Arts@CERN has flourished since its creation in 2011, binding arts, science and technology to contribute to a fast growing knowledge-based culture. Today, we are pleased to announce the COLLIDE International Award, a major international residency programme and a new collaboration between CERN and FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology, Liverpool).

COLLIDE International Award is a unique opportunity for artists to spend dedicated time in one of the most important laboratories in the world, where crucial questions about nature are addressed. COLLIDE aims to encourage curiosity, offering experimental and open-minded artists an extraordinary framework to inspire creativity both within the sciences and the humanities. Ultimately, COLLIDE proposes to transform the way art and science encounters are understood, and to challenge new modes of dialogue and enquiry.

As the cradle of the World Wide Web and home of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), CERN is an eminent centre of science and technology with great relevance in the culture of today. As an international centre of excellence in these fields, CERN is an inspirational place for artists, designers and creators of any kind to explore and extend their research in the fascinating world of particle physics.

COLLIDE Open Call for Entries encourages the participation of artists complying with any of the following criteria:

• Artists interested in the cultural significance of science.
• Artists working with digital and scientific media, technology and concepts as inspiration for their work.
• Artists engaging with an innovative discourse on contemporary culture, following ambitious standards of creativity.
• Artists demonstrating an active interest in the institutional visions, research methodologies, and cultural engagement of CERN and FACT.
• Artists interested in the processes of fundamental science and particle physics who are able to extrapolate this understanding into projects of artistic excellence.
• Artists pushing the traditional forms of collaboration between the artistic and scientific fields, and asking innovative and provocative questions in this respect.
• Artists approaching science and research from diverse angles of enquiry, such as political, ethical, or sociological perspectives.

The competition is open to artists of any nationality or age. Their  proposal  should reflect upon encounters between art and science, and offer challenging methods of collaboration  with CERN scientists. The scope of this proposal should also consider a second developmental phase at FACT, where the artists will have the opportunity to expand their research and test its applications through FACTLab’s facilities and engagement with a wide range of communities. The ultimate goal for the residency will be the research and development of new concepts in laboratory contexts.

COLLIDE International Award grants an artist with a fully funded residency at CERN and FACT. The artist will spend the first two months at CERN, Geneva, followed by a one-month stay at FACT, Liverpool (not necessarily consecutively).

The award includes the following conditions:

• 15,000 Swiss Francs as an Award.
• Allowance for two months at CERN, Geneva and one month at FACT, Liverpool.
• Travel costs and accommodation within a fixed budget for the three months of the artistic residency at CERN and FACT.

The awarded artist is expected:

• To work with a scientific partner at CERN, and with the teams of Arts@CERN and FACT during the residency, exploring ideas and research and interacting with various communities in each location.
• To conduct interventions, talks and/or workshops during the residency, including CERN and FACT staff, as well as other relevant communities such as artists, scientists, academics.
• To communicate the creative process and research developed during the residency through social media platforms, a blog or similar, in order to reach global audiences.
• To meet regularly with the CERN scientific partner in order to discuss the process of artistic research, exploration and discovery, and to additionally work with other scientists.
• During the residency at FACT, to establish conversations and explore collaborations with scientists and academics from Liverpool University and Liverpool John Moores University.
• To communicate regularly with the teams at Arts@CERN and FACT to develop the proposal and ensure its satisfactory completion during the residency.

Artists intending to apply shall submit a proposal adhering to the criteria of the call. The proposal should describe, in detail, the project that the artist intends to undertake during the residency at CERN and FACT. The proposal should be accompanied by a filmed statement (no longer than five minutes), defending the relevance of the intended project.

All documents must be submitted in English. The jury will not review incomplete proposals.