Since 2019, the International Association for Music & Medicine (IAMM) has supported the development of Special Interest Groups (SIGs) as spaces for international collaboration, dialogue, and innovation across music, music therapy, medicine, and health-related disciplines.
For the first time in 2019, SIGs were selected through an IAMM review process for inclusion at the following IAMM Conference. Each SIG leader was tasked with bringing together experts from different disciplines, professional backgrounds, and regions of the world. Through ongoing virtual collaboration, these groups developed a range of outcomes including research proposals, educational initiatives, white papers, clinical recommendations, and practice guidelines.
Since then, SIGs have become an active and growing part of the IAMM community, contributing to conference programming, interdisciplinary exchange, and international networking both online and in person — including at the upcoming IAMM2026 Conference in Bengaluru, India.
This event, IAMM In Conversation with IAMM’s SIG Leaders, offers participants an opportunity to learn more about the current SIGs, hear directly from their leaders, explore ongoing projects and collaborations, and discover ways to become involved.
Accepted SIGs for IAMM2026:
SIG 1 – Music Therapy in the Context of Dementia: People with Dementia and Their Caregivers
SIG 2 – Telehealth Music Therapy Practices
SIG 3 – Music, Music Therapy and Displaced Populations
SIG 4 – Music Therapy of Ancient China
SIG 5 – Advancing Research and Policy on Culturally-Rooted Music-Based Perinatal Mental Health Community Interventions
SIG 6 – Occupational Health in Music
SIG 7 – Culturally Responsive Music Therapy Models for Healthy and Active Ageing
SIG 8 – Chronic Pain, Music, and Music Therapy
SIG 9 – NICU Music Therapy
Participants can also explore previous and ongoing SIG initiatives through the IAMM website: IAMM SIGs Page