Stayin' Alive:
The Many Afterlives of Disco
July 5-6th 2024 | University of Exeter Penryn Campus, UK
Disco defies death. Over forty years after the so-called “death of disco,” disco music is everywhere. From Donna Summer to Beyoncé, disco is on the radio, in the clubs, and on the dance floor. This conference brings together scholars of disco/dance music, industry professionals, and dance activists to discuss disco’s history, present, and future. We are especially interested in exploring disco’s disruptive potential. How does disco confuse strict categorizations of gender, race, and sexuality? How does it blur the lines between high and low culture? How does its insistence on decadence both play into and disrupt the logics of capitalism? What were, and are the economics of disco in the music industry?
LOCATION
This conference will take place at the University of Exeter Penryn Campus in the UK. The conference will take place July 5-6th, 2024. Parts of the conference will be available virtually.
ABOUT
Programs
conference program coming soon!
All conference presenters and attendees must register individually. The deadline for early registration is April 15th. The final (late) registration deadline is May 1st.
Registration fees will give each presenter/attendee: admission to all conference daytime events, admission to conference evening programming/performances, morning breakfast/tea, buffet lunch on conference days, afternoon coffee/tea, branded conference material, and free parking. [Please note that dinners are not provided]
Registration fees are priced on a sliding scale, and are listed below. Fee waivers will be made available for those unable to pay the conference registration fee and can be accessed using the registration link below.
Sliding Scale Registration Fees
Professors: £40 early registration (£50 late registration)
Postgraduate/ Graduate Students: £30 early registration (£40 late registration)
Undergraduate Students: £20 early registration (£30 late registration)
Community members/ Others: £20 early registration (£30 late registration)
REGISTRATION IS OPEN!
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Travel
Stayin Alive: The Many Afterlives of Disco will take place in Penryn, Cornwall.
Travel By Air:
The nearest airport to Penryn is Newquay (Cornwall). The biggest international airports relatively nearby are London (five hours from Penryn by train) and Bristol (four hours by train).
To get from Newquay Airport to Penryn, you can take a taxi for roughly £70.
Alternatively, you can take the 56 bus to Newquay train station. From there, travel by train from Newquay to Par, from Par to Truro, and finally from Truro to Penryn or Falmouth (both destinations are on the same train line). Train tickets from Newquay to Penryn or Penmere station (in Falmouth)/Falmouth docks (depending on where you are staying) can be bought on the Great Western Railway website: https://www.gwr.com/ Buy in advance, as train prices on the day are very expensive in the UK.
Travel By Train:
There is a train station a 5-10 minute walk away from the Penryn campus. London is 5 hours away by train. Bristol is 4 hours away by train.
Travel By Bus:
The least expensive way to travel to Penryn from within the UK is via the National Express Bus (https://www.nationalexpress.com/en).
Traveling Between Penryn and Falmouth:
Penryn and Falmouth are both small towns, which are more or less connected as a destination. Walking from Falmouth to the Penryn campus takes just under an hour.
The U1, U2 and U3 buses travel from Falmouth, through Penryn, to the Penryn campus.
A taxi ride is roughly 10-15 minutes between the two towns. The following are some phone numbers for taxi services in Falmouth and Penryn:
Abacus & Falmouth Taxis: 01326 212141
Checkers Taxis: 01326 212127.
Falmouth & Penryn Radio Taxis: 01326 313131
Cornwall Airport Newquay
University of Exeter, Penryn Campus
London
Bristol
ACCOMODATIONS
The University of Exeter Penryn campus is located in Penryn, Cornwall. Participants can stay in Penryn or in nearby Falmouth. Both Falmouth and Penryn have a selection of picturesque hotels and B&Bs. If you wish to book these, it is recommended to do this sooner than later as Cornwall is a popular holiday destination in July.
We can alternatively offer discounted university accommodation for conference presenters and attendees for £55 per room per night (including breakfast). Each room includes either one double bed or two single beds, a private bathroom, a shared living room and kitchen, and free parking. If traveling with a companion, a second breakfast may be added for an additional fee. For images of university of accommodations, click here. University accommodations must be booked by May 1, 2024 using the registration link below.
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