The University of Liverpool is hosting Tay Day: a symposium for fans, students and academics to engage with the cultural phenomenon that is Taylor Swift.
On Wednesday 12 June, the day before Taylor begins her three-day run of sold-out shows at Anfield Stadium, the University's Institute of Popular Music will be hosting a free event for fans and critics to discuss all things related to Taylor Swift's Eras and what it means to be a Swiftie.
The full-day event will see scholars and students share their work on Taylor including a workshop about the process of writing a Taylor Swift musical.
There will be a series of interactive talks from academics from across Europe on subjects including the Taylor Swift millipede, her vinyl records and her place in feminism and the LGBTQ+ community.
The day will culminate in a session of 'Critical Karaoke,' where researchers perform one-song essays to their chosen Taylor Swift track.
The Institute of Popular Music was founded in 1988, making the University of Liverpool's Department of Music the first in the UK to introduce a dedicated, specialist Institute for popular music studies and research.
Students in the Department of Music benefit from studying in a department well connected to the Liverpool music scene and with state-of-the-art teaching facilities in the Yoko Ono Lennon Centre, where Tay Day will take place.
Dr Sam Murray and Dr Amy Skjerseth from the Institute of Popular Music, who are organising Tay Day said: "We're delighted to be hosting an event to bring together academics, students and fans to debate and deconstruct the work of one of the world's biggest musical sensations on the eve of her performances in Liverpool.
"The musical, social and economic impact of Taylor Swift is undeniable and that's why we're really looking forward to starting a conversation about how Taylor is both Miss Americana and an anti-hero, to understand her style and her wildest dreams and to discuss her reputation.
"While there will be academics from a wide range of universities talking about their research, this isn't your average academic conference: There'll also be the chance for everyone to take part in interactive discussions including about their favourite Taylor Swift Era, and instead of a keynote speaker we're closing the conference with critical karaoke!
"Whether you managed to get a ticket to see Taylor at Anfield or not, you're welcome to come along to this free event at the University of Liverpool - we look forward to seeing you on campus on Wednesday 12 June."
Tay Day will take place at the Yoko Ono Lennon Centre, on the corner of Grove Street and Oxford Street on Wednesday 12 June 9am to 5pm. Attendance is free but tickets are limited. To secure your ticket, please register here: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/music/events/tay-day/.
