Folklore archives have always employed various innovative approaches to archiving cultural expression, be it material culture, oral tradition or intangible cultural heritage. These practices now often harness digital tools, AI, big data and other new technologies. The digital environment has had a strong impact on the fieldwork process, but also on how fieldwork materials are described, preserved, and accessed in archives and museums. At this juncture, what are the approaches, envisioned or implemented, 'traditional' or unorthodox, that might form part of the cultural archives' and researchers' toolbox? What are the rhythms, temporalities and visions, inherited or novel, that shape our practice?
Participatory archiving, engaging deeper with diverse communities on all stages of the research process, as well as unconventional methods such as slow archiving and other innovative practices challenge existing archival rules and standards, and present numerous opportunities to users and caretakers of folklore archives to contribute to the creation of a future that is more just, open, and inclusive. Crisis or rapid-response documentation, which has come to the fore in recent times, has engendered robust discussion about the rules of engagement of our practice. How does this reactive practice fit into our slow methodologies, and what are the implications of carrying out such documentation with the longue durée in mind? We invite proposals that explore these themes, especially those discussing practices that include unconventional approaches to folklore archiving, break the rules, go against the grain, and/or challenge normativity, whether in a physical or digital world.