Organizer Information
Serpentine is one of the United Kingdom’s most internationally respected contemporary arts institutions, based in London and widely recognised for its pioneering work across visual art, architecture, digital culture, and interdisciplinary research. Through its dedicated Arts Technologies programme, Serpentine has become a leading platform for critical experimentation at the intersection of art and advanced technologies, commissioning and supporting projects involving artificial intelligence, blockchain systems, immersive media, robotics, ecological infrastructures, and networked culture.
The Future Art Ecosystems (FAE) initiative was established in 2019 to address the growing need for sustainable artistic and organisational infrastructures surrounding art and advanced technologies (AxAT). Rather than focusing solely on technological innovation itself, FAE examines the broader cultural, institutional, ecological, legal, and social systems that shape how emerging technologies are developed and integrated into society. The initiative brings together artists, researchers, technologists, curators, civic organizations, and cultural institutions to foster new models for interdisciplinary collaboration and long-term ecosystem building.
The inaugural FAE Fellowship: Art x Convergence is developed within this context as a research-driven fellowship supporting process-based inquiry and experimental methodologies. The programme is led by Tommie Introna, Tsige Tafesse, and Kay Watson, and initiated by Victoria Ivanova. The fellowship also benefits from a distinguished international jury including prominent figures such as Refik Anadol, Cao Fei, Holly Herndon, Mariana Mazzucato, and Evan Spiegel.
Title & Description
Future Art Ecosystems R&D Fellowship: Art x Convergence
It is a six-month international low-residency fellowship programme dedicated to practitioners working across art and advanced technologies. Launching in September 2026, the programme will support four fellows (individuals or collectives) engaged in exploratory, interdisciplinary, and process-led research.
The central theme of the inaugural edition, Art x Convergence, examines how AI and advanced computational systems are reshaping cultural, legal, ecological, political, and material realities. Rather than treating convergence as a simple merging of disciplines, the fellowship frames it as a deeper structural transformation where boundaries between systems become unstable and increasingly interconnected.
Applicants are invited to develop a research question, speculative inquiry, experimental methodology, or project-in-development responding to this theme. The programme is particularly interested in proposals addressing topics such as:
- AI and embodiment
- Robotics and machine agency
- Simulation and virtual environments
- Ownership, authorship, and accountability
- Ecological and planetary infrastructures
- Human-machine entanglement
- Governance and legal frameworks
- Organisational and technological systems
- Creative divergence as resistance to optimisation
The fellowship emphasises artistic research and experimentation rather than finished production. Fellows are encouraged to test ideas, refine methodologies, develop conceptual frameworks, and publicly share evolving processes instead of delivering polished final works.
The programme combines online cohort sessions, specialist workshops, one-to-one mentorship, and three in-person London intensives scheduled across September 2026, November 2026, and March 2027.
Categories
- Visual Art
- Digital Art
- AI Art
- New Media Art
- Interdisciplinary Art
- Research-Based Practice
- Creative Technology
- Robotics
- Sound Art
- Curatorial Practice
- Writing & Critical Research
- Experimental Media
- Speculative Design
- Cultural Organising
- Immersive Media
- Creative Coding
- Technology & Society Research
Eligibility
The fellowship is open internationally. Eligible applicants include:
- Artists
- Curators
- Researchers
- Writers
- Technologists
- Producers
- Organisers
- Interdisciplinary practitioners
- Individual applicants
- Artist collectives
Applicants do not need to belong to a single discipline or category. Emerging practitioners and those developing new research directions are strongly encouraged to apply.
There is no stated age restriction.
International applicants are fully eligible, provided they are able to attend the three mandatory in-person weekend intensives in London during the fellowship period.
Program Benefits & Awards
- A £10,000 fellowship award
- Travel support for all London intensives
- Accommodation support during in-person sessions
- One-to-one mentorship with lead mentors
- Access to specialist advisors and contributors
- Participation in workshops and seminars
- Peer-learning opportunities within an international cohort
- Professional network development
- Public-facing research visibility
- Access to the broader FAE and Serpentine Arts Technologies ecosystem
The fellowship is specifically designed to support research, experimentation, dialogue, and critical development rather than production-focused outcomes.
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
- Personal and contact information
- Professional biography or CV
- Portfolio or documentation of previous work
- Description of artistic/research practice
- Research question or project proposal
- Explanation of how the proposal relates to “Art x Convergence”
- Statement outlining why the fellowship is relevant to the applicant’s development
- Information regarding support or mentorship needs
- For collectives: explanation of collaborative structure and nomination of a lead participant
Applicants are not required to submit a fully realised or finalised project proposal. The programme prioritises clarity of inquiry, experimentation, and process-oriented thinking.
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Online Info Session 1: 15 May 2026 at 10:00 BST
- Online Info Session 2: 22 May 2026 at 17:00 BST
- Application Deadline: 7 June 2026
- Interview Period (Shortlisted Applicants): June 2026
- Fellowship Duration: September 2026 – March 2027
- London Intensives:
- September 2026
- November 2026
- March 2027
Location
London, United Kingdom
Additional Details
The FAE Fellowship is intentionally structured as a low-residency programme to allow practitioners to continue working within their own local contexts while engaging in sustained international dialogue and collaborative exchange.
The programme requires regular participation, including:
- Biweekly cohort sessions
- Weekly online workshops or advisor sessions
- Monthly mentor meetings
- Independent research and development work
- Public process-sharing activities
Weekly online participation is estimated at approximately 3.5 hours, excluding independent research time.
The fellowship does not require a fixed final output. Instead, fellows will contribute to public-facing research sharing, documentation, dialogue, and experimental process presentation shaped according to their individual practices.
Applicants with accessibility requirements are encouraged to communicate their needs during the application process, and the organizers state that participation support will be discussed with selected fellows.