From Microscopic Flowers to Prinsjesdag: How Art and Science Make Wonder Visible Together

A connection that the Art Route helped make possible has led to an artwork inspired by scientific research that is now travelling across the Netherlands, beginning with its appearance at Prinsjesdag.

On Prinsjesdag, Minister Rianne Letschert will wear the Hat of Wonder: a remarkable artwork that brings together science and art. The hat and accompanying shoulder piece were designed by artist and designer Malou Beemer and inspired by microscopic structures from the research of scientist Wim Noorduin. What appears under a microscope as a collection of tiny flowers has been transformed by Beemer into a striking piece of wearable art.

For the Art Route, this project is a wonderful example of the power of encounters between artists and researchers. The collaboration between Malou Beemer and Wim Noorduin demonstrates what becomes possible when art and science come together and work from different perspectives around a shared sense of wonder. The result is more than a hat. It is a visible symbol of curiosity, imagination and collaboration.

As Malou Beemer says:

“I mainly work in interdisciplinary projects and am always looking for cross-pollination. That is where a certain kind of magic emerges, something that only appears when you do not work alone. To us, the hat is also a call for greater collaboration and for creating connections between different disciplines.”

This cross-pollination lies at the heart of what the Art Route seeks to strengthen. Artists bring different questions, different methods and different forms of imagination. In doing so, they create new ways of understanding, discussing and exploring societal challenges.

The fact that the Hat of Wonder will be worn on Prinsjesdag gives this message a unique platform. It demonstrates that innovation arises not only from technical knowledge, but also from wonder, creativity and the ability to look beyond disciplinary boundaries.

We congratulate Malou Beemer, Wim Noorduin and NWO on this wonderful achievement and look forward to following the continued journey of the Hat of Wonder across the Netherlands.

NWA Citizen Science 2026: artistic research with citizen collectives

Funding is available for research with groups of citizens who independently organise to address a shared societal goal or local issue. Examples include energy cooperatives, but also initiatives such as mutual support funds (“broodfondsen”). NWO has opened this call, NWA Citizen Science 2026, with a total budget of €2.5 million, distributed across up to 25 projects of €100,000 each. The submission deadline is 17 September 2026.

At its core, the call invites research collaborations in which a citizen collective formulates a research question and researchers contribute the methodology to investigate it. Applications must be submitted through one of the 25 NWA Routes. The NWA Art Route is therefore eager to hear who within its network is considering applying.

What is a citizen collective?
It is an organised group of people who work on a shared societal issue based on their own experiences, local knowledge, and commitment. To be eligible, the collective must be formally organised as a foundation or association, and it must be non-profit.

When assessing submitted research proposals, NWO looks at four criteria:

1. Whether the research question clearly originates from the citizen collective itself and is socially urgent;
2. Whether the collaboration between citizens and researchers is substantively equal;
3. Whether there is a clear plan for how the research will lead to practical change;
4. Whether the research approach is methodologically sound.

Don’t yet have a citizen collective in mind?
That can happen. NWO therefore works together with the Citizen Science NL platform, where citizen collectives publish their research questions. If you have a suitable research idea but no collective to collaborate with, this is a great place to start looking.

Compensation for applicants:
NWO reimburses up to two citizen collectives per Route with up to €2,500 for the time and effort invested in preparing the application. This does require a statement from the relevant NWA Route, so the earlier you get in touch with us, the better.

In short:
Are you or your organisation working with a citizen collective on an issue related to art, culture, or artistic research? We would love to hear from you. If there are more than two serious candidates, we will design a simple and transparent selection process so everyone knows where they stand.

Send an email before 1 July to info@routekunstnwa.nl with brief information about your organisation, the question you want to investigate, and how this fits within the call and the Art Route. Also take a look at the “gamechangers” on our website and the cluster questions assigned to our Route.

View the full call here

On 5 March, the official launch of JUST ART: Creating Common Grounds for Climate Justice Through Artistic Research took place at Framer Framed - and this was no ordinary event. For the Art Route and for the arts as a knowledge-producing domain, this kick-off marks a significant moment: for the first time, a major NWA-ORC project has been awarded in which artistic research is central. The fact that the Dutch Research Agenda has funded this consortium is a recognition of the unique contribution that art and artistic research can make to urgent societal challenges.

The consortium, led by Professor Ann-Sophie Lehmann on behalf of the University of Groningen, brings together artists, researchers, activists, and communities in both urban and rural areas across the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Over the next six years, they will jointly develop diverse strategies for climate justice through artistic research and creative practices.

The event took place against the backdrop of the exhibition Between Fires, in which Framer Framed, as part of the Sonic Acts festival, presents histories of nuclear infrastructure, colonialism, and resistance. In this charged context, the ambitions of JUST ART were outlined by its participants. The five core themes structuring the research were introduced, alongside the many opportunities for those wishing to connect with the consortium: ten funded PhD positions for which vacancies have now been advertised, a residency programme for artists to be developed in collaboration with cultural institutions, and the JUST ART School, through which students will also be able to actively participate in the research.

Follow justart.info for vacancies, open calls and public activities.

€7.25 million available for research on work in the digital age

Collaborative workshops for the theme "Reinventing Work: Artistic Research into Labour in the Digital Age"

NWO has opened the Art Route theme "Reinventing Work: Artistic Research into Labour in the Digital Age" within the NWA-ORC 2026 call. €7.25 million is available for consortia that want to conduct innovative research aimed at achieving scientific and societal breakthroughs.

The theme

Digital technologies are fundamentally changing how labour is organised, valued, and experienced. From platform workers to healthcare staff: increasing numbers of people face tensions between autonomy and control, between the human dimension and data-driven management, between collectivity and individualisation.

Digital systems measure efficiency, but do not effectively recognise relational qualities such as care, mentoring and solidarity. This theme asks: how can we reinvent labour as a human, relational activity in a digitalised economy?

Artistic methods make tensions tangible and involve stakeholders in research. The theme calls for an interdisciplinary approach in which artistic research, labour science, labour law, technology and ethics come together with employees, employers, technology companies and policymakers.

Collaborative workshops

Workshop 1: 11 February 2026
Workshop 2: 12 March 2026
Location: Beatrix Building, Jaarbeurs Utrecht
Time: 12:00 walk-in lunch, 13:00 programme start
Working language: English

During the workshops, you will be brought into contact with other interested parties and supported in combining research ideas and exploring opportunities for collaboration. The meetings contribute to the creation of new and diverse collaborations.

Who can participate?

The workshops are open to anyone who wants to contribute:
• Researchers from different disciplines
• Employees and their organisations (trade unions, platform workers, healthcare professionals)
• Employers and companies
• Civil society organisations (citizen initiatives, cooperatives, care networks)
• Policymakers

Please note: Participation in both workshops is mandatory for (intended) main applicants.

Registration

Register now: https://nwa-orc-2026.yellenge.nl/registration/#/participants

More information

🔗 About the theme: https://www.nwo.nl/en/researchprogrammes/dutch-research-agenda-nwa/research-along-routes-by-consortia-nwa-orc/nwa-orc-2026/themes/reinventing-work-artistic-research-into-labour-in-the-digital-age
🔗 About the workshops: https://www.nwo.nl/en/meetings/collaborative-workshops-nwa-orc-2026

Symposium What Methods Do 2026, 24 March 2026

What Methods Do is an international symposium dedicated to the nature of methods in artistic research and their role in the production of knowledge and the agency of art in a societal context.

Building upon the insights of its first edition in 2024, What Methods Do 2026 will focus on how methods are useful, how they operate and what can be learned from their application across a broad range of artistic research contexts.

