‘Where Imagination Becomes Experience’ Conference

Conference 25–26th July 2026 in Trinity College Dublin

For more than six decades, Cecily O’Neill’s pioneering work in process drama has transformed our understanding of drama as an experiential mode of learning, one in which imagination is ‘lived through’, negotiated and made meaningful in collective action. Her writing, teaching and international leadership have shaped generations of educators, students and artists, profoundly influencing drama education research and practice across cultures and continents.

In a world marked by uncertainty, inequality, conflict and rapid change, children, young people, educators and communities are navigating profound social, emotional and educational challenges. At such a moment, this conference honours Cecily’s legacy by bringing together a global community of scholars and practitioners to celebrate, extend and critically engage with her work.

Cecily O’Neill’s scholarship and practice have long affirmed drama education as an imaginative, experiential and deeply human mode of learning, one that invites participants to ‘live through’ complex situations, to think ethically, to act collectively, and to make meaning together. Her work has offered educators powerful ways of responding to difficult times, foregrounding empathy, agency, dialogue and hope as central to learning.

This conference is both a celebration and a call. Through keynote addresses, workshops, panels, performances and conversations, participants will reflect on how Cecily’s ideas have shaped and influenced the discipline of drama education internationally. We will explore their continuing relevance in the present moment, and re-imagine how her legacy will inform the future of the field.

Marking her 90th birthday, the conference affirms drama education not only as a field of study and practice, but as a vital cultural and pedagogical response to the world as it is, and as it might yet become!

Please register here 

You can download the Conference Brochure here.

How to get involved:

We invite participation from all corners of the world. This conference encourages multiple forms of participation, reflecting Cecily’s commitment to dialogue between theory and practice, scholarship and making, reflection and action. Delegates who attend the conference are invited to contribute in one or more of the following ways:

1. Join us in Dublin to attend and participate in this seminal conference.
2. Contribute to an open access Pedagogical Handbook
3. Contribute to an edited scholarly collection (open access)
4. Performative and creative contributions
5. Echoes of Practice: Research, Policy and Pedagogy Inspired by Cecily O’Neill. An Interactive digital poster carousel

For more details and to request a conference brochure, please email ctreanor@tcd.ie

Or you can download a Conference Brochure here.

Indicative Conference Schedule:

(The final version featuring all contributors will be emailed to registered delegates in May.)