The members of Neuro-GLAM-orous Canada invite you to participate in their fourth annual free online conference.

Conference Date: August 21st, 2026
Location: Online (registration forthcoming)
Time: 1:00 pm-5:00 pm Atlantic Daylight Time

Proposal deadline: July 2nd, 2026

Potential Topics:

The theme of this year’s conference is Hopepunk: Neurodiversity, GLAM, and Neurodivergent Knowledge Justice

“Knowledge justice is based on the principle that each person has the equal capacity to be knowledgeable, yet this right is often denied to individuals based on the social identities they hold. It also involves recognizing that some knowledge systems, particularly those of Indigenous peoples, have been purposefully ignored, eliminated, or silenced.”
What is Knowledge Justice? – Knowledge Justice in the Helping Professions

Knowledge justice impacts us as neurodivergent information practitioners through our practice, and in our communities and workplaces. It asks us to consider how we work professionally and personally to counter misinformation and address inequities as information professionals.

Hopepunk is a subgenre of speculative fiction and art that focuses on optimism, gentleness, kindness, and collaboration as effective weapons in the fight to create a better future.

This year we invite submissions that respond to how the concept of Hopepunk shows up at the intersection of information professions and neurodivergence. Of particular interest is how we can engage with Hopepunk and knowledge justice themes to build sustainable affirming communities in the face of job cuts, funding cuts, gaslighting, lack of inclusion, and injustice.

“Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed.”
– G.K. Chesterton

Presentations, panels, and lightning talks may relate to, but are not limited to:

• research, professional work, and ongoing projects related to the theme, including epistemic injustice, hermeneutical injustice, gaslighting, funding cuts, job loss, etc.
• personal accounts of being neurodivergent in GLAM spaces in the context of knowledge justice, building community, self-advocacy, etc.
• how GLAM professions have historically resisted or facilitated knowledge justice in different contexts or are currently resisting or facilitating it
• surveillance, ableism, and gaslighting in GLAM professions

For those interested, the conference will conclude with a “Five Minute Fascinators” event where participants are invited to talk about a special interest for five minutes and why they think it is so interesting. If you are interested in participating, a call will go out less formally the day of the conference.

After the conference there will be a channel created on the Neuro-GLAM-orous Canada Discord server for ongoing discussions and follow up to discussions raised during the event and where links to recordings will be posted.

Guidelines

We invite proposals for individual presentations as well as for panel submissions.
Presentations and panel discussions can be pre-recorded or delivered live.

For individual presentations, please submit:

• an abstract of no more than around 2500 characters (approximately 400 words)
• a presentation title
• a brief biographical statement (including pronouns if you feel comfortable doing so)
• contact information
• any potential trigger warnings for your presentation
• the expected length of your presentation (20 minutes maximum)
• whether the presentation will be live or pre-recorded
• you may also indicate:
  • if you want your presentation to be for neurodivergent attendees only
  • if you prefer not to be recorded

For complete panels, please submit:

• a panel abstract of no more than 2500 characters (approximately 400 words)
• a list of all participants and brief biographical statements (including pronouns if you feel comfortable doing so)
• please identify (up to three panelists and one moderator) and provide participants’ contact information for the panel organizer
• you may also indicate:
  • if you want the panel discussion to be for neurodivergent attendees only
  • if you prefer not to be recorded

At Neuro-GLAM-erous Canada we believe that the personal and professional are political, and encourage participants to think of themselves as whole beings. The sphere of vulnerability this creates will require tact and understanding. While this is a space to learn and be vulnerable; however, harassment, bigotry, and bad-faith actors will not be tolerated.

Submit proposals:

By form: NeuroGLAM 2026: Conference Call for Proposals – Fill out form
Or return attached template to: neuroglamcon@gmail.com
Direct questions to: neuroglamcon@gmail.com

Additional information can be found here