Studios

Event	Deadline
Submission Deadline	~~Mon, Oct 27, 2025~~ Mon, Nov 10, 2025, AoE (EXTENDED)
Notification of Acceptance	Fri, Nov 21, 2025, AoE
Camera-Ready Deadline	Wed, Dec 15, 2025, AoE
TEI 2026 Conference	March 8 - 11, 2026

Hello and welcome to the info page for the TEI 2026 Studio track! We invite proposals for one-day Studio activities, which will take place on Sunday March 8.

Studios are a format unique to the TEI conference, providing researchers the opportunity to deeply engage with the materials, methods, and processes used in their research. Traditionally, Studios provide hands-on experiences during which participants are introduced to new technologies, materials, prototypes, or design approaches.

Studios act as a shared space for examining theory and methodology related to tangible, embedded, and embodied interaction. We invite researchers from all career stages to discuss and develop a specific topic of relevance to the TEI community. Studio proposals should contain a clear theoretical grounding around a problem or opportunity, describe a plan for applied engagement with the topic, and highlight how the outcome will provide important insights for TEI researchers and practitioners. Proposals also need to clearly specify how such Studio results will be communicated and archived. Please contact Studio chairs studio_chairs2026@tei.acm.org for discussing dissemination options at the conference.

We particularly encourage Studio proposals that would contribute to the TEI'26 theme of 'Tide' and 'Tied'. The conference will explore intersections and convergence between disciplines towards core TEI values and larger research aims, moving from ideas of separation and duality to the hybrid and plural. Likewise, this special edition of TEI marks the 20th anniversary of our community! Studio proposals may wish to revisit or incorporate themes from our history of interdisciplinarity and explore how to further develop our community in the future. We are therefore looking for Studios that would support continued cross-disciplinary engagement and/or intersections, for example around the blurring of digital and physical, natural and artificial, and technology and humanity; blends that make TEI so unique. Proposals that are likely to weave diverse expertise together will be prioritized.

For reference, you can check the 2025 accepted Studios!

Planned Venue(s)

Griffin Museum of Science and Industry (MSI) is the planned venue for the Studio Program.

MSI is a massive, interactive museum housed in a historic World's Fair building, featuring exhibits on science, technology, and innovation for all ages. In addition to its exhibition space (to be used for the art/demo + reception of TEI2026), MSI contains a Fab Lab and reconfigurable Studio space for hands-on workshops. As part of the Studio, proposals may take advantage of workstations outfitted with 3D printers and vinyl cutters.

Available resources include:

3D Printers

40 Prusa Mini 3D printers
2 Prusa MK3 3D printers
16 Flashforge Adventure 3 3D printers
1 Bambu A1 3D printer
2 Bambu A1 Mini 3D printers

Vinyl Cutters

45 Silhouette Cameo vinyl cutters
1 Roland Cam 24 vinyl cutter

Laser Cutters

1 Epilog Mini Helix 24 laser cutter
4 Muse laser cutters
1 Flux Beamo laser cutter

Textile Equipment

4 Brother PE 800 embroidery machines
Brother PE 700 embroidery machines (quantity TBD)
1 Brother 1034D Overlock Serger
1 Janome Heavy Duty sewing machine
1 Cricut Heat Press
1 Maxx-Clam T-Shirt Heat Press

A collage of the different studio venues and maker spaces available at MSI

We encourage authors to reach out to studio_chairs2026@tei.acm.org for more details and inquiries.

Organisational

Studio proposals are considered non-archival publications, which means that copyright automatically remains with the authors. Accepted proposals will, however, be given a DOI and made available through the ACM Digital Library.

At least one author of each accepted Studio submission must register for the conference and the Studio before the early registration deadline, for the Studio to be included in the conference program and the final submission to be published in the conference proceedings. Studio organizers are expected to advertise their Studio and recruit participants themselves. A minimum number of registered participants will be required for a Studio to take place. All participants will need to register for the Studio they are attending.

We intend for the Studios to be as accessible as possible. If you intend to submit a proposal and are not funded by a university, feel free to contact us to discuss alternative participation options.

Although there has been a recent push at TEI and other conferences for fully in-person participation, we would like to encourage authors to submit Studios to also take place fully online or in hybrid formats. We aim to run a mix of Studio formats this year to include those who may not be able to participate in person. Please specify the intended format and discuss the value of the format to the Studio goals/consider the following:

Specify whether the Studio will take place fully in person, fully online, or in a hybrid format.
Considering the format - in person, online, or hybrid - which tools and resources can be used?
How many people can participate?
If online or hybrid, how will the Studio accommodate multiple time-zones?
Can or should materials be sent to participants?
Can participants organize their own materials?

Submission guidelines

FORMAT REQUIREMENTS

A Studio proposal consists of two documents: (1) a description document and (2) a logistics document. The description document should be formatted according to the new ACM "Review Submission Format". The logistics document should be formatted so as to best communicate the organizers' intent for the Studio. We welcome both half-day (approximately 3-4 hours) and full-day studios; however, we encourage organizers to consider full-day formats, as they allow for a more immersive and hands-on experience for participants.

DESCRIPTION DOCUMENT STUDIOS: 2000 WORDS MAXIMUM, EXCLUDING REFERENCES

A successful proposal should include the following sections:

Abstract
Detailed proposal description - please indicate the format (in-person, hybrid, online)
Grounding in theory
Materials to be explored
Learning Goals
Schedule
Supporting documents/figures/materials

LOGISTICS DOCUMENT: 2000 WORDS MAXIMUM

Please make sure to address the following points:

Event organiser bio(s)
Proposed schedule (including detailed timeline)
Workshop format (fully in-person, fully virtual, or hybrid)
Bill of materials (as needed)
Estimated budget (if needed, please note that these costs will be charged directly to the participants)
Technical Requirements (equipment and space conditions)
Indicate with respect to format
Plans for dissemination of Studio results (website, online documentation, publications, etc)
Participant recruitment strategy (consider online/offline strategies)
A draft 'Call for Participation' (excluded from word count)

SUBMISSION

All proposals must be submitted electronically via the Precision Conference (PCS) website. By submitting your article to an ACM Publication, you are acknowledging that you and your co-authors are subject to all ACM Publications Policies, including ACM's new Publications Policy on Research Involving Human Participants and Subjects. Alleged violations of this policy or any ACM Publications Policy will be investigated by ACM and may result in a full retraction of your paper, in addition to other potential penalties, as per ACM Publications Policy.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Confidentiality of submissions will be maintained during the review process. All rejected submissions will be kept confidential in perpetuity. All submitted materials for accepted submissions will be kept confidential until the start of the conference.