ACM Multimedia

The ACM Multimedia Steering Committee invites prospective parties to submit proposals to host and organize the ACM Multimedia conference (ACM MM) in 2029.

ACM Multimedia is the flagship conference supported by ACM SIGMM, the ACM Special Interest Group on Multimedia. Since the founding of ACM SIGMM in 1993, ACM Multimedia has been the worldwide premier conference and a key world event to display scientific achievements and innovative industrial products in the multimedia field. The conference hosts technical sessions covering all aspects of multimedia, as well as industry-oriented sessions such as the multimedia grand challenge or the industrial track, which recognize those research works with significant industrial value. We welcome brave new ideas on shaping the research landscape, open source software competitions, and also an interactive arts program stimulating artists and computer scientists to meet and discover together the frontiers of artistic communication.

Key Information

ACM Multimedia is an international venue. The conference will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2026), Hong Kong (2027), and London, UK (2028). In light of continuing difficulties in international travel and visa access, the steering committee has decided to maintain the pause on the geographic rotation policy across the Americas, Asia/Oceania, and Europe/Africa for the 2029 edition. Proposals from all regions are therefore welcome. However, particular priority will be given to locations that are accessible and visa-friendly for the majority of our international research community, in order to support broad and inclusive in-person participation.

The ACM MM conference is usually scheduled between the second half of October and the first week of November and the targeted paper submission deadline is in April. The conference event typically includes 3 full days for the main Conference and 2 days for Workshops, Tutorials and side events. Industry exhibits are typically held during the main conference.

How to Submit

Parties interested in hosting MM 2029 are invited to submit their proposals (PDF format, 20 pages or less) by Sunday, 25 October 2026 (11:59 PM AOE) by email with the subject line: [ACM MM 2029] Proposal to Host MM 2029 to the ACM Multimedia Steering Committee Chair, Silvia Rossi (s [DOT] rossi [AT] cwi [DOT] nl).

Valid proposals will be invited to present at the SIGMM community (city hall) meeting during MM 2026 in Rio de Janeiro. A decision will be made by the steering committee shortly after the conference.

Proposal Format

Proposals should be submitted in PDF format, not exceeding 20 pages, and should be self-contained, addressing the following items:

General Information

• Main points of contact
• Proposed dates and location, with main highlights of the conference

Scientific Vision

• Detailed vision for the scientific program, including plans for the main technical tracks, potential innovative session formats, and new initiatives that will ensure high-quality and impactful contributions
• Draft of Workshops program, potential Tutorials and side events plans

Organising Team and Roles

• A provisional list of the organising team members for all roles, including names, affiliation and short biographies (only main roles) — strongly encouraged at the bidding stage, even if some roles may later be refined or populated with additional members
• Responsibility distribution among the various co-chairs

Actions in Support of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

• Actions in support of diversity and inclusion
• Plans to attract and engage top researchers from diverse fields around the multimedia research community, including strategies for keynote selection and paper review quality assurance

Location and Venue

The conference location should be easily accessible by people from around the world, with good transport connections. The bid should include a short description of the locality, its landmarks and features that make it attractive to conference participants, as well as rail, air, and road links. Proposers should demonstrate that suitable accommodation exists for participants throughout the full duration of the conference, potentially including low-cost accommodation for student delegates.

• Information about the proposed location: landmarks of the city, events, hotels, and transport links
• Visa accessibility report, highlighting the accessibility of the proposed location for international participants
• Potential venue for main conference and workshop/tutorial sessions
• Potential plans and venue for welcome reception (if any) and gala dinner

Overall Plans and Budget

Proposals must include a provisional budget for the conference, providing a breakdown of income and expenses. It is expected that the conference should break even at a minimum. Incentives for early registration and student registrations are advisable. Budgets should include the ACM contingency fee and VAT if applicable.

• Promotion plans for the conference
• Provisional budget with a detailed breakdown of expected income and expenses
• Registration fee structure, including incentives for early registration and student delegates
• ACM contingency fee and VAT (where applicable)

NEW Evaluation and Selection Process

Proposals are evaluated by the voting members of the ACMMM-SC based on the submitted bid document and the conference presentation.

Each voting member of the ACMMM-SC assesses each proposal by assigning a score for each category on a five-point scale (1 = very weak to 5 = excellent). In addition, voting members provide qualitative feedback for each category and an overall ranking of all submitted bids, highlighting key strengths, weaknesses, and potential risks.

The Chair of ACMMM-SC is responsible for collecting and consolidating the evaluations and for preparing structured feedback to be shared with the bidding teams. The final decision is made taking into account the per-category scores, overall rankings, and qualitative feedback. Results will be communicated to all bidding teams by email after the SIGMM community business meeting, typically within one month of the conference.

Timeline

• 25 October 2026 — Proposal submission deadline (11:59 PM AOE)
• 10–14 November 2026 — Presentations at the SIGMM community meeting, MM 2026, Rio de Janeiro
• ~December 2026 — Decision communicated to all bidding teams

Reference Documents

All bidding teams are strongly encouraged to consult the following documents before preparing a proposal:

• ACM Multimedia Bidding Guidelines (PDF) (v1.0, February 2026)
• ACM Multimedia Bylaws (PDF) (v1.9, June 2026)