Welcome to The SciArt Curator, your bi-weekly window into the vibrant intersection of science, art, and society.
Part treasure hunt, part investigation, it also grows with your discoveries. If you’ve created or come across a project, call, or event that bridges science and art, drop me a line. I’d love to hear from you and join forces to spread the word.
Over the past months, several readers have approached me with a similar feeling:
I’m starting to work at the intersection of art and science, but I don’t know where to look for references, partners, or even the right vocabulary.
SciArt projects are happening in labs, studios, universities, festivals, and residencies across the world. However, when trying to understand how these collaborations begin, what makes them work, and where to find others doing this kind of work, the information feels scattered.
One of the things I loved most during my time in academia was writing introductions to scientific articles and reviews. I enjoyed diving into the literature, tracing how ideas connect, and slowly building a map of a field or topic.
This newsletter has unexpectedly become a way for me to continue doing that kind of research. It gives me a good excuse to read articles, reports, and books, bring the information together, and share it with others.
In this issue, I’m sharing a selection of texts that have helped me better understand the SciArt landscape; all of them are open access.
If you’ve ever felt a bit alone while navigating this field, I hope this selection helps you see that there is already a rich terrain to explore. And please let me know in the comments if you have other references to share!
As always, you’ll also find a curated selection of upcoming SciArt events at the end of this article.
Happy reading!
This is not an exhaustive bibliography, but entry points introducing to different aspects of the SciArt practice: why it matters, how collaborations function, who is drawn to this space, and what it looks like in practice. Click the titles to go to the source.
1. Understanding what SciArt is and why it matters.
— Science Technology Arts: Lessons Learned from a Decade of Transdisciplinary Innovation. STARTS initiative, 2026
— Why Technology Needs Artists: 40 International Perspectives. Andrews, H., & Hawcroft, A. (eds.), 2025.
— Why science needs art. Ghisleni et al., 2025.
— The ‘Great Divide’: How the Arts Contribute to Science and Science Education. Braund & Reiss, 2019.
How collaborations actually work.
— De-disciplined: A Q-study on how artists, scientists and technologists experience collaboration. Birsel et al., 2026.
— Examining science and art collaborations through a social psychology lens reveals the need for Third Spaces. Groves et al., 2025
— Ten simple rules for hosting artists in a scientific lab. Rillig et al., 2021
Practitioners doing SciArt. These focus on those navigating this hybrid space, sharing their motivations, careers, and tensions.
— Why create SciArt? An investigation into science artists’ goals and professional journeys. Fleerackers et al., 2022
— The effect of scientific impact on science communication through art from the lens of deviance theories. Azagra-Caro & Pavone, 2024
SciArt in practice: concrete examples in specific domains
— Merging science and art through fungi. Meyer, 2019
— NaturArchy: A multidisciplinary exploration of soil science & art. Benincasa et al., 2026
— Creatively connecting science, society, and the sea: a mini-review of academic literature focusing on art-science collaborations and the ocean. Whittaker, 2023
SciArt, society, and policy: SciArt as a tool for societal change
— Could bridging science and the arts be the key to better policies? Benincasa & Eeckels, 2025
— Berlin Science Week Art & Science Programme. Bring your art–science work to the festival! Deadline to apply: May 24. The organizers are looking for performances, installations, guided tours, live music, and workshops that explore what happens when science touches our lives. Selected projects will be part of the official festival programme and receive visibility, production support, and technical infrastructure.
— SCI_ART 2026. Deadline to apply: 31 May. For artists, scientists, and research institutions from Canada and the EU, to join a transnational Artist-in-Residence program and festival in Canada, in September.
— Polar STEAM Antarctic Artists & Writers Program. Deadline to apply: 1 June
The program facilitates deployments to the Antarctic for creative practitioners. For artists, writers, and creative practitioners in a variety of genres, from traditional to experimental.
— Alex Adriaansens Residency 2026. Deadline to apply: June 1. For curators, organisers of festivals, art programmes, and events in media art, digital cultures, and related arts and cultural fields who are starting their professional careers.
— theGATE Festival. May 18 - 22 | Stuttgart, Germany. Exploring the convergence of Science, Technology, Arts, and Society.
— Staranzano Water Festival. 18-24 May | Staranzano, Italy. Over 30 events, including talks, performances, readings, and exhibitions, will be held to raise awareness about the importance of water as a resource. The festival fosters interaction between science and art, and it is led by young researchers collaborating with contemporary artists.
— Exhibition Ecological Translation: Rethinking Our Relationship with the Living World. Till 30 May | Goethe-Institut Athen, Greece. A timely and thought-provoking space where art becomes a site of negotiation between worlds – human, technological, and more-than-human – urging us to rethink what it means to inhabit a shared environment.
Have you created, seen, or heard of a project that bridges science and art? Send it my way! I’d love to feature it and help spread the word.
Are you a writer? Reply to this message and let’s explore how your work might fit in.
If this post resonated with you, please consider forwarding it to a friend. Thank you for reading, commenting, suggesting, and ultimately for being part of this growing SciArt community 💛
See you in two weeks!
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