklyn, NY 11201; the Sheraton Brooklyn New York Hotel at 228 Duffield St, Brooklyn, NY 11201; the NU Hotel at 85 Smith Street, Brooklyn 11201; and the Hilton Brooklyn, 140 Schermerhorn Street, Brooklyn 11201.
Unlike in years past, there is no central designated hotel where Pop Conference is officially directing visiting attendees to stay. We understand that hotels in New York City and downtown Brooklyn are expensive. You may want to consider AirBnB and other options.
However, official Pop Conference participants are eligible to receive group discount rates at the following three hotels: Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge, the NU Hotel in Brooklyn, and the Hilton Brooklyn. If you are an official Pop Con participant this year, you should have received this information already as part of your acceptance letter from the programming committee. If for any reason you have not received this information but would like to do so, please email us at wearethepopconference@gmail.com
ABOUT VISITING NEW YORK
Tips and maps about visiting Brooklyn, New York can be found on this link: https://www.nycgo.com/boroughs-neighborhoods/brooklyn/
To get to the Pop Conference, you can fly into most New York vicinity airports, including JFK and LGA, as well Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR.) It is worth noting on this page information concerning travel to and from New York airports: https://www.tripsavvy.com/travel-between-brooklyn-and-nyc-airports-441578
If you plan to arrive by train/Amtrak, you may want to read this, or if you plan to arrive by bus, you will want to consult operators like Megabus, Bolt Bus and Greyhound.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS
Please let us know if you have any other questions. You can reach us at wearethepopconference@gmail.com
Pop Conference website: popconference.org
Pop Conference is generously supported by Critical Minded, a granting and learning initiative cofounded by The Nathan Cummings Foundation and The Ford Foundation to support cultural critics of color in the United States, where they are underrepresented in the coverage of all artistic disciplines.
Sincerely,
Pop Conference
Questions: wearethepopconference@gmail.com
2023 Pop Conference Producers:
Jason King and Eddy Francisco Alvarez Jr.,
2023 Pop Programming Committee:
Eddy Francisco Alvarez Jr. (Program Chair), Madison Moore, Michelle Habell-Pallán,
Charles Hughes, Jewly Hight