Music educators and students will be at the center of a major international conference exploring the role of arts education in fostering social change. The European Music School Union reported that the Gustav Mahler Private University of Music will host the dialoguing@rts conference, October 15-17, 2026, in Klagenfurt, Austria.
The event, part of the Horizon Europe project, will feature presentations, artistic exchanges, and collaborative discussions focused on best practices in higher music and arts education across Europe. The University of Cologne’s Institute for European Ethnomusicology is leading the project’s work package focused on case studies of arts education practice.
The conference is open to music teachers, researchers, artists, cultural experts, policymakers, and representatives from organizations like UNESCO, the Association Européenne des Conservatoires, and the European Music Council. Discussions will center on how music and the performing arts can drive social change and promote social justice. The program will include topics from music education, ethnomusicology, dance studies, sociology, and heritage studies, with the Klagenfurt-based ensemble (Re)Shape providing creative spaces. Registration closes July 20, 2026.
For more information, visit musicschoolunion.eu.