The Annual Conference fosters a vibrant, interactive, and essential community for those in the fields of Cinema and Media Studies. The community aspect is a cornerstone of our organization, and maintaining and strengthening these connections is a top priority for our board and staff.

2026 Conference Format and Basic Info

When and where will the conference be held?

The 2026 annual conference will be held from Thursday, March 26, 2026 to Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Chicago, Illinois, USA, at the Fairmont Chicago Millennium Park and the Swissôtel Chicago. Be sure to arrive on Wednesday, March 25, for the Author Celebration & Welcome Reception that evening. This event is the perfect opportunity to pick up your badge and program, reconnect with friends and colleagues, enjoy the evening's festivities, and then, get a good night's rest to prepare for the start of the conference sessions Thursday morning!

What will be included in the in-person conference?

The four-day in-person conference will consist of panels, workshops, roundtables, special events, the 2026 awards ceremony, as well as receptions, social events, and the exhibit area.

Do I have to pay or register to attend the conference?

Conference registration is required for all attendees of the Chicago conference.

May I participate in the conference without being a member?

Anyone who wishes to participate as a presenter, chair, or respondent in the Chicago conference must be a current member. Therefore, be sure to renew your membership. For participants, this means that you must be a member of SCMS and register for the conference.

Why did SCMS decide to start holding the Virtual Symposium and in-person conference?

The Virtual Symposium is one way our organization aims to support our members. The symposium enables SCMS to:

• Facilitate continued engagement for members who cannot attend the in-person conference, enabling their active participation in their respective affiliate and internal SCMS groups.
• Shortening the length of the in-person conference from five days to four will save members money on hotel rooms and enable people to attend more of the conference.
• Host as many panels as possible, even within the shortened in-person conference, so that we can have the maximum number of members present and participate.
• Ensure that members have fewer business meetings vying for their time, allowing freedom to engage with new scholarship in the field via panels, workshops, and roundtables.
• Respond directly to member surveys indicating interest in additional "breathing room" in the conference schedule to allow for social and restorative time within the schedule by separating business meetings from the in-person conference.

Why not have virtual panel sessions or a totally hybrid conference?

The SCMS board considered these options but decided against it this year because:

• The logistics for a hybrid conference are prohibitive because the needs of in-person and remote participants are different and require distinct models of conference programming.
• At this time, it is prohibitively expensive to do (partly) virtual sessions from inside a hotel or conference center due to the exorbitant costs for securing bandwidth onsite, hosting streaming platform fees, etc.
• Hosting an annual Virtual Symposium offers some of the benefits of membership-such as participating in SIGs, Caucuses, and Committees-to people who could not attend in-person.

Will SCMS ever have a wholly virtual or hybrid conference?

We understand that some members desire more virtual or hybrid events in the future. While we continue to explore hybrid options for the conference, they remain prohibitively expensive for our organization at this time. However, we will continue to host the Virtual Symposium as part of our year-round programming. Please know that we hear your feedback, and the board will actively continue to investigate virtual and hybrid conference options.

What kinds of conference sessions are available during SCMS 2026?

As is our usual practice, SCMS is offering three forms of sessions during the in-person conference: Panels, Workshops, and Roundtables.

If my proposal is accepted, what are the registration requirements?

All participants must register for the conference. The deadline for participants to register and become a member to be listed in the final program is Wednesday, January 14, 2026.

Why are the Caucus/SIG business meetings taking place during the Virtual Symposium?

To ensure that members can participate in their Caucus/SIGs regardless of their attendance at the in-person conference, the Board and staff have decided to move these meetings to the Virtual Symposium. This virtual format also enables members to attend more Caucus/SIG meetings than would be possible in person.

Will anything at the in-person conference be recorded?

At the virtual symposium, meetings may be recorded at the chair's discretion and made available for a limited time on the symposium platform. We understand that time zone differences, dependent care responsibilities, and other commitments can make it challenging for members to attend all sessions. To address privacy concerns, we implement login access and require Zoom recording consent. Meetings can choose not to be recorded and participants can keep their microphone and camera off if they prefer.

For the in-person conference, we will not record sessions. Some individual papers may be presented by pre-recorded video by participants using a specific accommodation. To learn more about the Pre-recorded Presentation Accommodation for Exceptional Circumstances, please visit the full guidelines here.

In Person-Chicago

Why should I book a room at the Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park or Swissôtel when I can easily get an airBnB, use Expedia, or stay at a cheaper hotel?

