Submissions are due December 7, 2025
experimentation through (Dis)Pleasure
We are excited to issue a call for proposals for the 2026 OCADU Graduate Conference experimentation through (Dis)Pleasure. To be held February 20-21, 2026, in Toronto, Ontario. Current graduate students and recent graduate alumni from all universities are welcome to apply.
What even is experimentation through (Dis)Pleasure?
We are in a society where pleasure is not prioritized, where everyone does what they must in hopes of one day being able to do what they want. But what if doing what you must is also what you want? What if doing what you must leads to what you want? There is (dis)pleasure in experimentation and both are valid.
Without one you cannot have the other. What does this mean to you? Experimentation through (dis)pleasure can be anything you want it to be, or anything you need it to be.
What is pleasure?:
Pleasure can mean many things to everyone, but for this conference when we talk about pleasure, we are thinking about…
Euphoria of making
Fulfillment & Self-satisfaction
Creation, Experimentation & Research
Communication, Resonance & Community
What is (dis)pleasure?:
Just like pleasure, (dis)pleasure has many meanings person to person, but for us, we are thinking about…
Frustration or Discomfort from Failures, Accidents or Unexpected Outcomes
Striving for Perfection
Unfulfillment & Dissatisfaction throughout work process
Systemic Issues & Challenges
Global warming, aging population, gender inequality, colonialism, war, institutional issues, bureaucracy, financial issues etc.
Unfulfilling & Unsatisfying work
Papers, assignments, academic tasks that are unenjoyable but lead to something pleasurable i.e. thesis, exhibitions etc.
Work that you simply just don’t enjoy but have to do
Commercialization of pleasure
What happens if you put pleasure & (dis)pleasure in dialogue with one another?
You get something that may look, sound or feel, a little bit like this…
Embodied experiences & Empathy
Eureka moment
Thinking through making
With or Without Constraints
What are we looking for?
There’s so many possibilities for work at the grad conference, but here’s a small list of ideas to get you thinking!
Artwork
Art work that brings the community visual pleasure through engagement with the work
Aesthetically pleasurable work
Fun/experimental/creative
Visually appealing/unique
Art work centered around making for pleasure
Experimental works
Pleasurable & fulfilling process works
What does pleasure look like to you process wise?
Thinking about works in progress, experimental works, a group of smaller works that focus on displaying a pleasurable/enjoyable/fulfilling process
Creation as learning
Work that fosters growth
Knowledge production or acquisition
Pleasurable or displeasurable creation that fosters learning
Works that address pleasure
Whatever that means to you
Workshops
Thinking about what you can share with others
knowledge/techniques/advice
Activities centered around craft
Button making
Sticker making
Origami
Felting etc.
Creating work that has fluid guidelines for the finished product
Collage
Abstract painting
Abstract sculpture
Power of prioritizing self-pleasure
Queer methodologies
Feminist methodologies
Sexual pleasure
Familial or relational pleasure
Paper Presentations
Papers that address processes that are pleasurable or displeasurable, &/or difficult work that brings fulfillment
Papers that are centered on a topic you are strongly passionate about, niche topics that are related to your academics or not.
Maybe a special interest
Hyperniche area of research you discovered through school but does not apply to what you’re doing academically/thesis wise
Self-care & caring for others
How you grew from failure or displeasurable work
Failure as pleasure/
finding pleasure in failing or not meeting specific set requirements i.e. grades/social views of success in an artwork etc.
Creation as a way to take care of yourself & others
Self development/growth/progress
How is this going to work?
Fantastic & valid question!
Artwork included in the exhibition curated by the Grad Conference Team will be on display from February 16th to 22nd, 2026.
The workshops will be 1-2 hours in length. A successful workshop will bring together community members in attendance for a moment of pleasure, knowledge sharing &/or production, and creation.
The paper presentations/panels will be similar to a standard conference, aim for a 15-20 minute comprehensive presentation of the work you’re bringing forward, followed by a short question/discussion period.
The Q&As, roundtables & feedback sessions will be grouped under common themes and be a moment for individuals to bring forward a 10-15 minute presentation, explanation etc. on their work and pose questions to the audience, receive feedback, &/or create knowledge together.
