Organizer Information
The Delegation of the European Union to Canada is the official diplomatic representation of the European Union in Canada and plays an active role in fostering cultural cooperation, research exchange, sustainability initiatives, and international dialogue between EU Member States and Canadian institutions. Through SCI_ART, the organization expands its commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration by supporting projects that bridge artistic practice, scientific research, environmental studies, and technological innovation.
SCI_ART 2026 is organized in collaboration with major Canadian cultural and academic institutions including the University of British Columbia, SAW Gallery, the Vancouver International Film Festival, and Signals Festival. The initiative has become an important international platform for artists and researchers working across disciplines related to climate futures, immersive media, environmental systems, and speculative research methodologies.
Now entering its fourth edition, SCI_ART has established itself as a significant transnational residency and symposium program connecting artists, scientists, researchers, curators, and institutions from Europe and Canada. The program emphasizes research-creation practices and positions art not as an illustration of science, but as an active methodology for investigating urgent ecological, social, and technological transformations.
Title & Description
Open Call for Artists/Researchers: SCI_ART SYMPOSIUM 2026 – After the Data/Cultural Climate Futures
SCI_ART 2026 invites artists, collectives, researchers, and interdisciplinary collaborators to apply for a large-scale transnational Artist-in-Residence program and festival taking place across Western Canada from September 22 to October 8, 2026.
Under the curatorial theme “After the Data/Cultural Climate Futures,” the program seeks ambitious, research-driven artistic proposals exploring the intersections of climate systems, environmental transformation, scientific inquiry, data infrastructures, immersive technologies, and cultural futures.
The initiative specifically encourages projects that move beyond simple representation and instead use artistic practice as a critical research methodology capable of engaging environmental urgency, scientific complexity, and collective imagination. Artists are encouraged to develop site-responsive works, immersive installations, performances, screenings, technological experiments, and interdisciplinary collaborations that engage scientific research and public discourse.
SCI_ART 2026 unfolds across multiple locations, including Vancouver Island, Vancouver, and Kelowna in the Okanagan region, integrating residencies, symposiums, immersive showcases, screenings, workshops, lab visits, public presentations, and collaborative sessions with scientists and institutions. Participants will engage directly with environmental research contexts, Indigenous knowledge frameworks, scientific infrastructures, and cultural organizations throughout the residency period.
The program combines artistic experimentation with public engagement and science communication, creating opportunities for artists to develop new work while contributing to broader discussions surrounding sustainability, climate adaptation, and technological futures.
Categories
- Visual Art
- Immersive Art
- New Media Art
- Digital Art
- Video Art
- Experimental Film
- VR / XR / Interactive Media
- Sound Art
- Performance Art
- Installation Art
- Research-Based Art
- Art & Science
- Environmental Art
- Technology-Based Practices
- Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Eligibility
- Open to artists and researchers based in:
- Western Canada
- Member States of the European Union
- Applicants may apply as:
- Individual artists
- Artist collectives
- Artist–scientist collaborations
- Artist–researcher collaborations
- Applicants must be able to travel within Canada during the residency and festival period.
- Proposed projects must demonstrate engagement with:
- Scientific research
- Environmental systems
- Climate-related inquiry
- Technological infrastructures
- Data-driven or research-based methodologies
- Applicants must be available to participate fully in:
- Residency activities
- Collaborative workshops
- Public programming
- Exhibitions and presentations
- Applicants must be willing to work across multiple sites, including Vancouver Island, Vancouver, and the Okanagan region.
- Incomplete applications will not be considered.
The optional 360 Horizons Residency specifically prioritizes Indigenous and equity-deserving participants and focuses on place-based learning informed by Nuu-chah-nulth teachings and worldviews.
Program Benefits & Awards
Selected participants will receive extensive professional, logistical, and production support, including:
Artist Residency & Research Support
- Participation in an international Artist-in-Residence program
- Access to scientific research environments and institutional networks
- Opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration with scientists and researchers
- Site-responsive research and production support
Financial Support
- Artist fees range from CAD $1,500–$5,000 depending on career stage and project scope
- International round-trip travel support for European participants
- Local transportation between residency locations
- Accommodation during the residency program
Technical & Production Resources
- Access to studio, lab, exhibition, and immersive presentation spaces
- Technical assistance and infrastructure support
- Installation and presentation coordination were available
Public Visibility
- Participation in:
- SCI_ART Symposium
- Exhibitions
- Public screenings
- Performances
- Talks and panel discussions
- Inclusion in professional documentation and publications
- International visibility through EU–Canada cultural networks
Institutional Access
Participants will engage with:
- University research labs
- Environmental and scientific data contexts
- Immersive media platforms
- Cultural festivals and symposiums
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
- Completed application form
- Project proposal
- Portfolio or examples of previous work
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Personal and contact information
- Documentation materials relevant to the proposed project
- Any additional materials requested through the application platform
Projects should clearly articulate their relationship to science, climate research, environmental systems, technology, or interdisciplinary inquiry.
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 31 May 2026
- Residency & Festival Timeline:
- Optional Residency: September 22 – September 30, 2026
- Core Residency & Festival Dates: October 1 – October 8, 2026
- Program Phases
- September 22 – October 1, 2026
360 Horizons Residency on Vancouver Island - October 1 – October 4, 2026
Vancouver programming, including participation in the Vancouver International Film Festival and Signals Festival, - October 5 – October 6, 2026
SCI_ART & Immersive Symposium in Vancouver, - October 6 – October 8, 2026
UBC Okanagan Residency and workshops in Kelowna
- September 22 – October 1, 2026
Location
British Columbia, Canada
Additional Details
SCI_ART 2026 strongly emphasizes interdisciplinary exchange and research-creation practices. Rather than positioning art as a supporting communication tool for science, the initiative frames artistic practice itself as a legitimate form of knowledge production and environmental inquiry.
The program particularly encourages experimental and immersive approaches capable of engaging public audiences through embodied experiences, speculative methodologies, and critical engagement with technological and ecological systems.
Participants will also gain access to major cultural events and networks including the Vancouver International Film Festival and immersive media initiatives connected to Signals Festival. The residency model combines structured programming with collaborative experimentation and open research development.
The 360 Horizons Residency component includes place-based learning opportunities informed by Indigenous knowledge systems and environmental stewardship practices on Vancouver Island.