The Craft, Texture, and Aesthetics of Letter Forms from Antiquity to the Present

Programme

Registration

  • In-person attendance (standard): £50
  • In-person attendance (students and unwaged): £30
  • Online attendance: £20 [N.B. this rate does not include the object display and Historical Print Room visit, which are in-person events only]

Register your place

If you are a University of Cambridge staff member and your department is funding your registration for the conference, please email letterforms@english.cam.ac.uk so we can arrange for your department to be charged.

We are pleased to present the programme for the hybrid conference taking place 2-4 September 2025 at the English Faculty. Please note the programme is subject to minor changes and the full list of speakers will be announced in due course.

Panels take the form of three papers of 20 minutes, with time for questions and discussion.

Day One - Tuesday 2 September

10.30am-5.30pm with refreshment breaks and lunch included

Panel 1: Cambridge Contexts

Panel 2: Materialities

Panel 3: Scribal Forms

Day One ends with a complimentary drinks reception at the Cripps Gallery, New Library, Magdalene College (6-7.30pm) [N.B. the Gallery will be hosting an exhibition of sculptures by Rachel Whiteread DBE: we therefore request no photography and that no food is taken into the Gallery]

Day Two - Wednesday 3 September

9.15am-5.30pm with refreshment breaks and lunch included

Panel 4: Stanford University Session

Panel 5: Literature and the Letter

Panel 6: Beyond Pen and Type

Panel 7: Modernities

Day Two concludes with a dinner at Magdalene College (7-9pm) [N.B. not included in the conference fee but can be purchased as part of your ticket when registering.]

Day Three - Thursday 4 September

8.30am-4.30pm with refreshment break and lunch included

Object display and visit to Historical Print Room at Cambridge University Library

Panel 8: Research Projects

Panel 9: Printed Calligraphies