How to apply for the conference?
To submit work for the conference please use the Microsoft Forms Link provided in above. In your application you will need to include basic information about yourself, or the group you are applying as, artist/presenter biographies, the type of programming you are interested in/feel your submission is best suited for, an Abstract for written work, a Workshop/Event description which includes logistical & financial needs, an Artist Statement for artworks & visual documentation of your artwork sent to gradconference@ocadu.ca with the your name, the title of the work, medium, size & duration/length for audio/video works.
You can expect to hear from us December 17th - 19th. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out here gradconference@ocadu.ca
(Dis)Pleasure Glossary
Thinking through and about (Dis)Pleasure, we have been considering these terms and ideas
Resonance: subtle communication through non-verbal or non-literary cues; when you feel something in the air, through a song or from an artwork. How do things resonate through you?
Community-building: an activity, event, exhibition or movement that inspired connection, communication and collective feelings of togetherness between groups of people. Artwork, research & activities involving it are occasionally described as ‘community engagement-based’.
Frustration: a stressful feeling typically perceived when you get an outcome you did not expect, face failure or experience burn out.
Resonance: subtle communication through non-verbal or non-literary cues; when you feel something in the air, through a song or from an artwork. How do things resonate through you?
Community-building: an activity, event, exhibition or movement that inspired connection, communication and collective feelings of togetherness between groups of people. Artwork, research & activities involving it are occasionally described as ‘community engagement-based’.
Accident: an unexpected and sometimes random event that deviates from a planned result. It can be a positive or negative experience.
Perfection: a social construct describing someone or something without flaws.
Dissatisfaction: a feeling of unhappiness, disappointment, or unfulfillment.
Experimentation: trying new things, using a medium differently, anything that deviates from your regular art practice. Show us your experiments or experimental artwork!
Unexpected outcomes: the moment when you predicted something would happen in a certain way but turns out you were wrong. An unexpected outcome can be positive or negative and might be synonymous with ‘accident’.
Embodied experience: describes when a person perceives moments and events with multiple senses or internalizes moments by engaging their whole body.
Empathy: being able to understand another person’s emotions while simultaneously feeling those emotions with them.
Eureka moment: have you struggled with a problem but only found the solution in the middle of doing something? It’s when something suddenly ‘clicks’ in your mind and you figure out the answer to your problem, or the reason why you’re doing something, or what someone is speaking or writing about. Share your eureka moments with us!
Restrictions: a set of boundaries, rules, limits you or someone else might place on your art or artmaking process. Do you need restrictions to make art? Do you hate putting restrictions on your art? Either way, we’d love to hear about it.
Aesthetically pleasurable: an artwork that elicits joy, emotion, or positive response simply by the way it looks. Do you have art that looks pretty, but doesn’t have a deep meaning? Share it with us!
Creation as learning: a phenomenon that describes artwork that fosters your growth as you create it. It’s a fulfilling process we’d love to hear about.
Knowledge: reactions, lessons, or experiences you’ve gained using your unique perspective. Think about what you can share with others, either as techniques or creative advice. We’d love to give the space to do so!
Craft: often seen as separate from fine arts and typically focused on functional-based creative strategies, craft refers to a range of practices not limited to button making, sticker making, origami, felting, weaving, etc.
Self-pleasure: cultivating joy for yourself as opposed to others; you’re free to interpret this through queer or feminist methodologies, sexual pleasure, familial or platonic relational pleasure.
Hyperniche: an oddly specific topic, approach or interest you have. This is your space to enlighten the unlearned about it!
Failure: an unsavory event that occurs when we don’t experience an expected outcome or success. One could argue that ‘failure’ is a social construct. When we change our perspective and perceptions, and let go of our expectations, is it really still failure? I don’t know, but maybe you have an idea you’d like to share?
Care: when you express concern for the wellbeing of someone or something, this can be care of loved ones, care for your community, or care for the self.
Self-development: any personal growth you complete as an artist or individual. You’re welcome to share that process with us!
Work in progress: unfinished artworks that you may continue tomorrow or in 20 years. If it’s not done, but it will be one day, we want to see it!
