Every movement has a beginning. Not a moment of arrival, but a period of exploration, experimentation and momentum-building. For The Crearte Foundation, 2026 will pose as a deliberate run through of the landscapes we want to inhabit long-term, testing what art–science can look like when it is not just an idea, but a living ecosystem.
Art–science, at its core, is not a hybrid for novelty’s sake. It is a response to complexity. Modern problems cannot be solved through isolated disciplines, because fragmented knowledge prevents us from grasping the global and essential. Art and science, together, offer a way of thinking that is both analytical and imaginative, rigorous and reflective. At Crearte, we see our work as contributing to a growing international shift toward this integrative mindset.
This year’s projects are all about laying structural foundations. We are building the conditions for a sustainable future in which art–science is visible, accessible and taken seriously across education, research and public culture.
Art-Science Education
Before people can participate in art–science, they need a language for it. What does it mean? Why does it matter? How is it different from interdisciplinary work more broadly? Our in-progress course, Introduction to Art–Science Thinking, will respond to this gap by creating a clear entry point into the field, particularly for students, early-career researchers and artists who already feel they sit between worlds. Learning becomes meaningful when knowledge connects to lived experience. Art–science does exactly that: it situates abstract concepts within embodied, emotional and cultural contexts.
Furthermore, we believe that education must live in dialogue. In our community discussions, ideas become collective rather than individual, a grounds for the beginning of new collaborations. Through initiatives like MOTION Talks and our growing presence at local and international conferences, we are prioritizing spaces where people can encounter art–science as a shared practice rather than a personal niche. Identity forms through interaction, not in isolation. In the same way, we believe art–science identity emerges through conversation, visibility and collective reflection.
Speaking Proudly
This emphasis on dialogue is also shaping our media projects. Art–Sci Currents Interviews, now moving into its second and third seasons, continues to explore how art–scientists think, work and navigate hybrid careers. These conversations are narrative infrastructure. They document a field in formation, offering role models and reference points for those who rarely see their interdisciplinary paths reflected back to them.
This representation matters in physical culture: who speaks, who is invited, who is seen as a legitimate voice. Our growing engagement with speaking opportunities and merchandise may seem symbolic, but symbolism carries power. Cultural legitimacy is shaped not only by ideas, but by the institutions and symbols that circulate them. Wearing a message, embracing the art-science identity and becoming associated with The Crearte Foundation reinforces that art–science belongs in public discourse.
At the Brink of Opportunity
The future of art–science depends not only on ideas, but on opportunity: the opportunity for knowledge, research and creativity to be developed, supported and shared with the wider public. At The Crearte Foundation, our microgrant calls and small project proposals are essential first steps in creating these conditions, laying the groundwork for new forms of inquiry to emerge. In parallel, a peer-reviewed journal, built around the specific needs of the art–science field, will offer the potential for a new wave of research-creation dissemination, expanding how interdisciplinary work is documented, validated and circulated. Together, these initiatives aim to open accessible pathways for art–science to grow as both a practice and a public knowledge ecosystem –– and these are only the beginning.
A Sustainable Infrastructure
Behind these visible projects is quieter, but equally essential, work: building systems. Sustainable movements depend on infrastructure. This includes custom technology like the ongoing development of The CreMAP Directory platform, which is designed to map and connect art–science practitioners globally. This year’s technical development strategy is making way for internal systems that support volunteers, part-time staff and board members, enabling people to contribute meaningfully without burning out. Our role is to create structures that allow our community members and internal team to feel sustained in their action.
Taken together, these initiatives reflect an underlying strategy to sustain our built momentum. We see this year as the beginning of a long arc: a future where art–science is not an exception, but an expected way of thinking. Our 2026 plan is not about delivering final models, but about activating multiple pathways towards art-science development, observing how they interact and expand. We’re calling this year Act I: laying the foundations for a world in which art–science is not just possible, but sustainable. Through these initiatives, we’re confident that the field itself will become more connected, more proud and more visible.
