Art & Science Residency in Finland

The Climate Whirl art programme at the University of Helsinki offers artists an opportunity to work at a scientific research station and related measuring stations in dialogue with researchers and utilising the research infrastructure and data of the station. The residency will be realized in 2020. Hyytiälä’s SMEAR II research forest makes electronic and pneumatic sounds. Multi-coloured leads and pipes crisscross among the tussocks and undergrowth of a Finnish commercial forest. Plexiglass measuring chambers sigh as they open and close in tree branches and on the forest floor. Measurements also go on all year round in the immense Siikaneva wetland area and Kuivajärvi lake. The area surrounding the station also features an old enchanting natural forest and clear-cutting area. Hyytiälä is a renowned base for international researchers who come to the station to conduct measurements and meet colleagues. The station is located in Juupajoki, Finland. It has been calculated that the measuring stations of the Centre of Excellence in Atmospheric Science measure at least 1,200 different items from the atmosphere, northern coniferous forest, swamps and lake. Research conducted at the station, scientific experiments and measuring campaigns help to answer complex research questions posed by natural sciences.
 
Climate Whirl is an art programme functioning under the umbrella of the Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR) of the University of Helsinki, which began its operations in 2012. The programme realises artist residencies and commissioned works as well as art&science workshops. They are looking for an artist(s)-in-residence for the Climate Whirl programme to conduct their own research at the station. An artist or group of artists may work at the station from four to six weeks during 2020 depending on the needs of their project. The organisers aim to be flexible with regard to the duration and format of the residency; the most important thing when making the selection is the interest the proposal arouses and its topicality. They appreciate research oriented approach and long-term commitment. They hope that the artist-in-residence will leave something permanent at the station after the residency. It may be a work of art in the area surrounding the station, an experience shared with the audience that could possibly be recorded or an inclusive workshop after the residency period.

The artist-in-residence will live in either a log building or the course centre with a shared kitchen and sanitary facilities. The station area includes historical log buildings from the early 1900s, which can be used for accommodation from May to September. Shared flats in the more modern course centre are used for winter accommodation.
 
Conditions of the residency:

• A fee of €3,000 will be paid to the selected artist or group of artists.
• Max. €3,000 will be contributed towards the production costs of the new work of art.
• The residency covers the accommodation costs.
• Reasonable travel costs to the station from Finland or Europe will be covered to a maximum amount of €500. They encourage applicants to travel to Hyytiälä by land or water!

The artist-in-residence or group of artists may stay at the station for a maximum of six weeks during 2020. In the case of a group, the residency must be agreed according to the accommodation capacity of the station.

Send your proposal in Finnish or English by 18 November 2019 to [email protected]. The proposal must include (the maximum size of appendices is 3MB each, in PDF format):

• A description of the project topic and goals (max. 1 A4 page)
• CV or portfolio of the artist or group of artists (max. 3 A4 pages + internet links)
• Tentative plan for the timetable
• Tentative budget of the artwork