Call for Artist in Residence @ COSS, UCL’s Centre For Outer Space Studies

The successful candidate will be housed at the UCL Institute of Advanced Studies and invited to contribute to the culture of the IAS and COSS through participation in IAS conversations and by hosting talks or panel discussions regarding outer space and art.

Specifically, the AIR will be required to engage with an analogue space research mission designed by UCL’s Space Health Risks Research Group through their own creative practice. The mission will be a simulation of the human exploration of another planet and has been collaboratively designed by an international research team in order to investigate health in space and apply the benefits of such knowledge on Earth.

During the mission, three realistic health scenarios will be enacted as case studies. Analogue astronauts, who will be a variety of healthcare practitioners, will be required to care for the simulated patients with the limited resources available, knowing that evacuation is impossible and telecommunication with planet Earth is delayed. The mission location is a remote and uninhabited island in Scotland that will remain secret until the mission itself in order to simulate the conditions of surprise in exploration of remote environments such as the Moon or Mars.

There has never been an analogue space research mission of this nature before in the UK and one of the objectives of this mission is to evaluate the how the UK can be an analogy of outer space, laying the foundations for future analogue research. The AIR will be a member of the mission crew who will attend the analogue mission (21-23 May 2022) and creatively explore the simulated outer space environment.

The Residency will enable the artist to explore, through their own practice, one or more of the following questions:

1. How does the analogue space research mission represent living off-world?
2. How can artistic practice draw connections between living off-world and life on Earth?
3. What are the wider psycho-social implications for imagining life off-Earth?The programme is broadly focused on the fields of performance, creative writing, visual arts or media, but we are open to receiving applications from practitioners from any creative field.

The AIR will be asked to respond creatively to the questions posed above and then plan and deliver at least two digital events aimed at staff and/or students at UCL. These could be seminars, creative workshops, performance events or any other medium that allows people to explore creativity collaboratively. The AIR will be based in the UCL Institute of Advanced Studies for the duration of their residency. During this time, they will have the opportunity to contribute to the development of the Centre for Creative Practice Research within the IAS. They will also be expected to provide a form of representation of the mission for the UCL Space Health Risks Research Group. We are interested in artists who are interested in navigating the space between space science, artistic practice and academic practice.

A £5,000 fund will cover all costs of the mission itself (to be arranged by UCL Space Health Group) as well as the artist’s practice materials and other expenses.

Download the call here and the application form here.  The deadline for applications is 27 March 2022.

FAQs 

1. What does the stipend cover?
   The £5,000 stipend is a one-off fee. The artist is expected to use it to cover their own costs and payment. They are expected to join the 3-day mission and use the fee to cover the associated costs. This will be roughly £500 (subject to change).
2. Is accommodation provided?
   No. UCL does not provide any accommodation or board.
3. Is the artist expected to be on campus full time?
   No. The artist may use the campus as they wish. They will have access to UCL resources, such as the library, during the period of the residence. The IAS will aim to provide a hot desk workspace in a shared office.
4. Does the residency come with a studio?
   No, facilities of this nature are not provided.
5. Is the post full time?
   No, it is designed to facilitate an artist’s practice. The time spent on it is up to the artist.
6. Is the post open to non-UK nationals?
   Yes, the post is open to anyone who can work in the UK. You can be paid by UCL PAYE or, if self-employed, be set up as a supplier.
7. Will there be interviews?
   We may invite a maximum of four people to interview.