The Ukraine-based V-Art and UK-based Electric Artefacts platforms are pleased to announce their cooperation to launch the Digital Art Observatory, a first-of-its-kind residency aimed to provide an example and roadmap for cross-border partnerships amongst cultural institutions. With the support of the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation and the British Council as a part of the Culture For Change program, the residency will welcome twelve artists across Ukraine and Britain during September and October of 2021.
Digital Observatory aims to be a trigger of self-reflection regarding how we utilize technology across a digital cultural and creative exchange in a time of ever-increasing migration towards virtual worlds. Focusing on tomorrow, the residency will be selecting well-established and up-and-coming new media talents to facilitate dialogue and expand opportunities for everyone involved.
The artists, selected through an open call, will be paired to participate in a series of mentorship sessions to develop a final project together. Both Ukrainian and British professionals will be leading the sessions, covering both theoretical and practical aspects of collaborations. The residency will also present a program of public talks to widen the understanding of the legal, technological, and curatorial best practices within digital art and collaborative projects.
For the final projects, both V-Art and Electric Artefacts will provide virtual exhibition platforms using digital technologies including Web, 3D, and AR. Following the residency, creative industries will gain access to the whitepaper, which will document key findings of the residency and serve as a guide for future cross-cultural cooperation in the digital art field.
