42nd International Conference on Psychology and the Arts
University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, England, United Kingdom
June 23—June 26, 2026
Hosted by PsyArt Foundation and University of Essex
Welcome
We are pleased to announce that the 42nd International Conference on Psychology and the Arts will be held at University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, England, UK, June 23-June 26, 2026. The University of Essex, with three campuses, was founded as a research university by public charter in 1965, and is one of the original plate glass universities. With a commitment to academic excellence and diversity, The University of Essex’s Colchester campus is “a world in one place,” home to 15,000 students from over 130 countries. It is also a leading institution in the field of psychoanalytic studies with a world-renowned Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies. The conference is sponsored and hosted by PsyArt Foundation and University of Essex.
CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR ABSTRACT FOR CONSIDERATION
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE CONFERENCE
Plenary Speaker
This year’s plenary speaker is Marilyn Charles, Ph.D., A.B.P.P.
Dr. Charles is a staff psychologist, team leader, supervisor, and member of the therapy staff at the Austen Riggs Center in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, USA. She is affiliated with Harvard Medical School, Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis, and the University of Monterrey (UDEM). She is actively engaged in mentoring, creating professional opportunities, and promoting community involvement for those in the helping professions, which includes her previous consultation work with Gunawirra in Sydney, Australia, and with counseling centers and residential treatment centers in the USA. Her writing, teaching, supervision, and consultations focus on encouraging the development of future generations of clinicians and on promoting higher standards of practice in the field. She earned her MA and PhD in Clinical Psychology at Michigan State University. Her research and clinical interests include creativity, psychosis, resilience, and the intergenerational transmission of trauma. As a poet and artist, Dr. Charles’s interest also lies in the creative process, investigating factors that facilitate and inhibit creativity. .
Dr. Charles is the author of numerous books, including Patterns: Building Blocks of Experience (2002), Constructing Realities: Transformations Through Myth and Metaphor (Contemporary Psychoanalytic Studies, 3) (2004), Working with Trauma: Lessons from Bion and Lacan (New Imago: Series in Theoretical, Clinical, and Applied Psychoanalysis) (2011), and Psychoanalysis and Literature: The Stories We Live (2015), and Echoes of Trauma: Meaning and Identity in Psychoanalysis (2025). In 2020, Dr. Charles was winner of the American Board & Academy of Psychoanalysis (ABAPsa) Book Prize in the Applied Category for her book co-edited with Jill Bellinson, PhD, entitled, The Importance of Play in Early Childhood Education: Psychoanalytic, Attachment, and Developmental Perspectives (2019).
Dr. Charles is actively involved in a variety of professional affiliations, including Co-Chair of the Association for the Psychoanalysis of Culture and Society (APCS) and Contributing Editor, Psychoanalysis, Culture and Society; International Coordinator of the Psychoanalytic Track at University of Monterrey; former President of Division 39 (Psychoanalysis) of the American Psychological Association (APA) and a current editorial board member of the APA’s Journal, Psychoanalytic Psychology.
Overview
The organizers of PsyArt2026 invite 150-word abstracts for papers dealing with any application of psychology–including but not limited to psychoanalysis, object relations, feminist, Jungian, and Lacanian approaches, cognitive psychology, and neuroscience–to the study of literature, film and visual media, painting, sculpture, music, performance, and the other arts. A maximum of seventy-five papers will be accepted for presentation. We also warmly welcome conferees who do not present papers. The conference is convivial and draws scholars from around the world.
Abstract submissions: deadline for abstract submissions is February 28, 2026.
CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR ABSTRACT FOR CONSIDERATION
Registration fees: regular registration fees are due by March 31, 2026. Late registration fees are due by April 30, 2026. Late registration fees will NOT be accepted after April 30, 2026.
Note: the calculated conference registration fees are based on US dollar (USD) to Pounds Sterling (GBP) exchange rates calculated at the time this program was built in October 2025. These exchange rates fluctuate, so the prices will have slight variations at the time of your registration. USD represents the fixed price for registration fees. GBP represents the fixed price for hotel accommodation.
Your registration fee includes the following benefits:
- Opening reception at University of Essex
- Attendance at all panel sessions
- Lunch
- Conference dinner
Add-ons (not in your registration fee) include the following:
- Post-conference tour to Colchester Castle
Refund Policy:
Refunds will be given up to 7 days before the start of the event, i.e., June 16, 2026 (excluding processing fees). After this date, no refunds will be given.
