Open Call: Ars Bioartica residency programme 2021-22
Application deadline 16 November, 2020 23:59 (EEST)

Apply for the Ars Bioarctica residency programme 2021-22

Application deadline November the 16th 2020.

Since 2010 the Bioart Society is organizing the ARS BIOARCTICA RESIDENCY PROGRAMME together with the Kilpisjärvi Biological Station of the University of Helsinki in the sub-Arctic Lapland in the traditional Sami lands. The residency has an emphasis on the subarctic environment and art and science collaboration. It is is open for professional artists, scientists and art&science research teams at all stages of their careers.

Read the residency blog by previous guests: http://www.bioartsociety.fi/residency/ 

The residency takes place in the facilities of the Kilpisjärvi Biological Station. The Station provides the residents with a combined living and working environment, kitchen, bathroom, sauna and internet connection. The residents have access to scientific equipment, a basic field laboratory facilities, the library and seminar room as well as the usage of field equipment. A dedicated mentor in Kilpisjärvi will familiarize residents with the local environment and customs upon arrival.

Ars Bioarctica residency programme is devided into 4 seasons and each residency period is either 2 first weeks or 2 last weeks of the month or the whole month. The residency periods available in this open call are June and October 2021 and January and March 2022. The desired period should be stated in the application.

All applicants will be notified about the selection by the end of the month of November 2020.

COSTS

Bioart Society is currently not able to support travel and accommodation. The costs for the resident will include:

travel to Helsinki and back to your own country

travel from Helsinki to Kilpisjärvi and back, which is approx 350 €

daily accommodation to be confirmed by the university but an estimation based on last year prices is around 50€/night excluding meals. The prices will be communicated as soon as possible.

Residents are expected to work independently. The station has researchers doing field work over the year but there are no permanent researchers and scientists at the station. Any collaboration possibilities must be organised beforehand by the applicant.

The closest doctor is 300 km away, we warmly recommned to check with your doctor in case you have a medical condition requiring regular attention!

THE LOCATION

Kilpisjärvi has a distinctly oceanic climate affected by its northern location and altitude: the area is located over 400 metres above sea level and less than 50 kilometres from the Arctic Ocean. The climate is very arctic with one of the lowest mean annual temperatures on the European continent at only 2.3 °C. On average, the temperature does not rise above +10.9 °C in July. The ground is usually covered in snow from September or October to early June. Patches of snow may be found on the slopes of Malla all year round. More spesific info can be found at https://www.helsinki.fi/fi/tutkimusasemat/kilpisjarven-biologinen-asema

For observing the northern lights Kilpisjärvi is the best location in Finland with its daily 70 percentage chance to see the northern lights if the sky is clear.

Kilpisjärvi is situated in an area where Sámi culture has it roots. The Sámi are the only indigenous people in the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia, as well as the whole of the European Union. They inhabited the area long before any state borders were drawn. The area is called Lapland, but the Sámis themselves use the name Sápmi.

Malla’s nature reserve which is just next to the station is Finland’s oldest protected nature reserve. The Malla fells were first protected in 1916 when Finland was still under Russian rule.  Thanks to its calcareous soils, the highlands of the Little Malla and Great Malla fells are home to some rare species of alpine plants and butterflies. Some of these plants are not found anywhere else in Finland.

Application procedure:

Applications have to include:

  • a completed application form (see below)

  • a cv

  • a work plan

Evaluation:

The evaluation of the applications emphasizes the quality of the proposal, its interaction of art&science, its artistic and scientific significance, the projects relation to the thematics of Ars Bioarctica and its feasibility to be carried out at the Kilpisjärvi Biological Station in the given time.

Send questions to Piritta Puhto: piritta[dot]puhto[at]bioartsociety[dot]fi

We follow the Covid-19 situation and act accordingly, residencies will be postponed if needed.

By applying, you agree to your personal data being stored and used for communication purposes.

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Photo of the 2019 "Microworlds" Ars Bioarctica residency by Till Bovermann. To read more about Bovermann's project, visit http://friendly.organisms.de/microworlds.

Application form

The application period is now closed.