The Research and Creation Fellowship programme is designed to host one international artist and researcher of extraordinary talents in the area of new media art in order to conduct research and creation at Chronus Art Center (CAC), Shanghai. Call for applications.

This Fellowship is a chance for international artists and researchers to engage and learn from the art, technological and entrepreneurial communities of Shanghai. The Research and Creation Fellowship aims to foster global exchange while advancing the discourse and practice of new media art, and contribute to CAC's research and educational mission as well as the institution's future collection.

This year Chronus Art Center (CAC) opens its Lab for a 3-month research and creation fellowship, due to start in August 2016.

This year, we are seeking a project proposal that explores artistic applications of emerging technologies and align both conceptually and technically with CAC_LAB's current research initiative. The selected Fellow will be expected to work at CAC's laboratory with the research and creation team on a range of activities including: active contribution to the larger CAC community, collaborative partnership with other fellows, leading research initiatives, educational programs and public engagement, and developing current or future research areas for the organization. Projects, including prototypes, documentation, and work-in-progress, will be presented to the public at Chronus Art Center.

ABOUT CAC_LAB

CAC_LAB is a space dedicated to the inquiry of present-day matters regarding art, design, science, technology and their impact on global contemporary culture and society. Through artistic practice, technological tools and research methodology, we enable creative processes that result in works of art of high production and academic value. CAC_LAB is a space of flux which encourages artistic practice as a generator of new knowledge, a territory where art and science converge into a contemporary and experimental field of academic research; free from main stream cultural thought, technological stress and economical diversions. CAC_LAB is currently engaged in a long term research project which involves the development of a mixed reality, immersive and interactive platform that uses virtual and/or augmented reality, position and motion tracking, neuro- feedback (EEG – brainwaves) and wearable technologies, in order to enable new forms of artistic practices and narratives. This initiative is born from a mix of various of our main lines of research (emotive networks & haptic gaming, generative art & big data, intelligent audiovisual systems, existential technologies, it from bit) and has evolved its own sub-research areas. This year our fellowship aims to host an artist whose project inquires in one or more of the areas listed bellow:

A) Virtual / Augmented Reality: Within the scope of our research, we are interested in exploring alternative ways of engaging with the more conventional applications of VR and AR by rethinking our current understanding of digitalized visual representations of reality.

B) The Digital Brain: With the emergence of accessible and portable electroencephalographic technologies the possibility of having brain- computer-interfaces applications in the arts has become a major field of interest. Currently we are dedicated to the exploration of ways of classifying, interpreting and representing brain data through artistic practice.

C) Wearable Computing and Physical Interfaces: Interacting with digital layers of represented data is always a challenge for art installations and responsive environments. This particular line of research is concerned with the creation of wearable controllers and physical objects which enable interactions between humans and digital content.

D) Sensory Immersion: Representing digital data in non-visual ways is often a challenge. We are interested in exploring ways of translating digital content into experiences beyond the conventional audiovisual forms; experimental audio, haptic and olfactory feedback being a few examples of these.

FELLOWSHIP SUPPORT

This Fellowship is a chance for international artists and researchers to engage and learn from the art, technological and entrepreneurial communities of Shanghai. The selected Fellow will be offered a total amount of USD$10,000 for a 3 month deep-immersion period; including artist fees, living expenses and materials. In addition our lab facilities and tools are available for the fellow's needs; these include but are not limited to: Laser-cutter, bandsaw, sander-belt, press drills, all sorts of hand tools, a variety of electronic components, arduinos, raspberryPis, an oculus rift DK2 headset, Surface Mount Infrared soldering, soldering irons and other prototyping tools. For international Fellows, CAC is happy to provide necessary paperwork and advice to help expedite the process of securing his/her visa, travel and accommodation in Shanghai whereas all the expenses will be covered within the amount of the fellowship.

During the 3-month program, CAC will work closely with the selected Fellow to see his/her project realized and offer program support in developing work for performances, events, seminars, exhibitions, or other public and educational programming during the term of the Fellowship. CAC will also facilitate joint presentations alongside community partners, host conversations with the artists and display works in progress; revealing the creative process as it happens.

ELIGIBILITY

1. This fellowship is open to international artists and researchers of any nationality.

2. Applicants should be able to use English as working language.

3. Applicants must not be currently enrolled in degree-granting academic programs, with the exception of PHD candidates who are aiming to develop technical work within the scope of the fellowship.

4. Applicants are expected to show demonstrable success in previous development of related projects at this scale.

5. Individuals and collaborative teams are invited to apply. In either case, please detail in your application how technical and creative responsibilities will be met.

6. Only proposals which are aligned with CAC_LAB's current research and creation interests will be considered for eligibility.

Start Date: August 1st 2016 (start dates negotiable within reason).

Fellowship's Duration: 3 Months

Grant: USD$ 10,000

Application Deadline: All applications must be submitted electronically by 23:59 (Beijing Time), May 30th  

Notification of Selection: Applicants will be informed about their application status by June 31 2016.

Download the call

About Chronus Art Center