Call for proposals for the Open Forum at Letrástica Type Festival 2026

As with every edition, Letrástica's Open Forum returns to give a platform to the ideas, projects, and research that continue to strengthen and grow our community.

This space is built on the belief that knowledge grows when it is shared. Whether you've conducted research, explored a new technique, designed a typeface, documented a process, developed a new tool, or simply have a story about letterforms worth telling, we'd love to hear from you.

The Open Forum is an opportunity to share knowledge, learn from one another, and spark conversations that enrich the fields of typography, calligraphy, lettering, sign painting, editorial design, printmaking, and every discipline where letterforms play a central role. Whether this is your first time giving a presentation or you have years of experience sharing your work, we are looking for proposals that demonstrate curiosity, critical thinking, and a desire to contribute to the community.

If you have something to share, this is your space. We'd love to receive your proposal!

Submit your proposal by August 17, 2026!

1. Call for Proposals

As part of the activities of Letrástica Type Festival, held in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, we invite professionals, researchers, educators, students, recent graduates, designers, and graphic artists working with letterforms to submit proposals for in-person presentations.

We welcome talks focused on typography, calligraphy, sign painting, editorial design, grapholects, lettering, font editing software, writing techniques, printing, letterpress, and other topics related to the practice and study of letterforms. The goal is to share knowledge, promote discussion, and highlight work that contributes to our field.

2. Topics

Presentations may be theoretical or technical in nature and may address informational, educational, research-based, historical, social, or innovative topics related to typography, calligraphy, sign painting, printing, editorial design, publishing, and any other medium or system in which letterforms play an essential role.

We also welcome artistic and experimental approaches that explore the qualities, meanings, and processes behind typography, lettering, calligraphy, and sign painting.

3. Presentation Guidelines

Presentations must not exceed 20 minutes.

All submitted content must be original and presented within an appropriate critical framework, respecting the authorship and intellectual property rights of any referenced texts, images, or other materials.

The presenter assumes full responsibility for the content of their presentation. Letrástica, its organizing committee, and staff are not responsible for any copyright infringement, inaccuracies, omissions, or other issues related to the submitted material.

Presentations must be prepared as a PDF for projection. Presenters are required to bring the presentation on a USB drive and, if accepted, submit the PDF by email no later than October 20, 2026.

4. Proposal Submission

Proposals will be accepted from July 22 through August 17, 2026, via the submission form, which will request the following information:

• Full name
• Pronouns
• Participant photo
• Contact information (email and phone number for urgent matters)
• Presentation language
• Presentation title
• Keywords
• Presentation abstract
• Supporting/reference images
• Additional information

Only proposals submitted through the Google Form with a clear and complete abstract before the deadline will be considered. All submissions will be reviewed and evaluated by a jury appointed by the festival's organizing committee.

5. Proposal Selection

Selected presenters will be notified by email between September 1 and September 5, 2026.

Selected participants must confirm their participation by September 10, 2026. If confirmation is not received by that date, the invitation will be withdrawn and another proposal may be selected.

Each accepted presentation will be assigned a specific date and time within the festival schedule. Presenters are expected to respect their assigned schedule, while the festival staff will ensure that the necessary technical equipment is available.

The final presentation schedule will be announced no later than one week before the festival begins.

Presentations will be delivered in designated lecture or discussion spaces equipped with a laptop, projector, projection screen, sound system, microphones, and any other necessary presentation equipment.

Open Forum presentations are exclusive to registered festival attendees with a valid event badge.

6. Rights and Responsibilities

Presenters are responsible for their own travel, accommodation, and meal expenses.

Each accepted presenter will receive one personal, non-transferable festival pass granting access to the Open Forum, conference program, and the rest of the festival activities.

Letrástica, its organizing committee, and the selection jury reserve the right to reject, present, publish, or otherwise use submitted materials if they do not meet the festival's standards of professionalism, originality, respect, and integrity. All decisions are final.

• This call for proposals is subject to minor changes. Any updates will be communicated only to participants who have submitted a proposal.

Guadalajara, Jalisco — July 2026

For questions or comments, please contact foro@letrastica.com.