For questions or assistance, please reach out to the following organizers:
Alexander Vénetis
Vice President, PsyArt Foundation: a.venetis@uva.nl.
Antal Bókay
Secretary, PsyArt Foundation: antal.bokay@gmail.com.
Marcie Newton
Treasurer, PsyArt Foundation: thepsyartfoundation@gmail.com.
Raluca Soreanu
Professor of Psychoanalytic Studies; Deputy Director of Research: raluca.soreanu@essex.ac.uk.
Magda Schmukalla
Lecturer, Dept. of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies: m.schmukalla@essex.ac.uk.
Preliminary Conference Outline
Tuesday, June 23
Welcome evening reception at University of Essex.
Wednesday, June 24
Opening of the conference in the morning; plenary speaker presentation; fellowship presentations; afternoon parallel panel sessions; Directors’ meeting (PsyArt Directors only)
Thursday, June 25
Morning and afternoon parallel sessions; conference dinner at The Barn, Colchester
Friday, June 26
Morning parallel sessions; members’ meeting in the afternoon and group photos;
Saturday, June 27
Departure or optional post-conference tour to Colchester, including a private tour of Colchester Castle.
Papers
Papers should be short, 20 minutes at most (approx. 2,500 words). Please observe the time limit. Normal speaking rate is 140 words per minute, and, for clarity, a scholarly presentation should be somewhat slower for the purpose of speaking at the pace of audience comprehension. Please try to limit or avoid jargon. An additional ten minutes are allotted for discussion of each paper, usually at the end of the panel session. The panel moderator/chair is responsible for keeping speakers to 20 minutes.
Note: if there are co-presenters, each presenter must pay the registration fee.
English is the conference language. We recommend that any speakers who are not native speakers of English accompany their talks with a PowerPoint presentation.
Following the conference, please consider submitting your paper to the PsyArt Journal for publication.
Please prepare an abstract, 150 words maximum. The deadline for submitting the abstract is February 28, 2026.
CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR ABSTRACT FOR CONSIDERATION.
If your abstract is accepted, an acceptance letter and registration details will follow from Vice President, Alexander Venetis. If you do not hear back about your abstract submission within 14 days, please email Alexander Venetis and/or Marcie Newton.
Student Fellowships
PsyArt Foundation is offering two fellowships:
1. Norman and Jane Holland Travel Fellowship of $500 (USD) / £ 372 (GBP) for outstanding graduate student papers (prior to completing the Ph.D.). These can be awarded only once per person, but you can apply every year until you win. To be considered for a fellowship, please send a 500-word maximum conference abstract by February 1, 2026, to the PsyArt Vice-President, Alexander Vénetis, at a.venetis@uva.nl. If your abstract is accepted for the conference, you will be required to provide your conference paper by February 28, 2026, for consideration of the fellowship. Your conference paper will need to be supported by an academic recommendation. A decision will be made by March 15, 2026.
Please note: We do not accept co-written papers for fellowship submissions.
2. In memory of our longtime Vice President, Andrew Gordon, PsyArt Foundation also offers one Andrew Gordon Fellowship of $500 (USD) / £372 (GBP) for Ph.D. students who are participating at the conference for the first time. A supporting letter from the supervisor is necessary. To be considered for a fellowship, send a 500-word maximum conference abstract and supporting letter by February 1, 2026, to PsyArt’s Vice-President, Alexander Vénetis, at a.venetis@uva.nl. If your abstract is accepted for the conference, you will be required to provide your conference paper by February 28, 2026. A decision will be made by March 15, 2026.
Please note: We do not accept co-written papers for fellowship submissions.
Registration Fees & Payment
The deadline for sending us your title and abstract is February 28, 2026, or when we have 100 accepted abstracts, registration forms, and registration fees, whichever comes sooner. Once you receive notice that your abstract is accepted, you will be notified and can then pay your registration fee to be assured a place at the conference. Note that we also welcome conference attendees who do not plan on presenting a paper.
For each person attending the conference, please fill out the registration online form and pay the registration fee. Please indicate clearly “No Paper” if that is the case.
For a complete registration, we require three items:
- A completed registration form (see below) including paper title.
- Brief abstract of paper (150 words maximum), if you are giving a paper. These abstracts enable us to decide if your paper is acceptable for the conference and then to place your paper in an appropriate session. We also publish them on our website.
