Organizer Information:

NADD (Network Archives Design and Digital Culture) is hosting its annual Archive Day at the Nieuwe Instituut. Following previous editions focused on Living Archives and (Re)generative Archives, the 2026 theme "Crafting the Archive" shifts the focus to those who make (craft) archives, with a specific focus on the genre of crafts, or ‘ambacht’.

Title & Description:

Applications are open for program contributions to the Crafting the Archive Symposium.

NADD is seeking proposals that explore how craftsmanship, archiving, remembrance, and resistance come together in new practices. They are particularly interested in contributions that activate the archive through practice, foreground processes of making, share knowledge, and encourage collective reflection.

Category:

Craft, Design, & Digital Culture.

(Accepted formats include: talks, presentations, show-and-tell, workshops, participatory sessions, demonstrations, collective making activities, performances, screenings, and roundtable conversations).

Eligibility:

  • Who: Designers, makers, archivists, artists, researchers, cultural workers, educators, collectives, and students.
  • Themes: Proposals must reflect on one of the following themes:
    1. Craft, Design, and Archival Power.
    2. Reinventing Tradition.
    3. Archiving Craft: Knowledge, Process, and Practice.
    4. Craft, Digital Culture, and AI.
  • Language: Contributions are welcome in English or Dutch (sessions will be held in both languages).

Program Benefits & Awards:

  • Compensation: Selected participants will receive an honorarium.
  • Production: A small materials budget is provided.
  • Travel Constraints: Transport costs are only covered within the Netherlands. (Note: The organizers explicitly state they cannot fund international travel. International applicants must be able to self-fund their journey to the event).

Application Requirements:

Applicants must complete the online form, providing their name, collective name (if applicable), and details outlining their proposed contribution to the symposium.

Key Dates:

  • Application Deadline: April 8, 2026 (23:59 CET).
  • Notification of Results: April 24, 2026.
  • Symposium Date: Thursday, June 18, 2026 (10:00 AM – 6:00 PM).

Location:

Nieuwe Instituut, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Contact Information:

Website: NADD - Crafting the Archive Open Call