Jeremy Williams
Head of School
Western International School of Shanghai
Conference for the Arts 2027
ACAMIS Conference for the Arts
Saturday & Sunday, April 24-25, 2027
Western International School of Shanghai
INSPIRE – Sparking Imagination, Creativity, and Original Expression Through the Arts
Join us for the 2027 ACAMIS Conference for the Arts — a celebration of creativity, collaboration, and the transformative power of the arts. This year's theme, INSPIRE, invites arts educators to explore how inspiration serves as the spark that ignites imagination, fuels artistic inquiry, and leads to the creation of original and meaningful work.
Through hands-on workshops, performances, and collaborative sessions, participants will discover how inspiring experiences nurture curiosity, encourage creative risk-taking, and empower learners to transform ideas into authentic artistic expression. Together, we'll examine how the arts cultivate the conditions for innovation, connection, and creativity to flourish in our schools and communities.
Let's come together to inspire and be inspired — because every act of creation begins with a spark.
Host School
Established in 2006, the Western International School of Shanghai (WISS) is Shanghai's first IB Continuum School, with twenty years of IB experience. Our students, from more than 50 nationalities, learn through diverse perspectives and grow through four pillars: academics, arts, sports, and community service. Our graduates move on to universities worldwide as confident leaders and compassionate global citizens.
Meet Our Planning Committee Team
Colin Mosher
Western International School of Shanghai
Colin Mosher is the Director of Arts at Western International School of Shanghai, where he leads a K–12 integrated arts program spanning visual arts, music, drama, and media/film. With a dual background in performing arts and English education, he specializes in building vertically aligned curricula, directing school-wide productions and events, and forging local and international partnerships with art organizations. He is a current member of the ACAMIS Arts Planning Committee and an ISTA Artist. Colin is also an active musician, performing across Shanghai and Asia as singer/bassist for the band Doppler Drive.
Gloria Carnevale
International School of Nanshan Shenzhen
Gloria Carnevale is a Canadian/Italian artist, educator, designer, and curator based in Shenzhen, China since 2012. She is the Head of Visual Arts and Design at the International School of Nanshan Shenzhen and a founding member of ISZAF (International Shenzhen Artist Forum). She has presented at TEDx, ARWAE, GATE, PechaKucha, EdTechGZ, and ACAMIS conferences. As an active artist, she explores mixed media, printmaking, and photography in bold, playful ways. Her work delves into themes of identity through repetition, texture, vibrant color, and a mix of satire and sincerity. She has exhibited at the Shenzhen International Art Fair, Art Canton, Hong Kong Affordable Art Fair, and more.
Madeleine du Toit
Shen Wai International School
Madeleine du Toit is a music educator and performer who believes that community and creativity are essential pathways to wellness. She teaches in the PYP section at Shen Wai International School (SWIS), where she also serves as Co-Curricular Arts Coordinator and co-conductor of the Strings Orchestra. Drawing on her earlier postgraduate research into flow experiences in community orchestras, she continues to explore how shared musical nurture well-being. Madeleine performs with the folk band Roaming Nomads and serves on the board of the Shekou International Singers, fostering inclusive engagement in the arts.
Mike Mchugh
Nanjing International School
Mike McHugh is a music teacher, director and vocal coach with over 25 years working in the fields of education and entertainment. Through prior posts as a Secondary Music teacher in the United States, Europe and Asia, as well as time spent in both performing and directing roles for the Universal Studios family of theme parks, Mr. McHugh has witnessed time and time again the power of music and the arts in promoting the personal growth, shared connections and mental/emotional well-being of thousands of people, from students to young professionals to families and audiences around the world.
Yvette Stride
International School of Beijing
Yvette Stride is an Australian artist and educator currently teaching Visual Arts at the International School of Beijing. With nearly 20 years of experience across Australian and international schools, she is passionate about fostering confidence, resilience, authentic artistic voices, and meaningful relationships through the visual arts.
Alongside her teaching, Yvette maintains an active artistic practice in China. Her work explores themes of intuition, communication, and the natural world, and she regularly engages in exhibitions, artist residencies, and cross-cultural creative projects. She has undertaken residencies at the Guanlan Printmaking Base in Shenzhen, the BigCi Environmental Residency Program in Australia, and the Gushan International Art Project in Beijing. These experiences have deepened her interest in cultural exchange and the relationship between people, place, and creative practice.
Yvette has presented at EARCOS and Beijing Design Week, sharing perspectives on connection, collaboration, and the role of the arts in building understanding across communities. Her classroom collaborative practice has also been featured in the EARCOS ET Journal. Yvette holds a Bachelor of Visual Arts and a Master of Education (Arts). Her research on resilience and relationships in visual arts education has been published in the International Journal of Education & the Arts.
Refund Policies
Registration Fee / Sponsorship Fee Refund Policy
If notice of cancellation re the registered participant/sponsor is received:
- 30+ days pre-event: 80% of fee is refundable
- 15-29 days pre-event: 40% of fee is refundable
- Less than 15 days pre-event: no refund
Online PD Programs - No refund will be granted re participants commencing an online PD program and withdrawing part way through. Course material fees (re DiSC surveys, book fees, etc) are not refundable once access is granted.
Refund Due To PD Event Cancellation
In the event of cancellation of a conference, workshop or online PD program, we will fully refund the registration or sponsorship fee(s) paid. However, we will be unable to refund any travel, visa or accommodation expenses incurred or course material fees where access has been granted.