In a series of sessions spread throughout the day, internationally active artist researchers will present the methods they have developed, share documentation from their practices and engage in dialogue with invited respondents and the participating audience. The 2026 symposium poses an understanding of methods as situated and specific. Methods imply a who, a where, and a when, but more fundamentally, they exist within singular constellations of actors. Rather than conceived of as procedures or routines, methods are understood as strategies: they do not assume a pre-defined ground on which to act but actively re-distribute the components they engage with.

Framed as an active hub for exchange, the symposium will offer a space for collective discussion, reflection, and the articulation of multiple perspectives on the role and nature of methods in Artistic Research.

Practical Information
Date: Tuesday 24 March 2026
Location: BAK Basecamp, Utrecht

Registration
Register now via the Online Form

Visit whatmethodsdo.com for updates and further information. The complete programme will be published in early 2026.

The KEM Monitor 2025 provides an up-to-date overview of methodological developments within the creative industries and art- and design-based research. The monitor shows how Key Enabling Methodologies are further taking shape in relation to societal transitions, interdisciplinary research, and mission-driven innovation.

The Art Route has contributed to the chapter Meaning and Awareness together with its network. This chapter focuses explicitly on artistic and design-based methods that are employed to make values, perspectives, and implicit assumptions visible and open to discussion. The monitor describes how these methods function as research instruments: not merely to represent meaning, but to actively generate new frameworks of meaning through imagination, experience, and reflection.

In doing so, the KEM Monitor 2025 underscores the value of artistic research, particularly in contexts where issues are complex, normatively charged, and insufficiently delineated. Artistic methods contribute to awareness at both individual and collective levels and play a mediating role in transdisciplinary collaborations, in which different forms of knowledge coexist without being reduced.

Readers who wish to further explore this methodological approach are invited to consult the full chapter Meaning and Awareness in the KEM Monitor 2025, available via ClickNL:
https://www.clicknl.nl/news/kem-monitor-2025-a-mapping-of-the-latest-methodological-developments

Proud of new chapter in KEM agenda

KEMs (Key Enabling Methodologies) are key methodologies that help professionals tackle transition issues and shape societal change. They are the tools of the 'change professional' – from designers to policymakers. Last year, Route Art made an important contribution to the new KEM agenda 2024-2027. We are proud that there is now a full chapter dedicated to 'Meaning-making and Awareness'. This chapter recognizes that artists employ unique approaches that can, among other things, articulate complex feelings, offer new perspectives, and encourage people to reflect on deeply rooted values and patterns. Exactly what is needed for societal transitions such as digitalization, climate change, and social issues. A positive development for our field!

Why this is crucial for the cultural sector

Artistic methods are now officially recognized as key methodologies; instruments for policy-making and societal change. This means access to research funding (see the NWA KEM programs), a place in the national KEM strategy, and recognition of artists and artistic methods as partners in major transitions. This not only strengthens individual practices but positions the entire cultural sector as indispensable for societal innovation.

Now we need your expertise

The KEM Monitor 2025 maps the state of (artistic) methodologies in the Netherlands. Through a short survey (5-15 minutes) we collect crucial insights about developments in art research and creative practices.

This is important – your contribution helps determine how artistic methods are recognized, funded, and deployed in the coming years. So let your expertise count.

Fill in the KEM survey now

SIA Regieorgaan and the Fund for Cultural Participation have opened the new funding scheme Co-creation and Cultural Practice for art universities that want to conduct practice-based research in collaboration with cultural institutions and societal organizations. The scheme stimulates co-creative projects in which cultural practice is central to addressing societal challenges around social cohesion or climate. The collaboration must consist of at least an art university, a cultural institution, and a societal organization, with a maximum subsidy of €125,000 per project. The scheme is part of the Cultural and Creative Sector pilot program and offers opportunities to develop new perspectives for complex societal challenges through artistic practices.

Deadline: November 25, 2025

More information and applications (Dutch)

The Art Route made a modest contribution to Lowlands Science 2025 this year, where it conducted interdisciplinary experiments together with TNO, the Origins Centre, and festival-goers. Particularly in the "To be or not to be" project, Route Art contributed to a philosophical exploration of what "life" means in the AI era. This unique approach shows how science and art can generate new insights together, while making knowledge and knowledge development accessible to a broad audience.

Read more about our contribution at Lowlands

We previously announced that the Dutch Research Council (NWO) has tasked the NWA Art Route with developing a theme for the ORC 2025/2026 round. Initial feedback highlights the significant role of artistic research in the digital transition, particularly in connecting technological innovations with ethical, social, and cultural values. To delve deeper into this, we seek to identify the opportunities and challenges for artistic research within this domain.

To ensure the ORC theme aligns with the needs of the knowledge chain, we need your input. We invite you to complete our short survey and share your perspective. Your insights will help us formulate a focused and relevant theme that optimally leverages the power of artistic research in the digital transition.

You can complete the survey until Monday, February 24, 2025 , via the following link:

🔗 Go to the survey

Thank you in advance for your contribution!

On 11 December, the various routes of the National Science Agenda (NWA) gathered in Utrecht for the Routeday that takes place twice a year. It was an inspiring and energetic event where collaboration and connection between routes took centre stage. For the Art Route, the day provided a valuable opportunity to reflect on the past year, look forward, and discuss important themes.

Vision for the Future

During breakout sessions, we explored where we aim to be with our routes in a few years and what steps are needed to get there. For Art Route, two key priorities emerged:

1. Engaging Citizens through Art

Artistic and design-based research offers unique opportunities to involve citizens directly in scientific research, whether as active participants or as audiences engaging with research outcomes. This potential remains underutilised. By establishing more structured collaborations with other routes within the NWA, this can be significantly enhanced.

2. Space for Art within the Art Route

The arts are still insufficiently recognised as a social domain with its own questions and challenges. Strengthening this domain requires creating space for research into the methodologies of the arts themselves, alongside their contributions to other social domains. This will help develop the unique approaches of the arts and improve communication with other disciplines.

Inclusivity and Representation

Another important theme widely discussed during the Routeday was the significance of representation, diversity, and inclusivity within the NWA. It is essential that citizens can see themselves reflected in the NWA at all levels, from the organisation (NWO) to route coordination, steering groups, and individual researchers. This challenge is shared across all routes, and collective efforts are needed to find solutions.

Reflections on the ORC Programme Line

Several challenges within the ORC (Research on Routes by Consortia) programme were addressed during the Routeday. For the art Route, a key concern is the need for greater input into the design of NWO workshops that support consortium formation. The current structure does not fully align with the needs of our sector. This is an area where we hope to collaborate with other routes to drive improvements.

Looking Back and Looking Forward

The Routeday was, above all, a day of connection and inspiration. It was wonderful to reconnect with colleagues from other routes and work together on shaping the future of the NWA. With this collective energy, we eagerly look forward to the new year.

Delve into the world of artistic research methods with the recordings from ACPA's recent symposium, 'What Methods Do,' now available for viewing at www.whatmethodsdo.com.

This international event, held on April 9th, 2024, at Tilburg's Textile Museum, brought together scholars, artists, and curators to explore the intricate landscape of artistic research methodologies.

The symposium featured three dynamic sessions, each focused on the fundamental question: What do methods in Artistic Research consist of, and what precisely do they achieve? The first session, "On Artistic Research and the Production of Knowledge," moderated by Anke Haarmann and Henk Borgdorff, included presentations by Christine Rafflenbeul, Patrick Emonts, and Paulina Morales, highlighting the diverse applications of research methods across art, quantum physics, and philosophy.