At the annual conference, ensuring a substantial number of booked hotel rooms is imperative to access crucial amenities including meeting spaces, designated areas for nursing, the quiet room, the lounge (ideal for work and device charging), exhibits, receptions, complimentary WiFi, and more. It's crucial to note that our room rates have remained consistently competitive, offering added value with inclusive services like WiFi despite rising expenses. Our posted nightly room rate has consistently stayed under $199/night before taxes and fees, underscoring our commitment to working as hard as we can to obtain the lowest rate possible for our members. Moreover, with a large number of concurrent sessions in Chicago, the demand for AV services underscores the significance of securing the necessary room bookings. If SCMS does not fill our block of rooms, we incur massive penalties.

This year, we ask that you first book at the Fairmont Chicago Millennium Park or the Swissôtel Chicago. If you have difficulty booking the conference hotel, please reach out to the office first to see if there is any additional availability before booking elsewhere.

A roommates forum is available to connect attendees who are interested in sharing a room onsite.

Why can't SCMS book a budget hotel too, so that we have a choice?

Staying in the conference hotel is the most convenient choice for members and supports the organization and our meeting needs. A budget hotel is less expensive because almost all of its square footage is for sleeping rooms; it can charge a lower rate for those rooms, but doesn't have the meeting rooms or audiovisual services to serve us. If the conference hotel is outside your budget, you might look into youth hostels in the area.

Are you requiring vaccinations to attend in-person?

SCMS adheres to CDC guidelines and monitors the evolving landscape of COVID-19 and other transmittable viruses worldwide. We understand that vaccinations may not be accessible to all members. Should there be a need, the board will announce any policies or restrictions closer to the conference. We encourage all members to get vaccinated when possible and to stay informed about vaccination requirements and other restrictions that may affect your travel.

Are safety protocols going to be in place at the in-person meeting?

Our top priority is the health and safety of all attendees. We are following guidance from the CDC as well as following standards set forth by the venue and municipal, state, and federal authorities. We will implement best practices aimed at promoting attendee health and minimizing exposure to illnesses and associated risks. Any protocols will be a living document that will continue to evolve as venue and local standards change.

If transmission levels exceed the city's average, SCMS will communicate specific conference precautions beforehand. SCMS also reserves the right to dismiss an attendee from the conference if they fail to comply with announced guidelines.

My institution has informed me that they won't be able to fund my membership or attendance at the upcoming in-person conference. Is there any support SCMS can offer?

SCMS will continue to offer travel grants and dependent care subsidies this year. Details on these funding opportunities are provided alongside acceptance notices. These grants and subsidies support graduate students and underemployed, adjunct, and contingent faculty with financial support for conference-related travel and dependent care expenses. Many of these funds are awarded by lottery, so please review your acceptance notice carefully for application information, including deadlines.

Many of our Caucuses and SIGs also provide additional funding opportunities for their members, ranging from awards to grants-please reach out to your Caucus or SIG representatives to learn more about any available support and how to apply. Two alternative routes you may consider for financial support are through the Precarious Labor Organization or by signing-up to work as a Conference Assistant.

Conference Assistants help at the registration desk and elsewhere during the in-person conference, and earn a stipend per shift. If you are interested in working at the conference, please use this form to join the Conference Assistant Waitlist. Please note that conference assistants must be registered to attend the conference either as a participant or attendee. As the conference approaches, SCMS will contact those on the waitlist with instructions to sign-up for available time slots. The number of shifts available per person depends on the number of volunteers we receive. If the number of shifts exceeds the available shifts, preference will be given to SCMS members.

Each summer, the Precarious Labor Organization offers membership waivers through a lottery process. These waivers grant full SCMS membership benefits for the year, including eligibility to submit for the in-person conference. While the application period for waivers for the 2026 Conference has now closed, we encourage you to look out for membership waiver opportunities through the PLO in Summer 2026 for the 2026-2027 SCMS year.

Can you make sure my session is not scheduled at the same time as other sessions on similar topics?

The program spans several days with numerous scheduled sessions, making some conflicts unavoidable. The Program Committee diligently works to minimize topic and audience overlaps. Given the many concurrent sessions and the diverse range of topics and media, it can be challenging to avoid all conflicts. Please know that we make every effort to do so and are continuously refining our programming methods to better serve our members.

I am not sure I will be allowed entry to the US by the time of the in-person conference in Chicago. Will I be able to cancel and obtain a refund?

Please see the SCMS Cancellation and Refund policies below.

Can I obtain a visa letter of invitation if I need one?

To obtain a letter of invitation, please fill out an electronic form to request visa support. We strongly advise participants to personally check entry and visa requirements as soon as possible before making travel arrangements, as there may be country-specific conditions you are not aware of. For the most accurate information, please contact the embassy or consulate of the conference host country in your home country. Please note that requesting a letter of invitation to attend the SCMS Annual Conference does not guarantee that you will obtain a visa.

