Call for Proposals: 2026 Midwest Popular Culture Association Conference
Muncie, Indiana
Organization: Midwest Popular Culture Association
CALL FOR PAPERS, ABSTRACTS, AND PANEL PROPOSALS
Midwest Popular Culture Association/Midwest American Culture Association Annual Conference
Friday-Sunday, October 9-11, 2026
Horizon Convention Center | Muncie, Indiana
The Midwest Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association is accepting proposals for the organization’s 50th annual conference this October in Muncie, Indiana. Submit paper, abstract, or panel proposals (including the title of each presentation within the panel) with the appropriate keywords via the submissions website at https://www.mpcaaca.org/submit-panels.
Individuals may only submit one paper.
The deadline for receipt of proposals is May 15, 2026.
Please include your name, affiliation, and e-mail address of each author/participant. A preliminary version of the schedule will be posted on our website in August 2026. The final version will be posted online prior to the conference.
Special Notes Regarding Proposal Submissions: (1) AV equipment will be provided. The Association does not provide laptops, cords, or speakers. (2) If necessary, indicate and submit potential scheduling conflicts along with your proposal. (3) If you wish your presentation to be listed as MACA (rather than MPCA), please include this request with your proposal.
Please plan to attend the entire conference. Panels will run at the following approximate times: Friday 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m., Saturday 9:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m., and Sunday 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Special events may include game night on Thursday evening, featured speakers and awards ceremony on Friday evening, and a keynote speaker and pub quiz on Saturday evening. These events will be free for conference registrants. A membership meeting will be held on Saturday. All attendees are encouraged to attend.
Hotel & Lodging:
Courtyard by Marriott Muncie at Horizon Convention Center
MPCA Room block price: $129/night
601 S High St
Muncie, Indiana 47305
Attached to the Horizon Convention Center
Membership Dues & Registration Fees: Membership renewal forms for the 2026 calendar year and 2026 conference registration forms are now available on our website. All participants must register for the conference. Early bird combined membership/registration tiers:
? Full-Time Faculty: $150
? Part-Time Faculty, Independent Scholars, Graduate Students: $125
? Undergraduate Students: $50
Early bird registration ends on August 1, 2026. Any unregistered presenters will be dropped from the program after September 1, 2026.
Payment on-site will be by cash, check, or via credit card on Square. To pre-register, send a check anytime to Julia Kuttler, McPherson College, 1600 E Euclid, McPherson, Kansas 67460. Make a check payable to the Midwest Popular Culture Association. A registration-membership form may be printed from our website. Day passes will be available for guests of the conference who are not presenting a paper.
Student Travel Grants & Awards: MPCA/MACA encourages students to apply to our competitive awards. Select undergraduate students will be honored with the Pat Browne Paper Award. Select graduate students, meanwhile, will be awarded the Gary Burns Travel Awards. More details on these opportunities are available here.
Cancellation Policy: If you submit a proposal (or if you accept an invitation to appear on a panel), you are promising to attend the conference if your proposal is accepted, and you are promising to pay the conference registration fee, the Association membership fee, and a late fee of $15 if applicable.
If your proposal is accepted and you do not attend the conference, it is expected that you will (1) notify all members of your panel and the MPCA/MACA President (president@mpcaaca.org) of your cancellation; (2) provide such notification as early as possible; (3) arrange to have your paper distributed at the panel; (4) arrange for somebody else to carry out any other duties you may have; and (5) pay your membership and registration fees (plus late fee if applicable). If conditions 1-5 are met, you may file a written request, after the conference, for a refund of half your registration fee. For co-authored papers, all authors are welcome and encouraged to attend, but only one author is required to attend.
https://mpcaaca.org/submit-panels
Cory Barker