The second panel, "On Artistic Research Methods across Disciplines," featured insights from Donato Ricci and Chris Salter, offering new perspectives on integrating artistic methodologies into various academic fields.

The symposium's final panel, "On Artistic Research Methods and the Articulation of Art and Society," led by Danae Theodoridou and Zachary Formwalt, explored the societal impact of artistic research, demonstrating its ability to engage communities beyond academic boundaries.

With a sold-out in-person attendance and an online audience of approximately 600 viewers globally, the symposium underscored growing interest in interdisciplinary artistic research.

For those eager to explore the intersections of art, research, and society, the recordings from 'What Methods Do' provide valuable insights and inspiration. Visit www.whatmethodsdo.com to access these recordings and engage in the ongoing dialogue about the transformative potential of artistic research methodologies.

Introduction

The Dutch Research Agenda (NWA) has emerged from an inclusive process with citizens and scientists, resulting in 25 routes addressing complex issues. The call for Innovative Projects (formerly Small Projects) within the NWA routes offers financial support to networks within these routes, with a focus on innovation, knowledge exploitation and closing gaps in the knowledge agenda. This can include scientific projects that are difficult to fund elsewhere, or have a preparatory character for larger research in and with society.

The call for Innovative Projects for NWA Routes 2024 is now open! A maximum of €300,000 per Route can be applied for up to three projects. An Innovative Project has a size of minimum € 50,000 and maximum € 150,000. Within the Art Route, the aim is to select three projects with a size of €100,000. The maximum duration of the total project is 24 months. A proposal is submitted by a main applicant (a professor, lecturer, university (senior) lecturer or similar position) and any co-applicants (public knowledge organisations or research organisations) and connects at least one knowledge institution and one social partner.

Criteria

Applications submitted within this Call for proposals will be substantively assessed on the basis of the
using the criteria set by NWO, which are described in detail in the call.

In addition, the Art Route will assess the extent to which synergy exists between the three projects that will be applied for, whereby the projects reinforce each other and form a coherent whole. The Route chooses to join forces on content to counteract fragmentation in art research. Naturally, the quality of the three proposed projects must be outstanding.

Please read the call carefully for additional information, such as the requirements for projects and which parties may apply and the criteria for co-applicants and cooperation partners.

Process

A matchmaking meeting was held in February, about which more information can be found on our website. Participation in that meeting was not mandatory for the submission of proposals.

Three lead applicants submit intentions for three projects by 1 July 2024 by emailing them jointly to info@routekunstnwa.nl. Each intention includes a project description of up to 500 words per project, including its relationship to the Art Route gamechangers and the cluster questions posed. A description of the mutual synergy between the three projects of up to 500 words is also required. A budget is not required at this stage.

The Art Route figurehead and an external committee, consisting of representatives from research, making and presentation institutions, will assess the received intentions based on the above criteria. In mid July, the lead applicants of the two best assessed intentions will be invited for an interview with the Figurehead and the external committee. The Figurehead will then select one of these intentions for elaboration into applications within the Innovative Projects 2024 from Art Route.

The three lead applicants then individually submit their applications to NWO, together with a statement from the Art Route . The application submission deadline is Thursday 12 September 2024, 14:00 CEST.

For questions not answered by the Innovative Projects 2024 call itself, please contact Merel Willemsen, Art Route advisor, at info@routekunstnwa.nl.

On April 18th, CLICKNL is organizing a network event in preparation for the launch of the updated KEM agenda and strategy. The event brings together researchers and practitioners of KEMs to emphasize the impact and importance of smart methods for innovation, society, and the economy. Together, we will discuss concrete steps to strengthen the position of KEMs within innovation policy, including the new KEM categories that will be included in the research agenda.

Art Route

One of these new KEM categories concerns 'artistic methods' in relation to meaning-making and awareness. The Art Route has played a significant role in the development of this addition and looks forward to enhancing awareness of the power and impact of art in various societal contexts. By strengthening the connection between art, research, and practice, KEMs can leverage a wider range of methods to address complex issues and stimulate innovation.

RSVP

Spaces for this event are limited. Please RSVP via kems@clicknl.nl with your name, organization, and any allergies or accessibility questions.

For more information: https://www.clicknl.nl/news/netwerkevent-op-18-april-of-kems/

International Symposium
Exploring the transformative potential of artistic research

9 April, 13h00 to 19h00 
Textile Museum in Tilburg
The Netherlands

Artistic research makes the relationship between art and society permeable. Rather than bracketed in the private realm of the lone artist or the network of autonomous art institutions, artistic research opens up its practice to the public domain. Its methods become part of collective process of exploration and re-imagining.

This symposium will explore and evaluate how these methods play a role in producing knowledge, shifting boundaries between disciplines, and reconfiguring the agency of art in a societal context. What do methods do? How can they be used? How do they address the urgencies of a world in dire need of new perspectives?

The symposium will be structured in three sessions, each addressing one of these implications in the use of artistic research methods. A group of internationally active makers and scholars will address the role of methods in interdisciplinary endeavors, activist practices and the agency of technology, among other concerns. 

As an expansion of this in-person event an online platform will be set up, that will enable a process of exchange, archiving and enquiry to start in advance of the symposium and to extend afterwards.

The international symposium on Artistic Research Methods will take place at the Textile Museum in Tilburg the Netherlands on 9 April, starting time 13.00. It is organized by Leiden University’s Academy of Creative and Performing Arts (ACPA) and the Platform for Arts Research in Collaboration, in coordination with Fontys Tilburg and SAR. The symposium is an initiative of Route Kunst – NWA, the Dutch National Research Agenda.

Stay tuned for more information about the programme.

SAR International Forum
From 10 - 12 April the Society for Artistic Research (SAR) International Forum on Artistic Research 2024 will take place. The Forum is hosted by Fontys Academy of the Arts, Tilburg, and co-curated and co-developed with SAR.

Despite the rainy weather, attendance was good at our recent matchmaking meeting in Amsterdam. Participants were divided into four groups for a series of three breakout sessions. During these sessions, various areas of interest emerged, including climate, ecology, soil, healthcare, and technology.

The sessions were expertly moderated by members of the steering committee, resulting in productive discussions and valuable insights. It was heartening to see participants from diverse backgrounds and expertise come together to explore potential collaborations.

Several promising themes for the upcoming Small Projects call emerged during the meeting, highlighting the potential for fruitful partnerships and innovative projects.

Additionally, participants agreed to publicly share their names, contact information, and keywords describing their projects. This allows others who could not attend the matchmaking to join potential consortia. See matchmaking-kleine-projecten-_-small-projects-antwoorden.xlsx

We look forward to further developments and will keep you informed when more information becomes available about the Small Projects call.

Soon NWO will once again open the Small Projects Call. In this call, the route management of each NWA route has the opportunity to apply for funding for a consortium, supporting a maximum of 3 small projects. These projects should align with the clusterquestions and game-changers of the respective route. The call is expected to open at the end of January 2024.

Previously, we invited you to block February 8th 14.00 - 17.00 hrs* on your calendar for a matchmaking event related to this call. Now, we ask you to fill out the form below before January 26 to let us know that you'll be attending. We're also interested in hearing if there are already ideas for projects. It's the perfect opportunity to meet potential partners and collaborate on beautiful projects.

We look forward to welcoming you!

• Location TBD
  
  
  

Would you like to contribute to the theme ‘Art research for new perspectives on climate justice’ as a researcher and would you like to work with various partners? Do you think you can contribute to the theme as a social partner?

The Research along Routes by Consortia (ORC) programme funds research projects of knowledge chain-wide, interdisciplinary consortia in which societal partners are also represented. The application process for this annual funding round of the Dutch Research Agenda (NWA) is now open.

