The 37th Society for Animation Studies Conference is taking place in Pittsburgh from June 15-18 (with a hybrid option) and we’re taking submissions until January 5 2026. There’s lots of ways to submit research, and we’ve laid them out here so you can make the right choice for you.

In her essay for Animation Studies 2.0’s Animation and Agency theme, Maria Pagès examines questions of agency in digital games by focusing on idle animations and the shifting power relations between players, player-characters, and designers. Read it at bit.ly/49HgIid.

Carla MacKinnon, in her contribution to Animation Studies 2.0’s “Animation and Agency” theme, reflects on how materials and technologies shape animated work, drawing on examples from the Royal College of Art’s animation archive. Read it at bit.ly/48h6nqM.

In the second contribution to Animation Studies 2.0’s Animation and Agency theme, Benjamin Hall reflects on his research project Picturing Security, which explored ideas of security, risk, and democracy. Learn more at bit.ly/4r51lWX.

Pittsburgh native Mr Rogers is ready to welcome you to a space of creativity, connection, and inspiration. No it’s not the neighbourhood, it’s the Annual Society for Animation Studies conference 2026! Submit your proposals here bit.ly/3JLFbbE by January 5th 2026! #SAS37 #AnimateExperience

For this Animation Studies 2.0 “Agency” post, Alisi Telengut explores how under-the-camera animation recognizes the materials involved as active co-creators, positing animation as a form of ecological storytelling and critique of anthropocentric perspectives. Read more at bit.ly/4oD9kJe.

In the editorial for Animation Studies 2.0’s “Animation and Agency” theme, guest-editors Julia Eckel, @maireinerth.bsky.social, and Vera Schamal introduce the theme and the contributed essays, all of which examine “the boundaries between humans and non-human entities.” Read it at bit.ly/4phF7zn.

It’s here! The call for proposals for the 37th Annual Society for Animation Society Conference is now available! Find all the details at bit.ly/3JLFbbE. We hope to see you in Pittsburgh! #SAS37 #AnimateExperience

In his post for the Animation and Learning theme, Samuel Regan-Edwards proposes an intriguing approach to the animation of the student-teacher relationship that today extends beyond reality into hyperreality in Higher Education programmes. bit.ly/4qZuhQq

For this week's Animation Studies 2.0 Animation and Learning post, @clayonglass.bsky.social reflects on artist animator Sky David and his emphasis on tactility, movement, and subjectivity for a unique approach to learning and teaching animation. Read it at bit.ly/3X929MI.

Continuing the Animation and Learning theme, Gray Hodgkinson discusses how student-centred learning strategies can help build confidence in technological learning, drawing on his 2024 game technology workshop for students at the School of Art, Design and Media at NTU, Singapore. bit.ly/4niT0vS

Gotta Catch ‘Em All! In his post for the Animation and Learning theme, Christian Aditya explores how Pokémon Smile’s multimodal approach to learning can help children develop practical skills. bit.ly/4hjccbu

In his post for the Animation and Learning theme, Corey C. Reece proposes strategies for teaching digital animation that support what he calls “principle zero” - a solid technical understanding of the craft. bit.ly/3ITj2ru @cornreece.bsky.social

Continuing Animation Studies 2.0’s theme of Animation and Learning, Benjamin Hall explores what authentic voice in animation production can look like, and what happens when the animator’s voice does not follow established animation manuals. Read it at bit.ly/4mzQgtt.

SAS is cosponsoring the From Algorithms to Imagination Symposium, which will be held as part of the Fredrikstad Animation Festival (FAF), on October 25, 2025 in Fredrikstad, Norway. The event will explore the past, present, and future of AI and animation. Find out more info at bit.ly/4pKzMS8.

Animation studies 2.0 is exploring topics around the theme of Animation and Learning, starting with Grace Brennan’s reflection on the value of haptic pedagogies and the productive role of error in contemporary animation education. Check out her post here: bit.ly/3KfEPKd

In our next Animations Studies 2.0 blog post, Luke Hernandez reframes the Invader Zim series “as a key artifact in the history of Latinx aesthetics that historicizes Rasquache and extends its influence on both Media and Latinx studies scholars.” Find their essay at bit.ly/46lYOzk.

