LABoral Centro de Arte y Creación Industrial in Gijón is participating in the inaugural international call for artistic residencies from the European Hybrid Intelligence Network (EHIN), a European initiative aimed at exploring new forms of intelligence and computation inspired by non-human living systems. Announced on 16 October, the call allows artists and collectives to develop research and creation projects at six European institutions specialising in the intersection of art, science, and technology.
Each residency will provide funding of up to €25,000 for fees and production costs, along with additional support to facilitate the development of selected proposals. Co-funded by Creative Europe, the programme aims to open new avenues for artistic experimentation by studying how plants, fungi, microorganisms, and animals process information, interact with each other, and respond to their environments.
Art and science to investigate new forms of intelligence
The EHIN initiative poses a central question: what happens when the intelligence of living systems combines with scientific advances and artistic imagination? Through this call, the network seeks to transcend traditional models of intelligence and computation, which typically focus on humans and machines, to investigate the information processing capabilities present in other living organisms. Plants, fungi, and microorganisms develop complex relationships with their surroundings and react to various environmental stimuli. These processes serve as the starting point for artistic research that aims to explore new ways of understanding intelligence and its potential applications.
The project also proposes studying bioinformatics and biological systems as possible sources of inspiration for developing more sustainable technologies, capable of reducing reliance on conventional silicon-based systems. In this context, the residencies will provide collaborative spaces for artists, researchers, and professionals from various disciplines, fostering the creation of works that integrate scientific experimentation and artistic reflection.
Six European institutions to host residencies
The call encompasses six residencies distributed across different European countries. Each interested artist or collective must select a single host institution, considering the characteristics of the environment and its relevance to the proposal they wish to develop. The participating centres include Kersnikova in Slovenia, the Center for the Promotion of Science in Serbia, Gluon in Belgium, LABoral Centro de Arte y Creación Industrial in Spain, Zentrum für Kunst und Medien (ZKM) in Germany, and Kontejner in Croatia. The network is led by Kersnikova and brings together institutions experienced in projects that connect contemporary artistic practices with scientific and technological research.
LABoral's involvement will facilitate one of these residencies in Asturias, incorporating the Gijón centre into an international programme that promotes experimentation with emerging technologies and biological systems.
A residency of up to €25,000 developed in two phases
The selected projects will take place between February 2027 and January 2028, structured in two phases that will allow participants to work at different institutions within the network. During the first phase, the selected artist or collective will develop their research and begin production of the work at the host institution. In the case of LABoral, the residency will include priority access to the centre's facilities and a grant of up to €25,000 to cover professional fees and production costs. Additionally, LABoral will provide accommodation and travel expense coverage, in accordance with the limits set by the European Union.
This initial phase will conclude with a public event called Open Dirty Lab, where participants will share their research progress and results with the community. In the second phase, residents will select another institution from the EHIN network to complete the production of their work, leveraging the resources and knowledge available at the new centre. Depending on the characteristics and needs of each proposal, additional funding may be considered. This phase will also include a second public Open Dirty Lab session and will conclude with the completion of the artistic work, which must be ready for exhibition.
Exhibiting works in Germany after presentations at participating centres
One of the programme's objectives is to ensure that the projects developed during the residencies receive international visibility. The works will initially be presented at the host institutions and will subsequently be part of a collective exhibition showcasing the results of the six residencies at the Zentrum für Kunst und Medien (ZKM) in Germany. This will provide artists with the opportunity to display their work in different cultural and scientific contexts, expanding the possibilities for exchange and collaboration with professionals from other countries.
The programme also includes documenting the research and creation processes to share the knowledge generated and contribute to the development of new methodologies for collaboration between art and science.
Dirty Lab: taking laboratories into nature
One of the most innovative proposals from EHIN is the concept of Dirty Lab, which aims to move part of scientific research outside traditional laboratories to develop it directly in the natural environments where living organisms interact. Instead of limiting studies to biological samples in conventional facilities, these spaces seek to facilitate experimentation in direct contact with ecosystems. Dirty Labs may take various forms, such as mobile research kits, modular stations, or small permaculture incubators. These setups will create shared working environments for resident artists, scientists, and local professionals, combining the observation of natural processes with research tools and artistic practices.
The initiative aims to foster new forms of interdisciplinary knowledge and explore how living systems can inspire technological solutions to challenges such as the energy crisis and the sustainability of current computing models.
Call for applications open until 4 December
The call is aimed at artists and artistic collectives interested in developing projects related to hybrid intelligence and non-human living systems. Eligible participants include residents of the European Union, tax contributors in any of its member states, or residents of certain non-EU countries that meet the programme's eligibility criteria. Each applicant may submit their candidacy to only one of the six participating institutions. The registration period will remain open until 4 December 2026 at 23:59, and applications must be submitted exclusively online, following the instructions outlined in the official participant guide. All information regarding the conditions, requirements, and application procedures is available on the official website of the European Hybrid Intelligence Network.
With this new call, LABoral Centro de Arte y Creación Industrial reinforces its participation in European projects focused on contemporary research and creation, solidifying Gijón's position as a hub for artistic experimentation, emerging technologies, and the search for new responses to environmental and scientific challenges.