The theme of the Art Route emphasizes the crucial role of artistic research in promoting climate justice within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It addresses various dimensions of this complex issue, advocating for a broader debate, collaboration, and the establishment of an interdisciplinary consortium led by an art researcher. The goal is to develop new perspectives, provide actionable insights, and encourage art research, contributing to a more inclusive approach to climate justice.

We also wish to alert the extensive network of our route to the various themes of other Routes. There, they can also make contributions, with numerous opportunities and possibilities.

For the theme of the Art Route, click here.

More general information can be found here.

For all themes see here.

The Steering Committee of the Art Route is looking for new members. To ensure a representative reflection of the art research field in the Steering Committee of our Route, we have outlined a profile for potential new members. Diversity and inclusivity are core values, and we particularly invite creators and representatives of production and presentation institutions to apply for a role in the Steering Committee . Members of the Steering Committee provide solicited and unsolicited advice on the course of the Art Route. Additionally, Steering Committee members serve as ambassadors, contributing to the visibility of the Route, its ambitions, and activities in the field, and aiding in the development of the Route Arts network. Members of the Steering Committee perform these duties on a voluntary basis.

You can find the current composition of the Steering Committee on our website www.routekunstnwa.nl. Interested? Please send your CV along with a brief motivation to info@routekunstnwa.nl.

The Dutch Research Agenda (NWA) is revising its 'Research on Routes by Consortia' (ORC) program based on feedback from the previous year. The ORC program will now involve networks within each of the 25 routes proposing a theme every two years. The Art Route Management and Steering Committee have analysed various aspects to suggest the preliminary theme for the 2024 round: 'The power of artistic and design research.' See Below. We invite members of the Art Route network to provide feedback and ideas via info@routekunstnwa.nl before September 1, 2023. The Steering Committee values constructive thoughts and may arrange a meeting if desired.

Your input is appreciated.

Theme: The Power of Artistic and Design Research

The Netherlands will face several major challenges in the coming decades. The climate crisis is unfolding, while the demand for resources continues to increase. There is a war raging that directly threatens our national security, while within our nation the distrust in public and political institutions is growing increasingly widespread. Moreover, the growing socioeconomic inequality leads to a divided society where not all citizens feel equal.

In situations of great societal uncertainty, artistic and design research can enrich the intellectual and creative landscape surrounding pressing societal issues. The research methods employed by artists and designers go beyond traditional academic research approaches: they embrace the power of expression and place experience at the centre of knowledge production, to arrive at different perspectives on the complex challenges faced. While artistic research utilises imagination to provide new perspectives, questions, insights, and modes of communication in response to societal challenges, design research leverages its capacity to creatively address problems and explore alternative possibilities. By combining creativity, critical thinking, and experimentation, artistic and design research not only push the boundaries of knowledge production, they also enable the step from knowledge to innovation, imagination and transformation.

Therefore, the NWA Art Route calls on consortia for research proposals that harness the power of artistic and design research to address pressing societal challenges and/or contribute to further enhancing the development of that power. Interdisciplinary collaborations with artists and designers to promote innovation and societal transformation, as well as interactions with audiences to stimulate societal imagination are encouraged.

The preliminary theme aligns with the cluster questions posed to the Kunst Route. When formulating research proposals, it is essential to consider these cluster questions and make explicit which of them are addressed by the research proposed. It is also important to take note of the game-changers formulated by the Art Route: art as a driver for innovation and reflection in a high-tech society, art as an alternative form of knowledge production, and art as a source of inspiration for education and lifelong learning. These principles are supported, substantiated, and reinforced by theImpact and Innovation in the Arts manifesto.

The Society of Arts and The Young Academy are calling on the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science to establish a national fund dedicated to experimental research and projects that bridge the gap between art and science.

The proposed arts and science (AxS) pilot fund would run for three years with a budget of €11 million, in cooperation with the state cultural funds, NWO, and Taskforce for Applied Research SIA. The Society of Arts and The Young Academy found that current funding schemes for culture or science do not adequately support the innovative collaborations between artists and scientists. With the right resources, they believe the fund will accelerate promising initiatives, expand the innovative capacity of the Netherlands, and encourage the sustainable growth of cross-disciplinary work.

The Society of Arts and The Young Academy are both part of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and have previously founded the Mingler network to promote collaboration between artists and academics.

Read the full story here: akademievankunsten.nl/nieuws/2351046.aspx

Attention researchers and social organisations! Don't miss the chance to join the Open Call for "Building Transformation Capacity Through Arts and Design".

The aim of the call is to support and accelerate the transformation to a sustainable, climate-neutral and just future by means of creativity, imagination and culture.

This call is part of the prestigious Horizon Europe program and Taskforce for Applied Research SIA is making €600,000 available for the participation of universities of applied sciences. The application deadline is April 25, 2023. Register now via the link below!

https://jpi-urbaneurope.eu/calls/building-transformation-capacity-through-arts-and-design-unlocking-the-full-potential-for-urban-transitions-btc-enutc/

Good news! Our ‘Small Projects’-application 'Bit by bit, or not at all', consisting of three sub-projects, has been granted funding. The sub-projects were selected after an online meeting with potential co-applicants in April 2022, led by our new Figurehead Michel van Dartel and an external advisor. The 'Bit by bit, or not at all' project aims to demonstrate the significance of 'art as an alternative form of knowledge production' in shaping a sustainable future in the face of the climate crisis. The three sub-project coordinators are ArtEZ University of the Arts, Leiden University, and Gerrit Rietveld Academy.

One of the sub-projects, 'A Cosmic View: Contemporary and historical Art x Science,' (Leiden University) is an experimental and innovative project bringing together artists and scientists to explore questions of scale and connectedness. Another sub-project, 'Polyphonic Landscapes,' (ArtEZ Hogeschool voor de Kunsten ) aims to explore how sound and listening can foster a more embodied, inclusive, and reciprocal connectivity to the environment. The third sub-project, 'Climate Imaginaries at Sea,' (Gerrit Rietveld Academy) invites artists to research rising sea levels, paying special attention to voices and knowledges often missing from mainstream climate debates.

Follow the hashtags #BitByBit and #RouteKunstNWA on social media for project updates. For more information, visit: nwo.nl/en/news/funding-25-projects-nwa-routes

The Artists Community Knowledge (ACKnowledge) research project, funded through a previous ‘Small Projects’-call, has been completed. The overarching research question was, "How can we unlock knowledge embodied in contemporary art practices and share it with a wider audience?"

The findings emphasised the persistent misconception that the knowledge of the artist community is project-based, which in turn leads to precarity on several levels. The report recommends further research into building new infrastructures and institutions to support the long-term involvement of the artist community and its knowledge.

The final report can be found at: artistcommunityknowledge.org

Mariana Lanari co-founded Archival Consciousness in collaboration with graphic designer Remco van Bladel. The project, set to investigate new publishing methods for cultural libraries and archives, was founded in 2019, and has received, among others, funding within the call Small projects for NWA Routes. The exhibition Catching Up in the Archive at De Appel in Amsterdam puts the project and the methodology into practice. We visited the exposition and spoke with the artists.

When entering the exposition, you are overwhelmed by the number of books that are displayed in the space. Catching Up in the Archive is a major exhibition showcasing the evolving infrastructure of De Appel's Archive. Displaying more than 16 000 objects in de Appel's Aula and launching an interactive online environment. Catching Up in the Archive leads to public gatherings, ear-opening encounters, and ‘moving’ situations with special guests and curious passers-by.

