Black Sacred Arts Conference – Yale Institute of Sacred Music

Black Sacred Arts Conference 2026

Religions at the Crossroads: Africa’s Creative and Spiritual Heritage

From July 22-24, 2026, the Yale Institute of Sacred Music will hold the fifth annual Black Sacred Arts Conference in Ghana in collaboration with the Institute of African Studies at the University of Ghana, Legon, Accra. 

This conference seeks to bring together scholars, practitioners, performers, and community based religious leaders to explore the Black sacred arts and related spiritual expressivities through a critical re-appraisal of the formulation of the “triple” religious heritage of Africa, studying indigenous practices in various localities in Africa, as well as religious and spiritual movements such as Christianity and Islam whose history and legacies are within, and extend beyond the continent.

The deadline for abstracts is January 10, 2026. Learn more about the conference and how to submit a proposal here.