Creating Space 16: The Impact of Identities on Health and Wellbeing
Call for Abstracts
April 19-21, 2026 | Ottawa, Ontario

Deadline for submissions: Monday, November 3, 2025 11:59 PM EST

Professional identity formation is complex: Navigating our various identities affects our personal health, wellbeing, and our relationships with colleagues and those we care for. The arts and humanities (including indigenous ways of knowing, history, literature, poetry, theater, the performing arts, audio and video recordings and the visual arts) are often woven into the teaching, learning, development and practice of health professions. These holistic, integrated approaches deliver better outcomes for patients and their communities. They help clinicians develop insight, reduce burnout and compassion fatigue by making sense of their experiences not only as clinicians but also as learners and members of inter-disciplinary teams.

This exploration of identity and lived experience engenders culturally responsive, safe, healthcare settings, lowers barriers to care, and promotes empathy, communication skills and perspective-taking. Sharing voices and perspectives through the arts and humanities leads to advocacy for social and cultural change.

“Identity”, the theme of  this year’s conference of the Canadian Association of Health Humanities, is foundational to health and wellbeing. This conference is the opportunity to creatively share how the arts and humanities improve healthcare and health professional education. And it will highlight opportunities to explore how notions of personal, professional or team identities can facilitate growth or change.

Please note: this conference is IN PERSON with no virtual options for presentation or participation. 

OBJECTIVES

1. Explore the impact of arts and humanities in health professions education and practice, including their role in fostering better outcomes.
2. Engage with the arts’ and humanities’ contribution to health professional wellness and create opportunities for growth and development
3. Elevate the voices of people with lived experience and build bridges between patients, the health care system and different cultures

Inclusivity, diversity, equity, accessibility, and social justice statement:

The conference organizers are committed to fostering and celebrating a culture of inclusivity, diversity, equity, accessibility, and social justice, as well as reconciliation, action and indigenous health.
Conference contributions are encouraged to support these unifying priorities. 

ABSTRACT REQUIREMENTS

Abstracts are limited to 300 words, not including the following sections: section titles, presenter names/affiliations, learning objectives and references.  Abstracts exceeding the maximum length of 300 words will not be accepted. Abstracts must be written in English or French. 

Specifically:

o For Scholarly Oral and Poster Presentations: Background/purpose + methods + results + discussion + 1-2 learning objectives

o For Workshops and Panel Discussions: Background/purpose + instructional methods + 1-2 learning objectives

o For PechaKucha Presentations: Background/purpose + methods/process + results.

o For Innovative Experience in Arts and/or Humanities Pedagogy Presentations: Background/purpose + instructional methods + results + discussion + 1-2 learning objectives

o For Performances and Artwork: Background/purpose + methods/process + electronic image or performance description + artist’s statement explaining the work and its link to the conference’s theme of identity.

PRESENTATION FORMATS

	Details	Notes	Link to submit
Artwork	Visual art including but not limited to paintings, sketches, sculpture, etc.	Times and locations for display of art work will follow. Authors are responsible for the shipping and mounting of their work. Narrative reflections and poetry submissions will also be accepted in this category. Narrative art submissions will have a 1,000 word limit.
Innovative Experience	20 minutes (15 minutes for presentation followed by 5 minutes for questions)	Innovative Experience in Arts and/or Humanities Pedagogy sessions will be held both Monday and Tuesday (April 20 & 21, 2026)
Oral Scholarly Presentation	20 minutes (15 minutes plus 5 minutes for questions)	Oral presentation sessions will be held both Monday and Tuesday (April 20 & 21, 2026)
Pecha Kutcha	20 slides, each advancing automatically after 20 seconds, for a total presentation of 6 minutes and 40 seconds, followed by 3 minutes of discussion	PechaKucha sessions will be held both Monday and Tuesday (April 20 & 21, 2026)
Performance	30 minutes; formats include poetry, music, dance etc.	Times and locations for performances will follow. Performers are responsible for any necessary equipment or instruments.
Poster Presentation	Posters dimensions should be a maximum of 24 inches (W) x 36 inches (L) and printed on card stock sturdy enough to be displayed on an easel. Presenters are responsible for  printing and mounting posters.	Poster presentations will take place on Monday April 20, 2026. Presenters are asked to mount their poster in the morning, but are only required to be present at their poster for the 1 hour dedicated poster session the afternoon of April 20, 2026, and be available to answer questions about their work.
Round Table or Participant Panel	60 minutes (40 minutes, 20 minutes questions)	Round table/participant panel : Round Tables/Participant Panels will be held both Monday and Tuesday (April 20 & 21, 2026). Each Round Table/Participant Panel should have a facilitator and 1 or more presenters.
Workshop (60 Minute)	At most 25% for didactic presentations, 75% interactive time	Workshops will be held Monday and Tuesday morning (April 20 & 21, 2026)
Workshop (90 Minute)	At most 25% for didactic presentations, 75% interactive time	Workshops will be held Monday and Tuesday morning (April 20 & 21, 2026)

OTHER INFORMATION

• Multiple submissions are allowed for each author. However authors must be aware of concurrent sessions, which can create scheduling conflicts, and make arrangements to present their work, once the final conference agenda is released. 
• Please note: this conference is IN PERSON with no virtual options for presentation or participation.
• Successful presenters and co-presenters must confirm the intent to present by January 23, 2026. All presenters and co-presenters must register for the Conference by the Early Bird Registration deadline. Presenters assume all costs related to their attendance at the Conference, including the Conference registration fee.
• You may submit your abstract as either an oral presentation and/or poster presentation. Only one format will be accepted, you will be notified of the format of your presentation when notices of acceptance are sent out. 

IMPORTANT DATES

• Call for Abstracts Opens: August 15, 2025
• Call for Abstracts Closes: November 3, 2025 11:59PM Eastern Time
• Notification of Acceptances: December 2025
• Registration Opens: Early 2026
• Conference Dates: April 19-21, 2026

IMPORTANT TERMS

• Lead Author - Lead author is the person who carried out the majority of the work being presented. In the case of artworks or performances, the lead author is  the primary artist or creator.
• Co-Authors - List a maximum of 7 co-authors in order of their contribution to the work, whether or not these co-authors are attending Creating Space 16 in Ottawa, ON. Participation of co-authors in person is encouraged but not required.
• Presenter - You will be asked to indicate the name of the main presenter, even if multiple people will be presenting the work. This may be, or need not be, the “lead author”. The presenter is someone who will be onsite, and will be receiving emails related to the abstract and its acceptance status. Once the presentation has been accepted, the presenting author(s) must register for Creating Space 16 in Ottawa, ON, and pay the registration fee (no exceptions). 

QUESTIONS? 

If you have any questions or require assistance with your abstract submission, please contact cpd@uottawa.ca.