«Synergies» to boost collaboration between art, science and technology
Media information
The Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia has launched an open call for programmes that foster exchange among organisations from the worlds of art, science and technology. The aim of «Synergies» is to strengthen research and process-oriented collaboration at this intersection and to connect networks, methods and knowledge from these three areas. In addition, Pro Helvetia has compiled an online database called «Art, Science and Technology Directory».
Cross-border collaboration between organisations, including collectives and structured networks, in Switzerland and abroad is at the heart of the call for applications. With «Synergies», Pro Helvetia provides support for the development, design and implementation of different research and process-oriented programme formats at the intersection of art, science and technology.
«Innovative models of collaboration, new creation processes and inspiration are generated in the context of exchange, research and experimentation. This call for applications is our response to a growing demand for more time and space for intensive work and research in fields where art, science and technology meet, » explains Seraina Rohrer, head of Innovation & Society at Pro Helvetia.
With its four-year focus «Art, Science and Technology», Pro Helvetia fosters transdisciplinary exchange and collaboration between arts practitioners on the one hand and science and technology professionals on the other. Following the promotion of tandems from art, science and research with «PolARTS» and «NanoARTS», as well as the «Connect» residencies at CERN, the Arts Council has, with «Synergies», now moved from the promotion of individual projects to the promotion of one-to-two-year programmes with grants amounting to CHF 150,000 at most. Applications are assessed by an international jury.
«We take into account various definitions of art, science and technology, depending on the geographic context and in view of the diversity of knowledge systems. Possible programme formats include think tanks, residencies, hackathons, fellowships, workshops and field research, developed and offered by organisations for art and cultural practitioners in Switzerland and abroad, in the regions covered by our liaison offices,» adds Seraina Rohrer.
To enhance networking and to help those searching for potential partner organisations, Pro Helvetia has also set up an online data base by the name of «Art, Science and Technology Directory». It contains information on organisations throughout the world that are active at the interface of art, science and technology.
The jury assessing applications for «Synergies» is made up of:
- Lilian Fraiji, curator, Head of LabVerde, Brazil
- Ariane Koek, initiator of Collide@Cern, independent consultant in the fields of art, science and technology, UK
- Radha Mahendru, curator, Senior Programme Manager and Curator at Khoj, India
- Luc Meier, Director of La Becque, Switzerland
- Ga Zhang, curator of media art, Professor and Vice-Dean at the Institute of Sci-Tech Arts, Central Academy of Fine Arts, China
Further information on the call for applications can be found here:
https://prohelvetia.ch/en/2023/03/synergies/
Press release of the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia, 07.03.2023
