This free two-day conference aims to explore the opportunities and challenges that arise by centring the audience in discussions of early modern entertainment.

Featuring keynotes from Professor Elaine Hobby and Professor Pete Smith, workshops, and a live performance, we hope to invite a unique opportunity to consider who was engaging with sources of entertainment, and why.

We welcome abstracts of up to 250 words for individual research papers of 20 minutes in length, or 700 words for a panel of three people presenting on a shared topic or sub-theme. Please submit abstracts via https://forms.gle/5sRBFGpnHCPjguxx6 before Friday 13th November 2026. (23:59 GMT). Successful applicants will be notified by Monday 30th November 2026. Papers are welcomed by PGRs and ECRs. A full programme will follow shortly. For more information or questions, please email: earlymodaudconfm4c@gmail.com