Call for Papers: Wordsworth Winter Conference, March 4-7, 2026
Deadline Extended: December 1, 2025
The Wordsworth Conference Foundation invites 200-word paper proposals for its 2026 Winter Conference, to be held at the Wordsworth Trust (now rebranded as Wordsworth Grasmere) in Grasmere, UK. Our theme this year is “Romantic Ballads and Romantic Songs,” and we especially look for proposals that fit the theme, but any Romantics-related topic will be considered.
We will accept proposals on a rolling basis until December 1, or until our schedule is filled.
This year there are 3 bursaries of £300 available to postgraduates and early career post docs, on presentation of a single academic reference to support their paper presentation. More information on the website: https://www.wordsworthconferences.org.uk/winter-conference-2026/“
Programme
Keynote speakers include Katie Garner on ‘The Mermaid in Romantic Ballad and Song’, Jon Quayle on John Clare, and Laura Mandell on “Resurrecting the Romantic Circle’s Lyrical Ballads.”
We will also have a musical evening in the Grasmere Town Hall, with a presentation performance by Caroline O’Shea and Flor Ó Riain.
Accommodation
Participants should make their own lodging arrangements. We recommend the following hotels in Grasmere:
The Daffodil: https://www.daffodilhotel.co.uk/
The Swan: https://www.inncollectiongroup.com/the-swan-grasmere/
Glenthorne: https://glenthorne.org/
Tweedies: https://www.tweediesgrasmere.com/
For those on a budget, we recommend the nearby youth hostel, YHA Grasmere: https://www.yha.org.uk/hostel/yha-grasmere-butharlyp-howe
Or the youth hostel in Ambleside:
https://www.yha.org.uk/hostel/yha-ambleside
You can book a shared dorm or a private room here.
Proposals should be emailed to proposal.wsc@gmail.com
We look forward to hearing from you!
— Bruce Graver