The PDC Advisory Board is delighted to issue a call for proposals to host the 19th and 20th biennial Participatory Design Conference in 2026 and 2028. The conference has consistently been attended by 200-300 people from 25-30 countries and PDC proceedings, included in the ACM digital library, are part of the ACM International Conference Proceedings Series. For more information about PDC, please visit the PDC Proceedings page .

The PDC 2026 and 2028 conferences will build on the previous PDCs, including PDC 2024 (Sarawak, Malaysia), PDC 2022 (Newcastle, UK), PDC 2020 (Manizales, Colombia) PDC 2018 (Hasselt, Belgium), PDC 2016 (Aarhus, Denmark), PDC 2014 (Windhoek, Namibia); PDC 2012 (Roskilde, Denmark); PDC 2010 (Sydney, Australia), etc. In the spirit of participation, we encourage applications from geographic locations that have never, or not recently, hosted PDC.

To be able to decide on the venues for PDC 2026 and PDC 2028, we invite aspiring hosts to prepare a proposal that includes the following information:

1. Hosting organization’s name and details. A documented commitment from a local research group/team and the host institution must be included.
2. Venue. Initial information about conference facilities, hotels, the city, and potential social programs, as well as flexibility in terms of onsite, online, and hybrid conference hosting.
3. Profile of the conference. The proposed theme and how this theme will promote Participatory Design while building on the themes of past PDCs.
4. Scheduled dates for the conference. Specify if hosting PDC 2026 and/or 2028 is an option. Proposed dates should be preferably similar to previous conferences (mid-late August), and not collide with other major conferences or events.
5. Initial organizing committee (plans). The names of the conference chairs and one program chair should be included, and a general combination of experienced and new chairs is encouraged. Note that the organizing committee must be negotiated with the PDC Advisory Board after acceptance of the proposal.
6. Budget (outline). An overall estimation of registration fees, and sponsor plan should be included.
7. Local PD community. A brief description of the local research environment and its engagement towards the growth of an inclusive local and global PDC community.

IMPORTANT DATES:

1st March 2024 – Expression of interest from potential hosts to the PDC Advisory Board

1st April 2024 – Proposals to host PDC 2026 and/or 2028 to the PDC Advisory Board

Send submissions to the Advisory Board Chairs: Rachel C. Smith rsmith[at]cc.au.dk and Liesbeth Huybrechts liesbeth.huybrechts[at]uhasselt.be.

Please contact the Advisory Board if you have any questions and for assistance in putting together a proposal. We also have additional resources and documents that provide further information about what the Advisory Board needs from applicants in order to make a decision on conference location, and resources from previous PDCs to help the conference organizer plan and carry out the conference.
The sites for PDC 2026 and PDC 2028 will be selected based on the ability of the proposed conference site to continue and develop further the profile of the PDC conference series, the organizers’ previous experiences in putting together similar events, the international reputation of the people who would be in charge of the conference, and the attractiveness of the venue.
We encourage proposals to pay attention to:

• providing documentation that shows clear organizational support at the host’s end,
• ensuring there is a committed team with a vision to enrich and expand PDC, e.g. by reaching out to other communities (academic and otherwise),
• the logistical expertise and resources to successfully host a conference of the size of PDC.

The venue decision is made by the PDC advisory board. An initial response is sent to the bidders, requesting additional information if needed during April. Final notifications are sent to bidders around June 1st 2024. Announcement of the PDC 2026 (and 2028) hosts will be made during PDC 2024 in August in Sarawak, Malaysia.
On behalf of the PDC Advisory Board,

Rachel C. Smith and Liesbeth Huybrecths