Are you ready for it? IU’s Taylor Swift academic conference sold out on both nights
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WISH) — Are you “ready for it?” Indiana University will soon host the “world’s first” Taylor Swift academic conference.
The conference itself will take place on Nov. 3 – 4, with other events happening on the Thursday before and the Sunday after.
The conference will study the phenomenon that is the pop sensation Taylor Swift and all the topics surrounding her. It has received a lot of interest and organizers are saying ‘Don’t Blame Me’ because tickets for the conference itself are already sold out on both nights.
“Taylor Swift: The Conference Era will gather Swifties and scholars to speak on pertinent topics through the lens of the star who has sold out stadiums worldwide during her double-decade-spanning career and ongoing Eras Tour,” IU said in a news release.
The conference is organized by the IU Arts & Humanities Council and 1,000 attendees have already registered, many of whom are likely expecting to leave the weekend “Enchanted.”
It will “reflect upon the icon’s (Swift’s) cultural relevance and her influence on pop culture, the economy, gender, fandom, politics, music theory, history, and more.”
New 8’s Adam Pinsker first reported on the call for papers back in July and said the university expected interest from people both in and outside of academia would want to present.
“A call for papers issued by the Arts & Humanities Council in May garnered entries from across the United States and beyond,” said the IU news release. “IU faculty members, graduate students, and alumni are among the 30 selected speakers, with panel topics including ‘Taylor as an Anti-Hero,’ ‘Tour Economy and Crowd Culture’ and ‘Feminism and Capitalism.’”
IU will say “Welcome to (Bloomington)” to the international presenters traveling from across the globe to participate. “Several international scholars will attend, including Amelia Morris, culture and media theorist from the University of Exeter in England,” said the news release
The conference will kick off with events at IU’s First Thursday festival from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., and a 9 p.m. Dance Party at The Back Door. These events are sure to be full of excited Swifties but it is unlikely someone will say “You Need to Calm Down” to the crowds at these events.
The conference itself starts at 9 a.m. on Friday and Saturday and will last 13 hours, Swift’s favorite number, until 10 p.m.
Days this long might leave attendees ready to get in a “Getaway Car” so they can go home and get some sleep before seeing “Daylight” for day two. It will be held in the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, with organizers playing the Swift-directed “All Too Well” music video short film at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
The weekend will end on Sunday with a Taylor Swift Artist Market starting at noon until 4 p.m. at the Cook Center for Public Arts and Humanities. Vendors with “Style” will sell “Swift-related goods.”
Previous Coverage
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- Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras Tour’ could bring up to $100M to Indianapolis economy
- Mother-daughter duo excited for the Taylor Swift Eras Tour to come to Indy
- Get ready Swifties, she’s coming to Indianapolis!
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