Animation Studies 2.0 is currently accepting submissions for its Animation and Agency theme. You can find details at bit.ly/3Hv9Dpq. This is a great opportunity for scholars/artists (from graduate students upward) to share their work. The deadline is Sept. 22, 2025.

In his review of Animated Encounters: Transnational Movements of Chinese Animation by Daisy Yan Du, @damiandamiani.bsky.social examines Du’s claim that Chinese animation was "international before it became national." Read his post at bit.ly/4fBkaM3.

For her post for Animation Studies 2.0, Crystal Tai describes how she uses metamorphosis in her piece, My Monthly Struggle, to explore and develop the potential of animation in expressing the invisible pain and struggle of menstruation. Read her piece at bit.ly/4mfoiE5.

This CFP might be of interest to SAS members. Details can also be found at www.intellectbooks.com/ijds.

In this Animation Studies 2.0 post, Maria Pagès explores how the success of Flow could be ascribed to the ways it utilizes video games strategies, strengthening the viewers experience of immersion through discovery, replayability, and the overall use of gamification. Read it at bit.ly/4lQQ3T7.

Animation Studies 2.0 is currently accepting submissions for its Learning and Animation theme. The editors welcome essays that explore various aspects of the study of creating animation. The full CFP can be found at bit.ly/3U5hSLo. The deadline is August 29, 2025.

In her essay for Animation Studies 2.0, Samantha Baugus examines Flow to show how the creator’s respect for its characters’ lived reality is strengthened by the use of animation to playfully present its anthropomorphic narrative mode. Read it at bit.ly/459H5ui.

We can't believe it's been a week since the end of #SAS36! It was such a great event. We also can't stop thinking about the animation @joanna-quinn.bsky.social made during her keynote. Here is a version she created just for us! Thanks, Joanna!

Congratulations to Clara Schulze from @filmuni.bsky.social for receiving the Maureen Furniss Award for Best Student Paper! #SAS36

Congratulations to Anastasiia Guschina for winning the Norman McLaren/Evelyn Lambert Award for Best Essay in Animation!

And so #SAS36 comes to a close. Thanks to chairs David McGowan and Susi Wilkinson, and their entire team at the London College of Communication at the University of the Arts, for a great conference! Hope to see you at #SAS37 in Pittsburgh in 2026!

David Sproxton, co-founder of Aardman, closes #SAS36 with his keynote talking about his career.

Clara Schulze, student at @filmuni.bsky.social and winner of the Maureen Furniss Award for Best Student Paper, presents her award-winning research. #SAS36

SAS’ Co-President Cristina Formenti takes the stage to discuss the environmental footprint of digital animation #SAS36

Maike Sarah Reinerth kicks off one of the final panels by talking about pragmatic green storytelling. #SAS36

Lisa Scoggin talks about the use of music to explore the father-son relationship in del Toro's Pinocchio. #SAS36

Peter Chanthanakone explores animation and electronic dance music. #SAS36

Aaron Borok on Deleuze and the Amazing Digital Circus #SAS36

Michael Meindl on The Magic School Bus’s brand identity and legacy #SAS36

Sam Summers on Cult Toons and Hanna-Barbera #SAS36

Angela Hernandez-Scoggins talks about teaching animation in the era of apps. #SAS36

Mark Collington talks about the creation of visual scenes with retinal prosthesis patients. #SAS36

While we're done yet with #SAS36, we're excited to announce that next year's #SAS37 will be held in Pittsburgh (June 22-26, 2026)! Hope to see you there!

Laurence Arcadias talking about using animation to explore astronomy. #SAS36

Michael Dudok de Wit talking about rhythm in The Red Turtle. #SAS36

Michael Dudok de Wit giving our third keynote address! He shared his thoughts on animation and the environment. #SAS36

Cristina Formenti and Misha Mihailova, co-presidents of SAS, kick off the annual general meeting! #SAS36

Miriam Harris on hybrid stop motion and experimental creativity #SAS36

James McGrath kicking off day three with a talk on scale, time, and materiality in stop motion animation #SAS36

Nicholas Andrew Miller on Laika and the tongue in sensorial bodies and stop-motion

Markus Beeken talks about contemporary Hollywood stop-motion animation. #SAS36

Life drawing with legendary British animator Joanna Quinn Only at #SAS36

Joanna Quinn talking about her iconic film Britannia at #SAS36!