The University of St Andrews’ School of Divinity, Institute for Theology, Imagination and the Arts (ITIA), and Music Centre are delighted to host the International Network for Music Theology conference “Incarnation and Inculturation” on 25th-27th June 2026.
Our keynote speaker, who will be present throughout, is Sir James MacMillan, Composer and Professor of Music and Theology, University of St Andrews.
“I believe it is God’s divine spark which kindles the musical imagination now, as it has always done, and reminds us, in an increasingly de-humanized world, of what it means to be human” (Sir James MacMillan).
Registration has now closed for INMT 2026
Browse the full programme and abstracts below to plan your conference experience. With multiple concurrent sessions across all three days, the programme offers extensive opportunities to engage with current research, emerging ideas, and diverse perspectives.
Programme
Abstracts
Thursday
13:00 Registration desk open
13:30 Opening Remarks
14:00 - 17:15 Sessions 1 and 2
17:15 End of Day
Friday
9:15 -11:15 Session 3 and 4
11:30 Plenary Session
13:00 Lunch
14:00-15:30 Keynote Address
15:45-17:15 Session 5
Saturday
9:15-10:45 Session 6
11:00 Plenary Session
12:30 Lunch
13:30-14:45 Session 7
14:50 Closing Remarks
15:00 End of Conference
Visitors to St Andrews have a number of options when it comes to travelling to the town. Located on the east coast of Scotland within the Kingdom of Fife, St Andrews can be easily reached from a number of nearby cities via public transport, road and private transfers. International visitors have a choice of airport to fly into, all of which have good links with the town.
More information can be found on the University webpage
St Andrews is home to a number of taxi and shuttle firms. They can offer a range of services, from airport transfers to collection from Leuchars station. You can find taxi ranks in St Andrews on Bell Street, on South Street, and at the bus station.
The nearest railway station to St Andrews is Leuchars, around six miles from the town. The station facilities include 24-hour parking, a waiting room and taxi rank.
The 99 bus runs regularly from the front of the station. There is a stop on the A91, 2 mins walk to the Gateway Conference venue.
Bus stop what3words map reference ///torched.timeless.plump
Scotrail - https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
London, North East Rail - https://www.lner.co.uk/
St Andrews is a small town, and a car is not always necessary to get around. If you do decide to drive around St Andrews, please be aware that parking is limited and that it can be difficult to find a space at certain times of year.
Gateway Car Park what3words map reference ///index.builds.vibrating
Much of the on-street parking in the centre of town is metered, and coins or the RingGo app are required to pay.
There are a number of options for free parking in St Andrews, including the car park close to the Petheram Bridge roundabout (2 mins from the Gateway Conference Venue), and car parks along the East and West Sands beaches. Some streets in the centre of St Andrews do also have free spaces, although these are usually quickly filled.
For electric car charging points see ChargePlace Scotland
Organising Committee
Supported by
Interested in Further Study?
For those interested in pursuing these themes beyond the conference, the University of St Andrews invites applications for its world-leading MLitt in Sacred Music. This interdisciplinary program (Divinity-Music) offers a unique environment for deep theological and musical inquiry. You can view a brief introduction to the program here.
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