S+T+ARTS E(C)HO

STARTS is an initiative of the European Commission to foster alliances of technology, science and artistic practice to nurture innovation and benefit the art world. As part of the S+T+ARTS initiative, STARTS EC(H)O aims the objective of building towards the triple transformation and developing artist-led approaches through creative experimentation and recognizing the most successful ones.

Through this Open Call, STARTS residencies program offers the artists an opportunity to work on these major questions of tomorrow and to bring new perspectives to human-centered and sustainable projects, in the form of a work of art or a functional or speculative artistic prototype. For 13 months, the STARTS EC(H)O project will promote 10 residencies hosted in different institutions throughout Europe, centered on promoting the triple transformation: social, green and digital.

The programme includes: 

  • __A funding of 40.000€ per challenge;
  • __Guidance and support by the STARTS EC(H)O Residency Host Institutions;
  • __Access to experts;
  • __A kick-off meeting on-site at the Dresden University of Technology in December 2024;
  • __An incubation programme to support the residency teams in kickstarting the pilots and nurturing them to accelerate their impact;
  • __An impact assessment to evaluate the potential impact of scenarios and prototypes developed.

Presentation of the 10 Challenges:  

  • __CHALLENGE #1 Modelling the Mind (Germany) 

  • __CHALLENGE #2 Exploring Human – AI Relationships (Germany) 

  • __CHALLENGE #3 Exploring the Physics of Life (Germany) 

  • __CHALLENGE #4 European Space Policy in the Age of Sustainability (Austria) 

  • __CHALLENGE #5 Virtual Representations of Users (Germany) MSC&HLRS

  • __CHALLENGE #6 Technical / technological solutions inspired by nature (Germany) MSC&HLRS

  • __CHALLENGE #7 Transforming Logs into Visual Narratives (Germany) MSC&HLRS

  • __CHALLENGE #8 Urban Digital Twins for the Salzburg Festival (Germany & Austria) MSC&HLRS

  • __CHALLENGE #9 Cultural Heritage through New Technologies (Austria) 

  • __CHALLENGE #10 Reconnecting to the territory (France) 

To be an eligible applicant, proposals must be presented by an individual artist or a collective of artists; a self‐employed individual that undertakes artistic activities. We encourage artists being in the process of obtaining their PhD to submit a proposal related to their research topic and consider the residency project as a part of the wider research context. Please, if applicable, reflect on it and provide some information in your application. 

Applications until 30 June 2024!

For more information, please check: