A common perception of the artist is still that of the lonely genius in a room of his own, writing, painting, or composing great works in isolation while amanuenses or, more likely, his wife takes care of worldly matters. In the twentieth century, this imaginary notion becomes even more obsolete than it was in previous periods and can force us to rethink some paradigms of intimate working relationships in the arts. Whether couples collaborated or hindered each other, what are the means to describe the goings on behind the scenes in creative partnerships? How can feminism help rediscover hidden powers in creative partnerships? How are interdisciplinary couples researched and written about? How do such couples perceive themselves and their work? This conference seeks to engage with collaborating couples, both in cases where traditional roles are reversed and where they are intact.

We invite proposals to the following topics (and others beyond):
- Muses vs. geniuses in creative partnerships
- Related isms: feminism, modernism, post-modernism, etc.
- Queer perspectives
- Methodological challenges (biography, comparative biography, life writing, archives and legacies, constructs like Michèle LeDoeuff’s Heloise complex, etc.)
- Challenges in interdisciplinary partnerships/approaches
- Collaboration and obstruction in partnerships
- Partnerships between creative artists (writers, poets, fine artists, composers, performers, etc.) and ‘enablers’ (editors, gallerists and dealers, critics, conductors, etc.)

Proposals can be for 20-minute individual papers or 90-minute collaborative panels or lecture-recitals (max. 90 minutes). Proposals should not exceed 300 words, biographies (optional) 150 words. The deadline for the receipt of proposals is 16th December 2016.

Proposals should address aspects of methodology and include a brief speaker biography. If you would like to be considered for one of three postgraduate travel bursaries, please identify yourself as a postgraduate student. Please use the submission form on the conference website (alternatively email a Word document to collaboratingcouples@yahoo.co.uk). We aim to inform successful speakers by mid-January 2016.