Call for Contributions

The ICRA Arts in Robotics session will continue showcasing some of the deepest challenges in its respective domains: How technology can push art and how art can enrich what technologies can suggest. This session draws upon a rich history of prior iterations such as Stelarc’s memorable performance at ICRA’23 (London), the Automation in Expression program at ICRA’22 (Philadelphia), and a growing program of demonstrations and performances at ICRA’25 (Atlanta) and ICRA’26 (Vienna). We invite roboticists and artists to present work that pushes both disciplines this year at ICRA’27 in Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Mirroring the overall ICRA’27 theme of building an ecosystem of innovation, this year’s Arts in Robotics theme is collaborative creativity. While it is not required, we encourage submissions to explore robotics systems which assist, collaborate, and interact with a human artist. We encourage the participation of original creative work, with interactive forms of presentation such as demonstrations and multimedia materials. 

Important Dates (in Pacific Time): 

• Sep 15, 2026: Submission Opens (via OpenReview)
• Dec 1, 2026 (23:59 PST): Submission Deadline
• Jan 31, 2027: Acceptance Notifications
• Apr 5, 2027: Final Material Submission Deadline
• May 24-28, 2027: Conference in Seoul, Republic of Korea

INFORMATION QUESTIONS? Inquiry [email protected]

[Submission Guidelines]

Topics of interest include but are not limited to:

• Fine art, e.g., drawing, painting, and sculpture
• Performing art, e.g., music, theater, and dance
• Installations, e.g., interactive gallery works
• Cinematic works, e.g., short films or videography techniques
• Robot designs that significantly leverage a field within arts and entertainment

Desk Reject:

• Not relevant to robotics
• Not relevant to the arts
• Insufficient information (as described in submission requirements)

Evaluation Criteria:

Submissions will be reviewed by a panel of experts. Successful submissions should have all of the following:

• Technical Rigor – All works must make contributions to robotics which include comparisons 
   with existing work.
• Artistic Merit – All submissions should have an artistic message or theme. For example, a robot that works with paint but does not have a clear overall artistic goal will be rejected.
• Feasibility, Safety, and Live Interaction – Successful submissions will have materials that show the system is ready and safe for presentation. The strongest submissions demonstrate high audience engagement and will be inspiring to conference attendees.

Submission Policies

We welcome new works as well as works presented at other conferences, workshops, etc. Authors should list any prior presentations of the work (as a finished piece or work-in-progress).

Guidelines Regarding the use and disclosure of AI tools: Arts in Robotics session follows 
the ICRA 2027 and IEEE-RAS guidelines regarding the use and disclosure of AI tools.

Submission Materials

Submissions will be handled on the OpenReview platform. The portal will be opened on September 15th. If you are new to OpenReview,
please create an account ASAP since it can take a week or so to register. 

See directions here: https://openreview.net/signup 

• Document
  – A PDF document that is 2-4 pages long (not including references) in the IEEE format which 
      includes:
    · Title
    · List of authors including their affiliations (single-blind; non-anonymized)
    · Biographical information about the authors (prior artworks and scientific work)
    · Description of the technical and artistic contributions including technical details and
       innovation as well as artistic messages/themes
    · Detailed description of the in-person presentation including footprint, interactive
       experience, and materials needed (TV, power supplies, etc.).
• Video
  – Up to 3 minutes maximum (100MB maximum), demonstrating the physical system,   
     performance, or artwork in action.

Please note, in past years we have called for proposals, but this year the expectation is that
the works will be completed at the time of submission.

Presentation

• In-Person Presentation
  Accepted works will be presented in a dedicated Arts & Robotics exhibition area at ICRA 2027. At least one author is expected to register for the conference to present the work in person (https://2027.ieee-icra.org/attend/registration-information/). Each accepted work will be provided with a 3 m × 3 m presentation space, including access to power, Wi-Fi, 1 desk, and 1 chair. The organizers will work with authors to ensure the needs for presentation are met, however, with budget or safety constraints, not all requests for materials may be met.
• Online Video Museum
  Accepted works will also be displayed perpetually on our online video museum.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is this an archival submission?
A: No, the Arts in Robotics session will not have formal proceedings. The videos will live on a
     website. Accepted submissions will be invited to submit to future publications to be
     determined. 

Q: I am an independent researcher, can I use OpenReview?
A: Yes, however, please make your account ASAP since this can take a week or so. See these
     instructions here: https://docs.openreview.net/getting-started/frequently-asked-questions/i
     -am-an-independent-researcher-how-do-i-sign-up 

Q: I submitted a paper to ICRA 2027. Can I apply to Arts in Robotics with the same work? 
A: Yes. Arts in Robotics is a non-archival session, so submitting any published or under review
     paper is fine. However, acceptance is determined independently as the two tracks have
     different evaluation criteria. You could be accepted to the main conference but rejected from
     Arts in Robotics, or vice versa. Also note that you still need to submit a separate short
     proposal (2-4 pages) for Arts in Robotics, which cannot be replaced by your ICRA submission.  

Q: What if I cannot travel with my robot?
A: You could possibly present your work as a video or bring artifacts that your robot made.
     However, we would encourage you to collaborate with universities and research labs in the
     Seoul region to make it easier to bring machines to the conference and foster connection with
     the area. 

Program Committee Arts & Robotics Chair: Jean Oh (CMU, Lavoro AI)
Program Committee: Peter Schaldenbrand (Bosch), and Sareum Kim (McGill)