AN EVOLVING PIECE OF ART
'Everyone is an archivist', it says on De Appel's website. The phrase serves as a subtitle to the exhibition. Catching Up in the Archive can be viewed as an evolving piece of art that constantly changes shape on the basis of visitors' participation. With the funding received via the Art route, Lanari and Van Bladel were able to create mobile archive units (a.k.a Silverfish) that can identify archival objects, scan materials, and instantly display them on bibliograph, the exhibition's online environment.

These new machines can be used by visitors as well. They are invited to browse, read, scan, and annotate items they choose themselves. Through this interaction with the work, visitors learn about the Archive’s infrastructure and participate in shaping De Appel's dynamic and growing digitised collections. What's more, visitors can create their own personal archives. "A lot of people experience it as a trip down memory lane", Van Bladel tells me. "Visitors recognise books and publications that they have come across earlier in their lives. People really have fun with it."

The exhibition has already welcomed many visitors and yielded a lot of positive reactions. Writer Abdelkader Benali for instance called it 'an exciting project' on Twitter and assistant professor Colin Sterling (department of Memory & Museums at Universiteit van Amsterdam) tweeted: "Loved this installation/intervention/actual working library by Mariana Lanari. Something very fun about standing in a semantic web."

ABOUT ARTISTS COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE (ACKnowledge)
In 2020, the funding application Artists Community Knowledge (ACKnowledge), consisting of three sub-projects including Catching Up in the Archive, received funding in the call 'Small projects for NWA Routes'. The three sub-projects were selected by the members of the Art route-steering group and the other applicants to the call.

ACKnowledge investigates art as an alternative form of knowledge production, which is defined as one of three 'game changers' within the Art route. The three subprojects within it focus on three different types of art practices: art libraries, artists' self-organized communities/collectives and artists' material craft practices.

The three subprojects deal with the development of new concepts and new knowledge in contemporary art practices that are also potentially significant for other societal areas. Their overarching research question is: How can we reveal knowledge that is embodied in contemporary arts practices and share it with a larger public?

The deadline for submitting proposals within the call Small projects for NWA routes 21/22 has passed. There will be another call next year.

WRITTEN BY Yolanda Bartman
THANKS TO De Appel, Mariana Lanari, Remco van Bladel

Within the call NWA-ORC 2022, the matchmaking meetings will be held on 24, 28 and 29 March 2022. On 29 March at 2:30-4:30 PM the Art route will come together to offer a stage to the initiatives that are submitted within this route. The meeting is organised for submitters of initiatives and others who have not submitted an initiative but who are interested in the Art route.*

INITIATIVES
All of the initiatives are published online so that potential partners can register with the initiatives and thereby join a consortium. The initiatives for route Art can be viewed via this link.

It is possible to browse through all the initiatives via this link.

PROGRAMME OF MATCHMAKING MEETING
The meeting programme is entirely online, via Zoom. During the matchmaking meeting, submitters of initiatives can find new consortium partners and connect with the network of the route. If you are not yet involved in any initiative, there will be sufficient opportunity for you to talk with and possibly join a consortium.

Each meeting programme will contain at least the following elements:

• Plenary opening by NWO: brief explanation of the call and the Impact approaches;
• Presentation by the route management: participants will be given the opportunity to learn about the current position of the route, and submitters of initiatives can explore the relevance of their initiative to the route;
• Pitches from initiatives in various breakout sessions: connections can be made with new parties within the network of the route or possibly with similar initiatives from the route.

There will be sufficient break time between the different parts of the meeting. Each meeting will have a maximum duration of 3 hours.

*Interested parties who have not submitted an initiative (but are interested in the Art route) can register via the NWO website.

TIMELINE
The deadline for submission of pre-proposals is on 9 June 2022 at 14:00:00 CET.

The deadline for submission of full proposals is on 24 January 2023 at 14:00:00 CEST. A full proposal may only be submitted if a pre-proposal has previously been submitted

Read the full call on the NWO-website.

Janneke Wesseling will soon retire and has therefore recently resigned from her duties as figurehead of the Art route. She proposed Michel van Dartel as her successor, a proposal that was wholeheartedly supported by the steering committee of the Art route. Van Dartel is director of the platform for art and media technology V2_Lab in Rotterdam and lector at Avans Center for Art Design and Technology.

Van Dartel supports the goals of the NWA (De Nationale Wetenschapsagenda) and the mission of the Art route as formulated under the chairmanship of Wesseling. "The confidence that the route instills in me is an enormous stimulus, also for the work that I do as a director and lector," says Van Dartel.

HUMAN COGNITION AND THE ROLE OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BODY AND ITS ENVIRONMENT
Van Dartel has a background in cognitive science, in which he progressed from a study in cognitive psychology to a PhD in artificial intelligence. "Within that PhD I focused on empirical evidence based on robotics research for the proposition that cognition can only be explained on the basis of interaction between brain, body and environment.” The fact that our bodies and the environment in which we find ourselves (also) matter in explaining things such as thoughts, perception and memories was mainly fodder for philosophers at the time. And for artists, I gradually realized."

Van Dartel's interest in human cognition and the role of the relationship between body and environment in explaining it has translated into a more specific interest in how technology intervenes in and changes that relationship. "If you embrace the idea that our cognition arises from interaction between our brain, body and environment, then you also realize how great the impact is of technology that intervenes in that interaction, on our thinking, perception, memory, et cetera." The lector indicates that he finds scientific research limited in what it has to offer in this area. "Or rather, there is still much that science can learn from the arts."

THE TRANSITION FROM SCIENCE TO ART
Despite the fact that Van Dartel has been active in the culture and events sector since his teenage years, it was only during his PhD research that he realized that many artists explored the same questions and reflected on them in ways that were much more in keeping with his views. "At that time I experienced a lot of resistance in my attempts to involve artists in my PhD research and I experienced first-hand how science looks down on art. At the time, that forced me to make the switch from science to art, but I have always continued to work as an ambassador for improvement in that area."

Van Dartel does this in the first place by devoting himself, as director of V2_Lab and as a lector, to the development of artistic research and the creation of new opportunities for artists to conduct research. In addition, he is a member of various forums and committees. Within these he sees opportunities for research for and by the arts or opportunities to improve the quality and status of artistic research. "For example, as a member of the Taskforce Professional Doctorate Kunst+Creatief, I am currently committed to expanding the PhD opportunities for artists and I joined the Art route in 2020."

TAKING THE SOCIAL IMPORTANCE OF ART SERIOUSLY
Besides the fact that Van Dartel sees the arts as complementary to science, he has become very aware over the years that the arts themselves also develop and therefore need to be researched, he says. "Art is always in flux because artists are constantly seeing new urgencies, but if you really take the social importance of art seriously, you also have to support the development of its aesthetics, forms of expression and practices with research."

"That is what I hope to convey as the figurehead of the Art route", he says. “Given my background, you can count on me to pay particular attention to research into the aesthetics, forms of expression and practices needed to interpret and visualize the impact of technological progress."

Image: Michiel Walrave.

Concepts are theoretical tools. They “do work” as they carve out phenomena or objects, and propose a perspective on the phenomenon or object thus established. As such, concepts are inherently creative and potentially critical: they provide meaning, establish connections, and generate reflection and perhaps debate. In this workshop all participants will partake in a collective concept-building exercise.

The workshop Creative Concepts is organized on the occasion of the publication of Critical Concepts for the Creative Humanities by Iris van der Tuin and Nanna Verhoeff. The workshop if offered by NWO and will be held on February 17 2022 2 - 5:15 pm.