- A registration fee. See registration payment details below.
Important:
- Ensure your email address is typed correctly to receive a response. If, by March 15, 2026, you are not receiving emails from us, let us know.
- Do not assume that some currency arrangement you made the previous year is still effective.
- Do not leave your registration for someone else to complete unless you are a guest, i.e., a child under 18, friend, or family member attending as a non-presenter.
- Ensure that we have your complete registration (all three items) and your correct email address. Fill out a separate form and pay for each person attending.
To register, click here. U.S. and non-U.S. registrants will be taken to our PsyArt account at Eventbrite.com. (Note: if you plan to present a paper, the abstract must first be submitted for acceptance.
The conference registration fee is based on the current 0.76 exchange rate from USD to GBP on November 11, 2025. These exchange rates fluctuate so the GBP price will have slight variations at the time of registration.
- $325 (USD) / £247 (GBP) Early Bird Special (expires on Dec. 31, 2025. Then $375 (USD) / £285 (GBP), plus processing fee. Amount includes reception, conference packet, panel sessions, coffee breaks, lunch, and conference dinner . It excludes the post-conference excursion.
- $175 (USD) / £133 (GBP) Early Bird Special (expires on Dec. 31, 2025. Then $225 (USD) / £170 (GBP) for graduate students and University of Essex faculty/staff, plus processing fee.* Amount includes reception, conference packet, panel sessions, coffee breaks, lunch, and conference dinner.
- $97.5 (USD) / £74 (GBP) for guests, plus processing fee, i.e., children under 18 of conferees; and partners, friends, or family wishing to attend the reception and conference dinner only, plus processing fee. Amount includes reception and conference dinner only. NOTE: The Friends and Family fee excludes the conference panel sessions, coffee breaks, and lunch, and it excludes the post-conference excursion.
$25 of the conference registration fee is a non-refundable tax-deductible donation to PsyArt Foundation, which supports the conference, the journal, and the website. If you require a refund (given up to 7 days before the start of the event), it will not include the processing fee or $25 donation.
Late Fees
$50 will be added to late registration fees after March 31, 2026. No payments will be accepted after April 30, 2026.
The registration fee (except for the $25 non-refundable donation) is refundable for any reason (excluding processing fees) until June 16, 2026, but not for any reason thereafter. The $25 donation makes you a member of PsyArt, which also entitles you to attend and to vote at the annual meeting to be held on Friday, June 26, 2026, at the conference. Please do attend and vote.
In the unlikely event that the organizers need to cancel the conference, we will notify you by March 1, 2026. In this event, you will be refunded your registration fee. Please note that we do not refund flights, hotels, or any other costs incurred.
If you are having problems registering or have any other questions related to registration, please contact our Treasurer, Marcie Newton, at thepsyartfoundation@gmail.com.
To register, click here. (Note: if you plan to present a paper, an abstract must first be submitted for acceptance.
Accommodation
There are a wide range of accommodation options at University of Essex, Wivenhoe, and its surrounding areas, from student accommodation offering budget ensuite rooms to well-furnished quality hotels and Airbnbs in town with buses departing from Wivenhoe Railway Station (51 timetable) or the Co-OP ( 87 timetable) with a journey of approximately 17 minutes. (If you’re coming in from town, there are 3 main stops on Boundary Road that circle the campus. Get off at the Subway Stop (first stop) which is in front of the Essex Business School event venue.) You can also book a hotel through reputable sites like Booking.com, Expedia.com, and Airbnb.com or contact other hotels directly. Please note: We encourage you not to book accommodation in Colchester itself because traffic can be very heavy at peak times.
See below for an affordable and discounted option on the University of Essex campus.
South Courts Student Accommodation
South Courts student accommodation is available (no promo code). Prices are £49 per night.
Rooms at South Courts are single ensuite with shared kitchen facilities and are based at The University of Essex Campus. Bed linen and towels are provided. The rate is £49.00 per person per night. Click here to book a room directly with the University of Essex.
Wivenhoe House Hotel
Wivenhoe House Hotel, a 4-star hotel, is the quintessential English-staying experience.
Classic rooms are approximately £165 (GBP) per night.
Reach out to Magda Schmukalla at m.schmukalla@essex.ac.uk should you need assistance.
Travel
GETTING TO CAMPUS
BY PLANE:
LONDON STANSTED AIRPORT (STN): There is a regular X20 bus service from Stansted Airport to Colchester Town Centre.
LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT (LHR): There are 4 National Express coaches a day running directly from T2 and T3 to Colchester town centre. The journey takes between 2:30-3hrs. Alternatively, from LHR you can take the recently inaugurated Elizabeth Line to Liverpool St. or Stratford stations, where you will find direct trains to Colchester North and Wivenhoe.
If you’d like to take a taxi from Heathrow to Colchester, you can book by tapping here.
BY EUROSTAR:
Eurostar trains from Europe arrive at London St. Pancras Station. From there, it
is only 3 stops in the underground (Circle, Hammersmith & City, or Metropolitan lines) to Liverpool Street, where you will find trains to Colchester North and
Wivenhoe stations.
BY TRAIN:
If you already live in the UK, you can reach Colchester by train.
Hythe Station (Essex): This is the preferred station to travel to as it is within walking distance of the university.
Colchester (North) Station (Essex): After reaching Colchester North Station, you can take a taxi or bus to the University of Essex or to your accommodation. Taxis are usually lining up outside the station – but you can also book them in advance . (check http://panther-group.co.uk/ or call: 01206 525 525). The 51 and 87 buses also stop here.
Colchester Town Station (Essex): If your accommodation is in the Town Centre, then this is your train stop. The town center is just 10-minutes’ walk away.To get to campus from this station, you’d need to walk to the High Street and catch one of the following buses: 51 or 87.
Wivenhoe Station: If your accommodation is in the lovely Wivenhoe, then get off at this train station. To get to campus, you can catch the 51 bus from the station, or bus 87 from the Co-op supermarket.
BY BUS:
From the Town Centre: Get on the 51 or 87 buses from the High Street in Colchester. There are two stops on this street: 87 stop at Fc and S1 at Angel
Court (Stop Gb). It will take you around 25 minutes to get to campus.
From Wivenhoe: To get to campus, you can catch the 51 from the station, or the 51 or 87 from the CoOp
Getting off on campus: there are three main stops on Boundary road, the road circling campus:
- The first stop (called Subway Stop) is in front of our Essex Business School. This is the closest stop to the event venue.
- The second stop is Valley Road, close to the Psychology Department and the Computer Science Building.
- The last stop, South Courts, is the nearest stop to conference campus accommodation.
Also click on How to Get Here for all your travel needs.
Reach out to Magda Schmukalla at magda.schmukalla@essex.ac.uk should you need assistance.
About Colchester
Wivenhoe is a small, picturesque riverside town a few miles from Colchester with a rich history of fishing and boat building. It offers a delightful walk called the Town to Sea Trail from Wivenhoe Quayside to Colchester’s historic Hythe port along the bank of the River Colne. The trail is marked with waymarkers illustrating Colchester’s history, then as the route changes to the Wivenhoe trail, you cross the river next to the permanently moored TS Colne Lightship and continue through the Essex Countryside and local woodland towards your destination. It has a beautiful harbor, shops, and, of course, pubs.
Photo by Roger Tamblyn. Image ID 2JNY0FM. Copyright Source: Alamy
Colchester, with its rich history spanning 2,000 years, is Britain’s oldest recorded town. Even before the Romans named it their Capital, Camulodunum, back in approx. 40 AD, Colchester was an Iron Age prehistoric settlement. Besides having beautiful gardens and a quaint Dutch Quarter, historical landmarks that still exist today include Colchester Castle, St. Botolph’s Priory, and the only known Roman Circus.
Program
Tuesday, June 23
19:00–21:00: Welcome evening reception at University of Essex.
Wednesday, June 24 – Friday, June 26: Conference Schedule
Local time is Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+1)
The plenary lecture and panel sessions take place at University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, England, UK.
Tel. + 44 (0)1206 873261
Saturday, June 27
Departure or Post-conference tour to Colchester, including a tour of Colchester Castle. Maximum 30 persons.
Itinerary: Leave campus at 10:00 AM for 10:30 AM 1.5-hour self-tour of Colchester Castle, followed by a private tour of the vault and roof at 12:00 PM. After private tour, there will be some free time in Colchester before we meet back up at 2:45 PM to return to campus.
Note: Luggage needs to be kept on person or left on campus.
Contact Information Sheet
Forthcoming
Abstracts
The plenary lecture:
TBD
Abstract TBD
Parallel panel sessions:
TBD