What kind of accessibility arrangements are available? What about child care? Areas for privacy? (e.g. lactation, quiet, etc.)

SCMS will provide designated areas for privacy at the conference as well as offering dependent care subsidies. For more information, please see accessibility, inclusion and childcare.

Can a presenter participate virtually (via a platform such as Zoom or Skype) during the in-person conference if they cannot be physically present? OR Can I present remotely or via recording?

No. At this time, we are unable to provide the option of "hybrid" participation. Some individual papers may be presented by pre-recorded video by participants using a specific accommodation. To learn more about the Pre-recorded Presentation Accommodation for Exceptional Circumstances, please visit the full guidelines here.

What if someone in my session can't attend in person?

SCMS conferences are designed as in-person events, and sessions proceed as scheduled even if a panelist has to withdraw. We ask chairs to note any cancellations at the start of the session.

SCMS offers a limited pre-recorded presentation accommodation for participants who cannot travel due to sudden medical issues, disabilities or chronic health conditions, or legal or logistical barriers such as visa denials. Live remote participation (Zoom, livestreamed Q&A, etc.) is not available.

If you qualify, you may submit a short pre-recorded presentation or arrange for another registered participant to read your paper. All coordination should happen directly between the presenter and the session chair.

A full description of eligibility, procedures, and expectations is available on our General Conference Guidelines and Procedures page: /page/conference_faq

2026 Conference Registration & Membership Fees

How much will this year's conference registration cost?

• Please see the Conference Registration page.
• As a reminder, SCMS relies on membership and registration fees to run the conference and help maintain baseline operations for the organization, including staff salaries, throughout the year. Without these funds, the organization cannot remain solvent.

What are the benefits of membership?

SCMS Individual Membership provides:

• JCMS: Journal of Cinema and Media Studies: Receive access to four digital quarterly issues of JCMS per membership year, the ability to opt-in for print delivery, and access to the JCMS/Cinema Journal archives through Project Muse.
• Annual Conference: Engage with the leading scholars in the field at the SCMS annual conference held in locations across the U.S. and abroad.
• Awards: The Society also sponsors annual award competitions to honor professional and scholarly achievements in film and media scholarship. These honors include awards for books, edited collections, essays, and dissertations. SCMS also recognizes other forms of professional distinction with awards for pedagogy and service.
• Membership Database/Social Networking: Put yourself in contact with colleagues, collaborators and mentors.
• Career Center: Access the most up-to-date and specific job listings, and gain access to useful insight from established professionals about careers in cinema and media studies.
• Caucuses and Scholarly Interest Groups (SIGs): Join a group or groups of SCMS members focused on specific areas of media culture, such as Television Studies and Sound Studies, or participate in Caucuses that support underrepresented members within the organization.
• Member Organizations: Additional organizational groups within SCMS also work on behalf of student members and fellow scholars. The Graduate Student Organization (GSO) provides fellowship, support, and advocacy for the Society's graduate student members. The Precarious Labor Organization (PLO) provides community and advocacy for the Society's members who are in positions without job security or a clear route to promotion and advancement.
• Membership also gives you access to that year's Virtual Symposium-and allows you to submit proposals for the in-person conference.

Membership in SCMS supports the operating costs and expenses that sustain our organization throughout the year, including funding for Caucus/SIGs, travel and dependent care grants, and registration waivers for graduate students. As a non-profit organization, all income is reinvested back into the membership.

For more on the benefits of membership and dues, please visit our membership page.

What is the SCMS cancellation and refund policy?

Please see our website for specific conference cancellation and refund information.

Once a paper or session is submitted, it is expected that the author(s) will present their paper at the conference if the proposal is accepted. Participation in the conference is highly competitive, and a canceled presentation eliminates a spot that could have accommodated another scholar. Participants whose proposals are accepted for the conference MUST pay their conference fees by a specified date. Conference payments not made by this date will result in the participant's name not appearing in the program. All participants must be registered and have a badge to present and attend the conference.

Membership dues are not refundable even if your paper is not accepted.

All cancellation notifications and requests for conference registration refunds must be submitted online by a specified date. A cancellation form will be available after acceptance notices are sent. We are unable to process cancellation by phone or email. Upon request, registration fees may also be converted to a donation to SCMS.

Guest/Contributor Waivers: A waiver of the conference registration fee and/or SCMS membership requirement may be granted in exceptional circumstances for contributors such as media practitioners, artists, or renowned scholars from other disciplines whose contributions would illuminate the panel or workshop topic. If requesting a waiver for any panel, workshop, or roundtable participant, a waiver form must be submitted online by the conference submission deadline.