The world today invites us to dwell on the role and use of concepts as we try to grasp the phenomena that we are also part of. A growing number of publications and projects across academia and the arts are accompanied by glossaries, dictionaries, or lexicons. What if contemporary academic and artistic contexts or in the world at large, necessitates the curation of, and with, new or modernized vocabularies? What can be done with concepts and what are the limits of concepting?

The above observations and questions form the starting point for the Creative Concepts workshop. It starts off practically by inviting all participants to partake in a collective concept-building exercise according to a pre-set script. After the exercise, Kitty Zijlmans, Lonnie van Brummelen and Femke Herregraven will provide reflections on concepting across academia and the arts.

After the reflections, participants are invited to partake in another round of the collective concept-building exercise, now inspired by the reflections on concepting.

For whom?
This workshop is mainly meant for academics, postdocs and PhD/MA students, artistic researchers, and artists interested in concepts and concepting.

Please register by sending an e-mail to: creativeconcepts@nwo.nl.

Creative Concepts is a spin-off of the successful The Postresearch Condition (EARN/NWO Smart Culture) conference (January 2021; organized by Henk Slager with Odile Heynders, Janneke van Kersen, Iris van der Tuin and Kitty Zijlmans).

The deadline for submitting proposals within the call Small projects for NWA routes 21/22 has been postponed. This means that the timeline as a whole changes. Below you can find the new dates.

Routes can apply up to a maximum of €300.000. Within the proposal by route Kunst three small projects with the size of a maximum of €90,000 each kan be included. The remaining budget of €30,000 is for overhead costs, such as administration, evaluation/intervision and accountability by the route-management. The maximum duration of the total project is 2 years. 

We ask researchers who want to submit a proposal to inform route coordinator Stella Blom about their plans via e-mail stella.blom@routekunstnwa.nl no later than 2 MARCH. A message with the names of the applicants and the working title of the project is sufficient.

TUESDAY 22 MARCH 2022 is the latest date to submit a project proposal. You do this by submitting a proposal that matches the criteria of the call to Stella Blom stella.blom@routekunstnwa.nl.

TEMPLATES:
You can find a template for the proposal here (the proposal can be max. 2 pages long): section-3-template-for-subprojects.docx
You can find the budgetform here (you only have to provide 1 subproject tab): budget-form-kleine-projecten.xlsx
Here is an example of a proposal that has been approved: voorbeeld_nwa-route-kunst-project_gehonoreerde_aanvraag_21.pdf

The research proposal is logically in line with the nature of the route; the role of the artist and the art practice is paramount. Information about the principles of the Art route can be found on our website.

On WEDNESDAY 6 APRIL 2022 there will be a meeting where the initiators will pitch their proposal to an external panel. The external panel advises the route management on the selection of projects for the final proposal.

On WEDNESDAY 20 APRIL the results will be shared with the applicants.

On TUESDAY 10 MAY the final proposal will be submitted to NWO.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CALL
Within the call for proposals Small projects for NWA routes 21/22 the route management of each NWA route can apply for funding for up to 3 small projects. These projects focus on an innovative idea, promotion of utilization of existing knowledge or synthesis of existing knowledge.

For the subprojects the choice can be made:

• Innovative: explore a new, out-of-the-box idea or;
• Synthesis: merging of existing knowledge to arrive at new insights which contribute to the knowledge agenda, ambitions and/or game changers of the route;
• Knowledge utilization: (research into or for the purpose of) knowledge utilization, valorization and implementation of existing knowledge.

Read more about the call on the NWO-website.

Last month you could read on our website that the NWA-ORC call 2022 is open. Would you like to know more about the NWA research programme Research along Routes by Consortia (NWA-ORC)? Or you are considering submitting an initiative? Then join the webinar on the NWA-ORC on Tuesday, 18 January 2022 from 09:30 to 11:30 hours.

This webinar will gather researchers, companies and societal organisations who want to know more about the objective and approach within the NWA-ORC. After general presentations on the NWA-ORC round 2022, there will be ample opportunity to pose questions in breakout rooms where NWO employees will provide all the answers. After the webinar, questions and answers will be published online in an FAQ document.

The webinar will be held in English and will entirely take place online.

You can register for the webinar via this link.

More information:
Via nwa-orc2022@nwo.nl you can ask questions about the NWA-ORC round 2022 (Nienke Klomp) or request more information about the webinar (Jan-Joost de Man ).

The Dutch Research Agenda - Research along Routes by Consortia 2022 (NWA-ORC 2022) call for proposals is open. In the annual ORC funding round, consortia can submit proposals that provide a joint expression of the breadth and innovative character of the NWA. The funding round is aimed at facilitating research that leads to scientific and/or societal breakthroughs.

The NWA-ORC 2022 funding round has three phases and therefore has three deadlines:

• The deadline for online submission of an initiative via the NWO-website is on 1 February 2022 at 14:00:00 CEST.
  Submitting an initiative is required to be able to submit a pre-proposal. After submission of the initiative, the main applicant - or another participant in the consortium - has to take part in a matchmaking event of the indicated primary NWA-route.

• The deadline for submission of pre-proposals is on 9 June 2022 at 14:00:00 CET.

• The deadline for submission of full proposals is on 24 January 2023 at 14:00:00 CEST. A full proposal may only be submitted if a pre-proposal has previously been submitted

Read the full call on the NWO-website.

We will keep you informed of the developments surrounding the call via this website.

Update January 28: The deadline of the call will be moved by 5 weeks, to May 10, 2022. Read the new timeline for this call here.

The call for proposals 'Small projects for NWA routes 21/22' is open. Within this call for proposals, the route management of each NWA route can apply for funding for up to 3 small projects. These projects focus on an innovative idea, promotion of utilization of existing knowledge or synthesis of existing knowledge.

Routes can apply up to a maximum of €300.000. A small project has the size of a minimum of €50,000 and a maximum of €150,000 each. The maximum duration of the total project is 2 years.

For the subprojects the choice can be made:

• Innovative: explore a new, out-of-the-box idea or;
• Synthesis: merging of existing knowledge to arrive at new insights which contribute to the knowledge agenda, ambitions and/or game changers of the route;
• Knowledge utilization: (research into or for the purpose of) knowledge utilization, valorization and implementation of existing knowledge.

The dates below have changed, read the new timeline for this call here.

TUESDAY 1 MARCH 2022 is the latest date to submit a project proposal. You do this by submitting a proposal that matches the criteria of the call to route coordinator Stella Blom stella.blom@routekunstnwa.nl.
The research proposal is logically in line with the nature of the route; the role of the artist and the art practice is paramount. Information about the principles of the Art route can be found on our website.

On WEDNESDAY 18 MARCH 2022 there will be a meeting with the members of the Art route steering group and selected initiators about this call. For a process that is as transparent as possible, we share the proposals with all participants prior to the session. During the meeting, everyone votes on each other's proposals according to criteria. You are not allowed to vote for your own proposal and the figurehead and coordinator cannot vote themselves.

Read more about the call on the NWO-website.

To our great regret, we have to cancel the symposium of Art route on Friday 26 November. Due to the situation surrounding the increasing corona infections, it is not responsible to let people come to the Tolhuistuin in Amsterdam. The symposium was designed to maximize live interaction and create new contacts and networks. We have explored the possibilities of translating this into an online version of the event, but we ran into problems. We are considering a different form and date for this symposium.

