Society for Artistic Research

Society for Artistic Research
Name	Society for Artistic Research
Founded	2010
Headquarters	Geneva
Type	Non-profit
Fields	Artistic research, practice-based research

Society for Artistic Research

The Society for Artistic Research is an international association founded to advance creative practice-based inquiry by connecting practitioners, institutions, and audiences across Europe and beyond. It links platforms such as the Royal College of Art, Zurich University of the Arts, Goldsmiths, University of London, University of the Arts London, and the University of the Arts Helsinki with networks including the European League of Institutes of the Arts and the International Council of Museums. The society fosters dialogue between artists associated with Tate Modern, MoMA, The Getty, Kunsthalle Basel, and academic partners like Columbia University, University of Oxford, Sorbonne University, University of Cambridge, KU Leuven.

History

The organisation emerged from collaborative initiatives involving researchers and departments at Royal Academy of Arts, University of the Arts London, HKU University of the Arts Utrecht, Aalto University, and École Normale Supérieure alongside events at venues such as Transmediale, Documenta, Venice Biennale, and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Early convenings included contributors from University of California, Berkeley, New York University, Princeton University, Stanford University, and research clusters at Sotheby's Institute of Art, Central Saint Martins, and University of the West of England. The society formalised structures influenced by policy dialogues at European Commission fora, collaborative projects with Horizon 2020, and advisory exchanges involving representatives from UNESCO, Council of Europe, and national academies like the Royal Society and Académie des Beaux-Arts.

Mission and Activities

The society's mission aligns with programmes at Arts Council England, Swiss National Science Foundation, Norwegian Artistic Research Programme, Austrian Science Fund, and collaborative labs at Max Planck Institute, MIT Media Lab, Bauhaus-Universität Weimar. Activities include peer-review procedures similar to those at Peer Review Congress, research dissemination practices used by Wellcome Trust, and training initiatives modeled on offerings from British Council and Goethe-Institut. It hosts partnerships with curatorial teams from Serpentine Galleries, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, and production units linked to National Theatre, Royal Opera House, and Sydney Festival.

Publications and Research Outputs

Outputs mirror editorial practices of Oxford University Press, Routledge, MIT Press, Cambridge University Press, and open platforms like arXiv and PubMed Central. The society supports an online peer-reviewed journal that interfaces with indexing services such as Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, and platforms used by JSTOR. Contributors include authors affiliated with Yale University, Brown University, McGill University, University of Toronto, and museums like Louvre, Prado Museum, Hermitage Museum, British Museum, and Smithsonian Institution.

Conferences and Events

Annual and biennial gatherings take place alongside major cultural events including the Venice Biennale, Berlin Biennale, Documenta, Edinburgh International Festival, Frieze Art Fair, and academic conferences held at University of Barcelona, University of Bologna, University of Copenhagen, Stockholm University of the Arts, and Helsinki Festival. These events attract keynote speakers from institutions such as Harvard University, King's College London, Imperial College London, The Courtauld Institute of Art, Pratt Institute, and collaborations with festivals like Ars Electronica, Sónar, and Melbourne Festival.

Structure and Governance

Governance is overseen by an elected board with practices comparable to boards at Royal Society of Arts, European Cultural Foundation, Arts and Humanities Research Council, and National Endowment for the Arts. Administrative headquarters coordinate with legal entities based in jurisdictions like Switzerland, United Kingdom, Netherlands, and Belgium. Advisory bodies draw on expertise from directors and academics associated with Tate Britain, Centre Pompidou, The Whitworth, Victoria and Albert Museum, and university departments at University of Edinburgh, Trinity College Dublin, and Delft University of Technology.

Membership and Chapters

Membership comprises artists, researchers, curators, and institutional members from universities and organisations including Royal Academy of Music, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Central Saint Martins, Koninklijk Conservatorium, Bard College, Stony Brook University, California Institute of the Arts, and national chapters across regions represented by European Network Arts partners. Local chapters coordinate with cultural centres such as Somerset House, La Villette, Kiasma, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, and collectives involved with Independent Curators International.

Notable Projects and Impact

Notable projects intersect with funded collaborations like Horizon Europe consortia, curated research exhibitions at Tate Modern, MoMA PS1, Stedelijk Museum, Kunstmuseum Basel, and commissions supported by Arts Council England, Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia, and Fonds Podiumkunsten. Impact is visible in curricular changes at Royal College of Art, doctoral programmes at Leiden University, practice-led initiatives at Goldsmiths, policy briefs circulated to European Commission units, and citations in reports by OECD and UNESCO. Collaborative residencies link to institutions such as CERN, NASA, European Space Agency, and interdisciplinary labs like James Dyson Foundation projects.

Category:Art research organizations