Religious Communication Association
RCA 2026 First-Day Conference
Registration for the 2026 RCA First-Day Conference is open!
This year’s conference takes place on Wednesday, November 18, 2026, at the Hilton Garden Inn New Orleans Convention Center.
As is RCA’s custom, the conference is conveniently scheduled one day before the National Communication Association Annual Convention. Our conference venue, the Hilton Garden Inn, hosted RCA 2022 and RCA 2024 and is conveniently located less than a mile from the NCA convention site.
The RCA First-Day Conference is the premier annual gathering of religious communication scholars. The 2026 event features twenty panels, an opening session with continental breakfast, the RCA annual business meeting and lunch, and our annual banquet with presentations of this year’s RCA scholarship awards and a keynote address by the RCA Scholar of the Yea.
Beyond the official program, many find the conference to be a time to step back from the grind of the semester, challenge and strengthen our thinking, and connect with people in our discipline. Conference registration covers all of this, plus RCA membership and a one-year subscription to the Journal of Communication and Religion.
Program. The First-Day Conference will feature five sessions and 20 separate panels. Click here for the full list of papers sessions and panel discussion, but here is a summary:
Registration: You must register separately for the First-Day Conference. Registration for the NCA convention does not cover the RCA First-Day Conference.
Your registration includes a full day of conference sessions, three meals, RCA membership, and a one-year subscription to the Journal of Communication and Religion. Early-bird rates are available until October 1, so register soon.
Fees to register for the RCA First-Day Conference are:
To register for the RCA First-Day Conference, use the online registration form.
Hotel: The RCA 2026 First-Day Conference will be held at Hilton Garden Inn New Orleans Convention Center, 1001 South Peters Street.
Because the RCA hotel is less than a mile from the NCA Annual Convention site, RCA has secured a group rate for November 16-22 from the Hilton Garden Inn. Follow this link to reserve your room in the Religious Communication Association 2026 Group Block.
Questions. For any questions regarding programming, please contact the 2026 RCA-NCA Unit Planner:
James Vining
Communication Studies
Governors State University
jvining@govst.edu
RCA Conference and Call Archive
Each November, RCA holds its Annual Conference in conjunction with the annual convention of the National Communication Association. Scholars are invited to submit competitive papers and panel proposals for consideration. Instructions and guidelines are specified in the annual RCA call for papers.
Call Archives: 2015 |2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005