The inaugural conference of the recently founded European Society for Aesthetics took place in Fribourg, Switzerland over the weekend of April 4-5, 2009. It was generously supported by the British Society of Aesthetics, the University of Fribourg, and conference fee contributions from non-student participants.

There were eight invited speakers presenting in eight sessions of an hour and a half each spread equally over the two days. In addition to the invited speakers, there were present 8 members of the ESA executive committee and a further 17 registered delegates from a number of European countries. The countries represented at the conference included: Spain, Switzerland, Italy, The Netherlands, Estonia, the United Kingdom, Finland, Denmark, Norway, France, Slovenia, Germany, the Czech Republic. A list of the speakers and talks, of the ESA executive committee, and of the registered delegates follows at the end of this report.

The chief purpose of the conference was to announce the existence and aims of the ESA to the European philosophical community, and thereby to promote these aims as directly as possible, which include: (i) encouraging an exchange between those pursuing academic research and teaching in aesthetics and the theory of art in all parts of Europe, and in the diverse traditions that European aesthetics involves; (ii) distributing information about the activities of national and regional societies for aesthetics in Europe; (iii) organizing regular international conferences and meetings for the discussion of topics in aesthetics; (iv) the possibility of publishing, or help with the publication of, high quality research in aesthetics done by European researchers.

We feel that, in a number of ways, the conference was a great success in fulfilling its purpose and in meeting these aims. We invited prominent speakers from different European countries, representing different traditions in aesthetics, many of whom also represented the regional/national aesthetics societies within their respective countries. All of the sessions provoked interesting and lengthy discussions on a wide range of issues and enabled the delegates to gain some insight into the work being done in aesthetics in different areas of Europe. At the first Annual General Meeting of the ESA, which occurred on the Saturday evening, all of the above aims and ambitions of the society were discussed, and the executive committee elected. One particular issue which was debated at length concerned the language of the ESA. It was decided that, for practical reasons, English would be the main functioning language of the ESA but that the society’s website would, as far as possible, offer information in as many European languages as were required to reflect events and societies in other European countries. In addition, the possibility was left open of future publications and conference papers being written/presented in languages other than English. There was also discussion concerning the next meeting of the society, which is already at the planning stage.

Finally, we felt that there was ubiquitous goodwill towards the ESA’s existence, a great deal of encouragement and enthusiasm for its aims, and a recognition that it filled an important role in bringing the many different countries, societies and traditions of European aesthetics together under one umbrella forum of discussion.

Speakers and their Talks

Professor Morten Kyndrup from the University of Aarhus (Denmark), and Chairman of the Nordic Society of Aesthetics, presented a paper entitled: ‘The Future of Aesthetics’.

Professor Ludger Schwarte from the University of Zürich (Switzerland), and President of the German Society of Aesthetics, gave a talk entitled: ‘The Birth of Aesthetics from the Spirit of Experimentalism’.

Professor Paolo Spinicci of the University of Milan (Italy), presented the paper: ‘The Nature of Portraits: Some Phenomenological Remarks’.

Assistant Professor John Zeimbekis from the University of Grenoble (France), presented the paper: ‘Pictures as Incomplete Representations’.

Professor Aleš Erjavec from the University of Ljubljana (Slovenia), President of the Slovenian Society of Aesthetics and former President of the International Association for Aesthetics, presented a paper with the title: ‘The History of Aesthetics in Europe’.

Dr Kathleen Stock from the University of Sussex (United Kingdom), and secretary of the British Society of Aesthetics, presented a paper entitled: 'Imagination, Belief and the Will'.

Professor Pauline von Bonsdorff of the Universoty of Jyväskylä (Finland), and previous Chair of the Finnish Society of Aesthetics, gave a talk entitled: ‘Aesthetics and Children - Reflections from Phenomenology’.

Professor Robert Hopkins of the University of Sheffield (United Kingdom), and President of the European Society for Aesthetics, presented a paper entitled: 'What is Wrong with Aesthetic Testimony?'.

Elected members of the executive committee

• Dr Fabian Dorsch, University of Fribourg: Secretary of the ESA
• Professor Arto Haapala, University of Helsinki (also Chairman of the Finnish Society of Aesthetics)
• Professor Robert Hopkins, University of Sheffield: President of the ESA
• Dr Catrin Misselhorn, University of Tübingen
• Dr Francesca Pérez-Carreño, University of Murcia
• Dr Simo Säätelä, University of Bergen
• Mr Jakup Stejskal, Charles University, Prague
• Dr Cain Todd, University of Lancaster: Treasurer of the ESA
• Professor Roger Pouivet, University of Nancy

Registered delegates:

Bertinetto, Alessandro Giovanni (Udine); Carrasco Barranco, Matilde (Murcia); Cochrane, Tom (Geneva); Garcia, Amanda (Geneva); Grishakova, Marina (Tartu) Izagirre Madariaga, Aitor (University of the Basque Country); Kuplen, Mojca (CEU, Budapest); Marelli, Flavio (Fribourg) ; Meloni, Gabriele (Edinburgh); Pe-Curto, Alain (Geneva); Phillips, Dawn Melissa (Warwick); Smith, Thomas (Fribourg/Geneva); Steenhagen, Maarten (Utrecht); Tafalla, Marta (Barcelona); Tagliafico, Daniela(Torino) Vendrell Ferran, Íngrid (Berlin and Geneva); Vilar, Gerard (Barcelona).