[Update 17 November: unfortunately we had to cancel this symposium due to the corona situation]
Art route invites researchers in the arts to a dialogue about the conditions for proposals in the Dutch National Research Agenda (NWA). How can the likelihood of granted research applications from the Art route be increased?  Below you can read the programme (subject to change):

Reception (10.00–10.30)

Impact and innovation in the arts:

• 10.30–10.50 Introduction Impact and innovation in the arts – Janneke Wesseling
• 10.50–12.00 Presentations & panel conversation – Anna Harris, Marcel Cobussen, Micha Hamel and Janneke van Kersen
• 12.00–12.30 Q&A

Break (12.30–13.30)

Parallel Sessions:

• 13.30–14.15 Round I
  Impact with Bregje van Eekelen
  Methodology with Nirav Christophe
  Consortia with Peter Peters

• 14.25–15.10 Round II
  Impact with Bregje van Eekelen
  Methodology with Nirav Christophe
  Consortia with Peter Peters

• 15.15–15.30 Roundup parallel sessions

Wrap-up & drinks (15.30–17.00)

We still have a few spots available. Register by sending an email to info@routekunstnwa.nl.

[Update 17 November: unfortunately we had to cancel this symposium due to the corona situation]
Art route invites researchers in the arts to a dialogue about the conditions for proposals in the Dutch National Research Agenda (NWA). How can the likelihood of granted research applications from the Art route be increased? 

During the symposium, the concepts 'impact' and 'innovation' which play a significant role in the valuation of research proposals, will be discussed and questioned through the experiences of researchers. The text Impact and innovation in the arts, written by the Art route steering committee in 2020, will be a point of departure. It contains a proposal to redefine the aforementioned concepts, thereby doing justice to the intrinsic value of research in the arts. Research in the arts means research conducted by artists and designers in and through their artistic practice. 

Collaborations between higher education institutions (HBO & WO) and societal partners play a crucial role in NWA research proposals. How do these collaborations feature in applications submitted through the Art route? In what ways can the position of artists and designers be foregrounded and strengthened in these collaborative submission processes? These and other urgent questions will be examined during parallel sessions and panel talks. 

With contributions by: Anna Harris, Marcel Cobussen, Janneke Wesseling, Micha Hamel, Janneke van Kersen and Anne Stalinski. Bregje van Eekelen, Nirav Christophe and Peter Peters will moderate the parallel sessions.

REGISTER
[UPDATE NOVEMBER 11: We only have a few spots left. Register by sending an email to info@routekunstnwa.nl.]
We invite everyone engaged in research in the arts to join the symposium on November 26 from 10.00 - 17.30 at the Tolhuistuin in Amsterdam. You can register by sending an e-mail to info@routekunstnwa.nl. Please include your job title and if relevant the organisation/institution you work for. You will receive a confirmation e-mail.

Please note: when entering the Tolhuistuin, you will be asked to show a QR code via the Corona-Check app, with a valid vaccination, recovery or test certificate.

[Update 17 November: unfortunately we had to cancel this symposium due to the corona situation]
A symposium will take place on Friday 26 November, organized by the steering committee of the Art route. Collaboration between HBO and WO and the likelihood of proposals via the Art route are central themes during the meeting.

How do researchers in the arts realize research via the Art route? Major research proposals, such as large NWA-calls, involve lengthy, complex processes with no guarantee of success. How do researchers work their way through the forest of application forms? What does it take to commit a successful proposal? Are the ideas and needs from the arts field reflected in the application process? During the symposium we try to find answers to these and other questions.

The Art route invites researchers to collectively change course on 26 November and reflect on the conditions imposed on the arts in proposals. During both plenary and parallel sessions NWA's application criteria such as impact, valorisation and output are discussed and questioned on the basis of the experiences, positive and negative, of researchers.

The Art route points out the landscape of the National Science Agenda (NWA) to promote the emancipation of research in and into the arts. It is important that the likelihood of research proposals is increased. The Art route mainly focuses on proposals through partnerships between HBO and WO in which researchers in the arts play an active role.

We will keep you informed about the latest news about the symposium on this page.

The Dutch Research Council (NWO) is the most important science funder in the Netherlands and regularly publishes calls to submit research proposals (call for proposals). A committee consisting of scientists and experts from various fields assesses the appropriateness and quality of these proposals. The selection is careful and strict; often only a small number of projects are eligible for funding.

For a balanced assessment of the proposals, it is of great importance that representatives of the humanities, as well as representatives of the relatively new field of research in the arts, are part of the assessment committees. The steering committee of the Art route therefore calls on representatives of research in the arts to register.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES?
By participating in an assessment committee, you gain insight into NWO's working methods and procedures and you get to know the research field better. You also get the chance to gain knowledge about writing a good proposal. In addition, you gain more insight into the developments within your own field and you can expand your network.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
If you have experience and/or affinity with interdisciplinary research (fundamental, applied and/or practice-oriented research), please let us know. At the moment there is no specific assessment committee that members are being sought for, but we would like to build a list of names of people who are interested. Send an email to info@routekunstnwa.nl and we will contact you as soon as an assessment committee is sought.

The programme Museum Grants shapes the possibility to do short-term research in one of more than 400 museums in the Netherlands. The research is headed by museum expert and takes place in collaboration with university researchers. The results will be published in an article that will be made available in open access form. The intended aim of the Museum Grant is to explore and shed more light on the ideas, materials and objects in museum collections. The second sub-round is currently open: you can submit your proposal for research funding until 21 September 2021.

DIVERSITY OF TOPICS
In April 2021, the first five projects from sub-round I were awarded funding. The five projects cover a diversity of subjects and thus already provide insight into the wealth of possibilities of research in Dutch museum collections, read more.

SUBMIT A PROPOSAL
A Museum Grant stimulates museum professionals and offers them creative space to conduct scientific research. New research applications can be submitted for the second sub-round until September 21, 2021. Interested parties can apply for up to €25,000 for a short-term scientific project with which they can research, deepen and clarify the objects, materials and ideas from the museum collection. Read more about the possibilities and conditions of Museum Grants.

NWO was hit by a hack in the weekend of 13 and 14 February 2021. On Friday, March 12, NWO, NRO and SIA have announced that they will resume the grant process in the week of March 22. At that time, that process was halted for five weeks. The deadline for submitting full applications is now October 7, 2021 at 2:00 PM. Read more.

Good news! The application from Artists Community Knowledge (ACKnowledge), consisting of three sub-projects, has been approved. The three sub-projects were selected after the online meeting of September 4th by the members of the Art route-steering group and applicants.

ACKnowledge (Artists Community Knowledge) investigates art as an alternative form of knowledge production, as defined as one of the three 'game changers' within the Art route. The subprojects focus on three different art practices: art libraries, artists' self-organized communities/collectives and artists' material craft practices.

The three subprojects deal with the development of new concepts and new knowledge in contemporary art practices that are also potentially significant for other societal areas. Their overarching research question is: How can we reveal knowledge that is embodied in contemporary arts practices and share it with a larger public?

Read more about other projects that are receiving funding within the programme Small Projects for NWA Routes 2020 from the Dutch Research Agenda (NWA).

Researchers and partners
The following researchers are involved in ACKnowledge: Remco van Bladel (ArtEZ University of the Arts), Dr. Florian Cramer and Simon Kentgens (Willem de Kooning Academy, Hogeschool Rotterdam), Dr. Josué Amador (Codarts University of the Arts), Johan Oomen, M.A. (Nederlands Instituut voor Beeld en Geluid), Prof. Dr. Alec Badenoch (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Faculty of Humanities, Art and Culture) and Mariana Lanari (Amsterdam School for Heritage, Memory and Material Culture, Universiteit van Amsterdam).

Collaboration partners: Kunstinstituut Melly/Formerly Known as Witte de With, Het Nieuwe Instituut, De Appel, Casa do Povo, EUScreen, Re:vive, Dropstuff, AVA_net

Artistic research
The goal of this project is to literally ACKnowledge these new forms of knowledge. The sub-projects will translate implicit, embodied and situated knowledge in art practices into explicit and more generally accessible knowledge and investigate underlying concepts.