How do I update account and profile options when I renew my membership?

Members can update their account and profile settings on the Manage Profile page once logged into the cmstudies.org website. From here, click on Edit Bio to update membership information, including organization/affiliation and contact information. Other profile options can also be found on the Manage Profile page, including payment and registration information, notification preferences, etc. Should you need any assistance, please don't hesitate to contact the office.

Where can I go to download my . . . (and other submission FAQs)

• Membership receipt

• To find your membership receipt, go to "My Profile." At the top of the screen, click the dropdown arrow on the "Welcome [Your Name]" box, and then select invoices. You can view all your invoices (change the "Filter By Status" option to show "Any Status," or click "Membership" to find only your membership invoice history. On a specific invoice, click the currency button to open a copy of your invoice that can be saved/printed as a PDF.

• Conference proposal

• To download your conference proposal, log into the portal, in the section "My Applications" select "Complete", then select "Print" and this will trigger a PDF of your proposal to be downloaded. Your application history defaults to show the last 120 days only. To see older applications, click the blue text to "show full history."

For answers to other frequently asked questions about the submission process, please visit the Submission Troubleshooting page at Submission FAQs.

Panels, Workshops, and Roundtables

How many panels, workshops, and/or roundtables can I be on?

• Members may only participate in one session at the conference. Please see "Conference Participation" on our General Conference Guidelines and Procedures page for more information about the policies for participants.
• Panels, workshops and roundtables are NOT EXEMPT from the one-role rule. You may participate in only one of those.
• For more on panels, workshops and roundtables, please see "Presentation Compositions" on our General Conference Guidelines and Procedures page.

Community, SIGs, and Caucuses

How will Caucus and SIG meetings work?

• Caucus and SIG meetings will take place every year during the Virtual Symposium.
• Caucus and SIG chairs will be free to make use of that time in the way they feel works best for their group.
• Caucuses and SIG chairs will be allowed to sign up for their time slots, as in the past.

Will each group receive funds from SCMS even though the Caucus/SIG meetings are virtual?

• Caucus and SIG funding is designated for business activities such as travel grants, writing awards, and prizes. Unfortunately, SCMS is not currently able to provide funding for events like happy hours or social gatherings.
• Since Denver 2023, many Caucuses and SIGs have successfully raised external funds from institutions to support social events. While we understand that fundraising may not be feasible for all groups, we encourage you to explore this option if you wish to host a social gathering for your Caucus or SIG.
• Please note that SCMS is unable to reimburse expenses for social gatherings. If a reimbursement request is submitted for such events, the office will not be able to process it. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we continue to prioritize funding for travel grants, writing awards, and prizes.
• Caucuses can apply for the maximum allotment of $600 and SIGs can request up to $500. If the requested amount exceeds SCMS's available funds, we may need to revert to disbursing from a shared SIG fund, pending committee review.
• New: to ensure meaningful impact and reduce administrative labor, SCMS is implementing a new policy limiting the number of prizes, grants, awards that each Caucus and SIG may award annually. Each Caucus or SIG may issue a maximum of three (3) prize disbursements per year. This policy was proposed in response to the observation that some groups were distributing as many as 10 small prizes (e.g., $50 each). While well-intentioned, this approach diluted the overall impact of the awards and placed an undue administrative burden on SCMS staff to manage numerous small transactions.

How will Standing Committee meetings work?

• Standing Committee meetings will take place during the Virtual Symposium and elsewhere during the year as decided on, and arranged for, by the committee chair(s).
• Standing Committee chairs will be free to make use of that time in the way they feel works best for their group.
• Standing Committee chairs will be allowed to sign up for their time slots.
• At the charge of the Board, select Standing Committees are responsible for developing an in-person conference session on a topic relevant to their mission. These sessions will be designated as such in the conference program.

Events

How will special events happen for the 2026 Conference?

To prioritize social opportunities in 2026, we will not be hosting a call for special event proposals.

SCMS General Conference Guidelines and Procedures about things like what makes a successful proposal, panel types and participants, the proposal review process, and more can be found in our General Conference Guidelines and Procedures.

Updates to FAQ pages will be ongoing as more information is available. Thank you.

Disclaimer of Liability

The views and opinions expressed during talks, programs, webinars, and associated events of the Society for Cinema and Media Studies (SCMS) represent the perspectives of individual participants. It is explicitly stated that these views and opinions do not purport to represent or reflect an official stance of the Board, its officers, SCMS staff, or committee volunteers.