Open Call for Artists/Researchers: SCI ART SYMPOSIUM 2026

SCI_ART 2026 convenes artists, scientists, and research institutions from Canada and the European Union for a transnational Artist in Residence program and festival taking place from September 22 to October 8, 2026 across Vancouver Island, Vancouver, and the Okanagan. At its core, SCI_ART is a science-based art initiative that positions artistic practice as a form of research capable of engaging environmental transformation through critical inquiry, experimentation, and public activation.

Aligned with European and Canadian priorities in climate adaptation, cultural innovation, and inclusive research ecosystems, SCI_ART 2026 strengthens EU Canada cooperation through cross sector partnerships with UBC Vancouver, UBC Okanagan, the Vancouver International Film Festival, and Signals Festival. These collaborations extend the residency into public symposia, screenings, exhibitions, and knowledge sharing platforms that amplify both artistic experimentation and science communication.

SCI_ART 2026 foregrounds British Columbia as a living laboratory of environmental urgency and innovation. By embedding artists within scientific and institutional frameworks, the festival advances new models of research creation that contribute to climate literacy, sustainable cultural production, and long-term international collaboration. The program cultivates durable networks among emerging, mid-career, and established practitioners, positioning art not as illustration of science, but as a co-productive methodology for imagining and enacting resilient futures.

This is the 4^th edition of SCI_ART. The event is presented by the European Union through its Delegation to Canada, UBC Okanagan, European Union Member States and SAW Gallery.

After the Data/Cultural Climate Futures

Apply here

The Open Call for SCI_ART 2026 artists is now open.

SCI_ART 2026 convenes artists, scientists, and research institutions from Canada and the European Union for a transnational Artist-in-Residence program and festival taking place in Western Canada, from September 22 to October 8, 2026 across Vancouver Island, Vancouver, and the Okanagan.

At its core, SCI_ART is a science-based art initiative that positions artistic practice as a form of research capable of engaging environmental transformation through critical inquiry, experimentation, and public activation.

We invite artists working at the intersections of art, science, and technology to propose ambitious, research-driven projects that engage the urgencies of our present moment. SCI_ART 2026 convenes a transnational network of practitioners, scientists, and institutions across Canada and the European Union through an Artist-in-Residence program and festival unfolding from September 22 to October 8, 2026, across Vancouver Island, Vancouver, and the Okanagan.

Grounded in a science-based approach to artistic practice, the program positions art as a mode of inquiry; one capable of translating complex environmental, technological, and social systems into forms that can be experienced, questioned, and collectively understood. Under the theme After the Data/Cultural Climate Futures, we seek proposals that move beyond representation to engage climate systems, Northern research, and technological infrastructures through embodied, immersive, and critically situated methodologies.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be residents of Western Canada or based in a Member State of the European Union
• Applicants must be able to travel to/within Canada for the duration of the core residency and festival

Optional Residency: September 22 - 30, 2026;

Core dates: October 1 - October 8, 2026.

Applicants may apply as:
• Individual artists
• Collectives
• Artist-scientist or artist-researcher collaborations

Proposed projects must demonstrate a clear engagement with scientific research, environmental data, technological systems, or related knowledge frameworks.

Applicants must be available to participate fully in:
• The Artist-in-Residence program
• Collaborative sessions with scientists and partners
• Public programming, exhibitions, and presentations
• Applicants must be willing to work across multiple sites (Vancouver Island, Vancouver, Okanagan).
• Applicants must submit all required materials by the deadline.
• Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Residency Program

• Participation in a transnational Artist-in-Residence program
• Access to a distributed residency model across Vancouver Island, Vancouver, and the Okanagan
• Time and space for research, development, and site-responsive production.

September 22 - October 1: 360 Horizons Residency (Vancouver Island)

The 360 Horizons Residency is a specialized program designed for a 15-person cohort specifically composed of Indigenous and equity-deserving individuals. The format is place-based learning, where participants engage with Nuu-chah-nulth teachings and worldviews. By selecting "Yes," we will forward your file and information to the 360 Horizons Residency Curatorial Team, which operates independently from the SCI_ART team and is solely responsible for final cohort selection.
https://www.clayoquotcampus.ca/carving-and-arts/

October 1-4: Vancouver

Production, programming and involvement in the Vancouver International Film Festival and Signals Festival. Dome showcase and infrastructure workshops, production opportunities and programmed and unstructured time to attend VIFF, Signals, and explore Vancouver's cultural scene.
https://viff.org/institute/signals/

October 5 & 6: SCI_ART & Immersive Symposium Vancouver

Participation in two days of showcases, workshops, talks, panel discussions and more at the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre and other immersive art venues in Vancouver:

• "Creative Collisions" Open Screen Immersive Jam Night in collaboration with local Vancouver Artists
• Immersive Dome presentation of SCI_ART projects, VR, and immersive artwork showcase

October 6-8: UBCO Kelowna Residency for SCI_ART artists

Critical workshops, scientific research lab tours, idea testing at the Critical Future Studio/Lab, regional visits and coming together as a group to reflect on the themes of the festival.

What SCI_ART 2026 Provides

Selected artists will be supported through a structured Artist-in-Residence program and festival framework designed to enable research, production, and public engagement across sites in Western Canada.

Travel & Accommodation

• For European artists/researchers, round-trip international travel from the European Union to Canada
• Accommodation for the duration of the residency
• Local transportation between program sites

Artist Fee & Production Support

• An artist fee in accordance with Canadian standards. Ranging from $1,500-$5,000 depending on career status.
• Access to technical support and coordination where available

Research & Collaboration Opportunities
• Structured opportunities to work with:
• Scientists and researchers
• Academic institutions (including UBC and partner organizations)
• Regional and international collaborators
• Access to scientific knowledge, environmental data, and research contexts

Facilities & Infrastructure
• Access to studio, lab, and exhibition environments (site-dependent)
• Support for installation, testing, and presentation within available infrastructure
• Integration into an existing research-creation ecosystem

Public Presentation
• Inclusion in the SCI_ART 2026 & Immersive Symposium program
• Opportunities to present work through:
• Exhibitions
• Screenings
• Performances
• Talks and panels
• Engagement with public, academic, and policy audiences

Visibility & Documentation
• Professional documentation of artworks and events (photo/video)
• Inclusion in SCI_ART communications, publications, and reporting
• International visibility through EU-Canada cultural and research networks

SCI_ART 2025 has been presented by the European Union, through its Delegation to Canada, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of the Republic of Slovenia, the Embassy of Slovenia, SAW, and the University of British Columbia, in partnership with Artengine, the Austrian Cultural Forum, the Austrian Embassy, Culture Ireland, the Embassy of Denmark, the Embassy of Ireland, the Embassy of Italy, the Embassy of Mexico, the Embassy of Poland, the Embassy of Portugal, the Institut français du Canada, and the Italian Cultural Institute of Montreal.