The subprojects will be done as artistic research – i.e., following Borgdorff's definition, as "research in and through art practice" which "unites the artistic and the academic in an enterprise that impacts on both domains. (1) The overarching research question for the three subprojects is: How can we reveal knowledge that is embodied in contemporary arts practices and share it with a larger public?

The researchers are pleased that their application has been approved and look forward to putting their plans into practice.

NWO is looking for members for the selection committee within the NWA-ORC 2020/2021. This committee assesses the appropriateness and quality of the applications, with the help of external advice from experts and an interview with the applicant. The committee then determines a prioritization of the applications. Based on this ranking, the NWO Executive Board decides which applicants will be awarded funding.

In order to achieve a balanced assessment of the applications, it is very important that representatives of the humanities, as well as representatives of the still relatively new field of research in the arts, are part of the selection committee. The committee is also explicitly open to lectors.

Are you interested? Then you can register via this form. Contact the coordinator of the NWA-ORC 2020/21, Varsha Kapoerchan, for more information via: nwa-orc2020@nwo.nl, (0) 70 349 44 42.

Update: NWO was hit by a hack in the weekend of 13 and 14 February 2021. On Friday March 12, NWO, NRO and SIA announced that they will resume the grant process in the week of March 22. At that time, that process was halted for five weeks. The deadline for submitting full applications through is now October 7, 2021 at 2:00 PM.

Update: The digital matchmaking meeting took place on 6 NOVEMBER. The information below is still relevant, but some dates have already passed.

The deadline for submitting initiatives for the big NWA-ORC call 2020 (1 October) has now passed. The initiatives have been placed online, so it's possible to prepare for the matchmaking meetings. A new element this year is that the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) is making participation in a centrally-organised matchmaking meeting compulsory for those submitting initiatives.

On Friday 6 NOVEMBER 2020, from 10:00 AM till 12:20 PM, the Art route and the NWO will be organising a central matchmaking meeting. It will be a digital matchmaking meeting, which will take place via Zoom. During this meeting, initiators will pitch their plans and there will be the necessary space for making each other’s acquaintance and consultation about possible collaboration. Please note: The NWO is making participation in the matchmaking meeting compulsory for everyone who has submitted an initiative.

Are you not submitting an initiative yourself but would you possibly like to join someone else's initiative? Then you can also participate in the session. Please send an email to nwa-orc2020@nwo.nl, stating the name of the route, your name and email address, and the topics you are interested in.

The preliminary registrations must be submitted to the NWO by 14 JANUARY 2021.

Please find below the (indicative) schedule for the NWA-ORC 2020:

• 1 October 2020: Deadline for submission of initiatives
• 6 November 2020: Matchmaking meeting
• 14 January 2021: Deadline for submission of concise applications
• End March 2021: Applicants will receive advice about submission of full application
• 24 June 2021: Deadline for submission of concise applications
• June – September 2021: Assessment by experts and reply
• November 2021: Selection for interview phase by assessment committee
• December 2021: Interviews
• January 2022: Decision by NWO executive board on remuneration

Update: on 4 September, we had an online meeting with the members from the steering committee and initiators regarding this call. Three subprojects were selected. The information below is still relevant, but a number of dates have already passed.

At this time, a call for 'small projects for NWA routes 2020' is open. With this call, the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) wants to offer the NWA routes the opportunity to be involved in concrete terms with applications within their own field and to increase the chance of applications that are relevant to their own field, namely by financing small projects for the NWA routes. Submission for this call are possible via three small applications of €50,000, or a combination thereof.

The projects can focus on an innovative idea within the specific field of the arts or on utilisation of existing knowledge in the field of the arts. The small projects must, in this way, contribute to subjects relevant to the route and increase the scientific and/or social impact of the route. We kindly ask initiators of small applications to inform the route coordinator stella.blom@routekunstnwa.nl of their plans no later than 17 August.

As communicated previously, we have a meeting with the members from the Art route steering committee and initiators regarding this call on 4 September. Due to the developments regarding the coronavirus, a decision has been taken to hold this meeting entirely online, vie Microsoft Teams. The time has also been changed: from 13:00 to 15:00, initiators will give a presentation further to their research plan.

To ensure the most transparent process possible, we will share the applications with all participants prior to the session. On 4 September, everyone will vote on each other’s proposal in accordance with criteria that can be found below. The research proposal ties in logically with the nature of the route; the role of the artist and the artistic practice is of paramount importance. You may not vote on your own proposal and the figurehead and coordinator will not vote themselves. In this way, the route community will choose the project that is going to be submitted. Submission of the application to the steering committee and participation in the online session are conditions for participation in the application.

Please register for the session by sending an email to stella.blom@routekunstnwa.nl.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

I. Connections

a. Degree to which the subprojects contribute to new and unexpected connections

b. Degree to which a transparent process has been followed in order to arrive at a selection of the proposed subprojects with broad backing and support has been created
II. Relevance

a. Degree to which the subprojects give substance to subjects relevant to the route

b. Degree to which the subprojects increase scientific and/or social impact of the route
III. Project structure

a. The proposed subproject has a structure/form as a result of which the proposed idea can be executed

b. The proposed project budget is realistic and supports the structure of the project
c. The subprojects are interrelated.

The call is already open and the deadline for this call is 29 October 2020, at 14:00. You can find more information about the call on the NWO website via this link.

IMPORTANT CONDITION FOR ADMISSIBILITY

The call concerned states that an important condition for admissibility of the application to be submitted is consulting and involving a sufficiently broad community connected to the Art route. In our opinion, the members of the steering committee have an important role to play in order to guarantee this. The steering committee has been expanded one year ago with representatives from various research associations/knowledge institutions/disciplines/fields. We can also well imagine that the big NWA ORC application previously submitted provide a basis for smaller subprojects. That application was prepared with input from various parties. Together with the procedure that we followed with each other as research steering committee in the past year, insight has been gained into what the field needs and when application tie in with what's going on in the field. At the same time, the call is open to new ideas and collaborations, and the projects can broaden the reach of a (potential) community.

SUITABILITY OF THE APPLICATION

Figurehead Janneke Wesseling and coordinator Stella Blom from Art route consider 'suitability' to be an important criterion. Moreover, the uniqueness of the arts research and the extent to which it ties in with a specific discourse in the arts field are an important criterion. They pay attention to the role of the arts and artists in terms of the theme, the problem definition and the execution/relevant cooperation partners. Wesseling and Blom think that the route is helped most with applications that fulfil these criteria, because it offers a unique opportunity to advance the specific discourse of arts research and the contribution of artistic practices in research.

Forty research proposals from individual researchers will be financed from the Idea Generator of the Dutch National Research Agenda. Unfortunately, none of the applications from the Art route were granted. We like to learn from feedback, so that applications in the next call are actually successful.

At the request of the NWO, applicants for the Idea Generator have assessed each other's project proposals anonymously. Each assessor made a ranking of the applications and wrote an explanation with each ranking. These substantive motivation texts were sent to the applicants. The NWO cannot disclose the texts to us, but we would like to learn from the comments that the applicants have received.

Did you submit an application to the Idea Generator that was not granted? We kindly ask you to share your experience with submitting the application and the result with the route management: Stella Blom, coordinator Art route
 (stella.blom@routekunstnwa.nl) or Janneke Wesseling, figurehead Art route (janneke.wesseling@routekunstnwa.nl).

We will, of course, treat the information confidentially and not share it with third parties without the permission of the applicant. If you, as reader of this message, know someone who made an application, could you please forward this request to him or her?