The Open Graves, Open Minds Project began by unearthing depictions of the vampire and the undead in literature, art, and other media, then embraced werewolves (and representations of wolves and wild children), fairies, and other supernatural beings and their worlds. The Project extends to all narratives of the fantastic, the folkloric, and the magical, emphasising that sense of Gothic as enchantment rather than simply horror. Through this, OGOM is articulating an ethical Gothic, cultivating moral agency and creating empathy for the marginalised, monstrous or othered, including the disenchanted natural world.
The full conference programme is available here. There is also a downloadable PDF and you will be given an attractively designed printed version when you register!
Note: all times are in BST (GMT + 1). We are sorry for the inconvenience that may cause to some people on Saturday–one of the disadvantages of an online event!
Saturday, 6 September 2025: On line
1
9:15 – 9:30
Welcome
2
9:30 – 10:30
Parallel Session: Panels 1 and 2
3
10:30 – 11:30
Plenary 1: Dr Katie Garner, ‘Forging the mermaid in Romantic Scotland’
4
11:30 – 11:45
Tea/Coffee Break
5
11:45 – 12:45
Session: Panel 3
6
12:45 – 13:45
Lunch
7
13:45 – 14:45
Parallel Session: Panels 5 and 6
8
14:45 – 15:30
Mermaid Flash Fiction
9
15:30 – 16:30
Parallel Session: Panels 7 and 8 (3 and 2 papers)
10
16:30 – 16:45
Tea/ Coffee Break
11
16:45 – 17:45
Plenary 2: Betsy Cornwell, A reading from the memoir Ring of Salt, drawing on the Selkie myth
12
17:45 – 18:00
Closing remarks and instructions for days 2 – 3 at the British Library
Sunday, 7 September 2025: British Library
13
11:00 – 11:15
Registration – tea and coffee
14
11:15 – 12:15
Introduction and Plenary 3: Assoc. Prof. Sam George, ‘The luck of the Ningyō: Hybridity and the rise of the fake museum mermaid’
15
12:15 – 13:15
Parallel Session: Panels 9 and 10
16
13:15– 14:00
Lunch and Exhibition
17
14:00 – 14:45
Parallel Session: Panels 11 and 12 (2 papers each
18
14:45– 15:55
Tea/Coffee Break
19
15:55 – 16:55
Parallel Session: Panels 13 and 14
20
16:55 – 16:55
Parallel Session: Panels 15 and 16
21
19:00 – late
Conference Dinner
Monday, 8 September 2025: British Library
22
8:30 – 8:50
Registration – tea and coffee
23
8:50 – 9:50
Parallel Session: Panels 17 and 18
24
9:50 – 10:50
Plenary 4: Prof. Catherine Spooner, ‘Mermaid glitter: Fish scales, queer plastic and vibrant femininities’
