EMBracing the Ocean - Artist in residence

The European Marine Board (EMB) is looking for two new artists/groups of artists for the 2024 – 2025 edition of their ‘EMBracing the Ocean’ artist-in-residence programme. As we enter the fourth year of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, the need to connect people to our Ocean is more important than ever. The EMBracing the Ocean programme provides grants for creative individuals/groups from a wide-range of disciplines to engage in a two-way co-creation of artwork in collaboration with Ocean scientists. The aims of the programme are to raise societal awareness of the Ocean’s value and inspire behavioural change for a sustainable future, while contributing new insight and/or perspectives to the scientific research process.

The Ocean covers 70% of the surface of our planet, forms 95% of the biosphere in terms of volume and is essential for supporting life. The Ocean regulates global climate systems and has absorbed one third of excess carbon dioxide emitted into our atmosphere since the industrial revolution, as well as the majority of Earth’s excess heat. It provides potential for a huge source of renewable energy, coastal protection, recreation and cultural well-being, as well as being an important source of food and medicine. These benefits that the Ocean provides are dependent on the maintenance of Ocean physical, chemical, geological and biological processes, healthy and resilient marine ecosystems, and a shift in human activities towards sustainable practices.

The programme is open to creative individuals/groups from a wide variety of artistic disciplines. Both emerging and established artists will be considered by the committee. Prior experience in co-creation with scientists and/or communities and working on sustainability topics is desirable. Applications are welcome from across the world, and from a wide range of creative disciplines, including but not limited to:

• visual arts (e.g. drawing, painting, filmmaking, photography, sculpting, digital arts, installation art);
• literary arts (e.g. fiction, drama, poetry, storytelling);
• performing arts (e.g. dance, music, theatre); and
• traditional and indigenous arts.

Two awardees will be selected for the 2024 – 2025 programme and each will be awarded a grant of €10,000. The grant will be paid periodically throughout the 12-month residency on completion of planned deliverables. The awardees can use the grant to cover costs according to the needs of their work (e.g. artist fees, materials, expenses, travel, promotional materials, campaigns, transport of work, compensation for scientific collaborators) and these should be outlined in the provisional budget submitted as part of the application. The residency will take place remotely, but may include visits to collaborating researchers and/or participation in events. Any potential or secured co-funding must be clearly highlighted in the application and budget. Any work that is dependent on co-funding must be in addition to the core work produced for the EMBracing the Ocean programme.

Engagement with Ocean science community: The awardees are expected to co-develop their work with Ocean scientists (i.e. active scientists with a contact at a research organization/institute/university). This engagement must include:

• collaboration with one or more Ocean scientists. At least one scientific collaborator must be contacted by applicants and confirm that they agree to collaborate on the proposed project prior to artists submitting their application. Artists may post on the Ocean Decade Art-ScienceNetworking Group if they are looking for scientists to collaborate with. The EMB Secretariat may assist awardees to identify additional scientists and stakeholders relevant for their work if needed;
• presenting and discussing work at EMB meetings and/or other Ocean events (online/in-person);
• discussing ideas and plans for work and public engagement with EMBracing the Ocean Committee (online).

 Other engagement activities may include but are not limited to:

• attending relevant events and meetings to engage with Ocean science topics of interest
  (online/in-person);
• engaging with the Ocean Decade Global Stakeholder Forum and the Ocean Decade ArtScience Networking Group to promote the artists’ work, engage with the wider Ocean science community and find new collaborators if necessary.

Expected output: By the end of the 12-month residency, the awardees must have produced tangible result(s) including an initial public output e.g. a new piece of work, or series of work, through a two-way co-design process with Ocean scientists and first public presentation. This may build on the artists previous work, but there must be an element of novelty that is co-developed with the scientist(s). The work can focus on any Ocean science topic relevant for sustainable development, including but not limited to those covered by the marine science-policy work of the EMB, and/or wider activities within the framework of the Ocean Decade. It should aim to connect people to our Ocean by raising societal awareness of the chosen topic and inspire behavioural change for a sustainable future while contributing new insight and/or perspectives to the scientific research process.

To achieve these goals, the work of the awardees is expected to reach as wide an audience as possible e.g. a wide range of citizens and achieving impact beyond local communities, preferably at an international level. The work should also have longevity of societal impact beyond the 12-month residency. Solutions for overcoming language barriers related to the work should also be considered. The final work produced will be owned by the awardee, with an agreement that the EMB can use the work as appropriate after the end of the residency. The awardees will be required to liaise with the EMB Secretariat to disseminate updates on EMB social media channels, website, documents, and newsletters. Documentation (e.g. photographs/videos) will be required of place-based work (e.g. exhibitions, performances) for this dissemination.

Applications should be submitted via the application form before midnight Central European Time on 18 February 2024. In case of any technical issues please email [email protected]. Applicants will need to upload one PDF/rar/zip file (max. 4 MB) including:

• Summary of proposal (max. 150 words);
• Description of the proposed work, including topic(s) of interest, co-creation approach (i.e. how reciprocal influence between the artistic and scientific work will be achieved), and scientist(s) the applicant will collaborate with (include name, affiliation, and link to webpage) (max. 500 words);
• Preliminary communication and public engagement plan, including plans to achieve impact (including longevity of impact), target group(s) of citizens and how they will be reached, how the work will raise awareness of the societal value of the Ocean and inspire behavioural change towards sustainability, and links to cultural organisations (max. 150 words);
• Description of applicant’s creative practice to date, including societal reach, impact, hyperlinks to relevant work (max. 150 words);
• Previous collaboration with scientists, or motivation for collaboration with scientists; and previous engagement with sustainability topics, or motivation for engaging with sustainability topics (max. 150 words);
• Provisional monthly timeline including types of activities expected to be carried out;
• Provisional budget including e.g. artist fees, materials, expenses, travel, promotional materials, campaigns;
• Letter of agreement from scientific collaborator(s) that they will engage in the project;
• Artist(s) Curriculum Vitae.

In addition, applicants may submit their portfolio with examples of previous work (1 PDF/MP3/wav/rar/zip upload, max. 6 MB).