EASE: Crete 2026-2027
25 funded opportunities for UK-based artists – week-long Artist Venturing Labs in Crete
Photoworks, in partnership with EASE (Entrepreneurship, Art & Science for Environmental Sustainability) and PicturingClimate.org, are inviting proposals from UK-based artists who are interested in working collaboratively with climate researchers, artists and entrepreneurs, publicly and across disciplines.
The labs will take place in a variety of locations from UNESCO geoparks and Minoan palaces to underground rivers, earthquake-lifted harbours and mountain sanctuaries. Each lab brings together five UK artists, and local Greek participants alongside climate scientists, archaeologists, geologists and community partners to work side by side on the ground. Each lab day typically moves from morning fieldwork, afternoon Assemblage Mapping and discussion, evening presentations and reflection. There are five labs in total, covering five distinct landscapes and research areas.
This is not a residency in the conventional sense. It is a sustained experiment in how art and science can think together about climate, landscape and deep time — and in what happens when a small group of practitioners is put in the same rooms, caves and fieldwork sites for seven days and then allowed to imagine exciting ways to communicate together.
Selection Panel
Mark Kasumovic, Artist, Academic, De Montfort University
Michael Pinsky, Artist
Louise Fedotov-Clements, Photoworks Director
Debbie Cooper, Photoworks Deputy Director
How to apply
Applications are submitted through a single Photoworks portal. All applicants — including those nominated by project team members — are reviewed on the same footing by the same panel.
To apply, please fill out the application form in the button below and add a link to a PDF with the following (max 5 pages, stored on a Google Drive, Dropbox, or your preferred platform*):
- A short text outlining your expression of interest (max 500 words): include why this project is relevant to you, and how it speaks to your practice
- A short bio (max 200 words)
- Up to 3 examples of relevant previous projects (images + short descriptions). Include external links* to relevant examples of multimedia/film/hybrid works as relevant
- Select the lab dates that you are available for and would like to be considered for.
*Please ensure the links you submit are accessible for anyone to view, please do not include password protected content.
If you have any difficulties sharing your work this way, please contact us at info@photoworks.org.uk.
If you would prefer to send an audio/video recording (3 minutes max) of your application, please share a link to it in the form instead of a PDF.
Deadline: Monday 29 June 2026, 23:59 BST
What artists receive
- A £1,000 stipend for the week on site (in addition to return air travel from UK airports , accommodation, meals and on-the-ground costs, which are covered by the project)
- Full access to the scientific team, site partners, local hosts and fellow artists for the duration of the lab
- A place in the wider EASE programme — optional but actively encouraged — including monthly CAM sessions, contribution to picturingclimate.org, invitation to the DMU symposium (March 2027), and the opportunity to develop creative prototypes through Work Package 2 sprints in Year 2
- Photoworks features on digital platforms for curated milestones from the work, potentially including the newsletter, digital publishing, and the touring exhibition, plus curatorial/creative process mentoring within the programme as relevant.
- Significant institutional support from Nottingham Trent University (via CBIT’s STEAM Founder Programme) contributes dedicated venture-building and growth services to all EASE early concepts and MVPs, including 1-to-1 strategy workshops, grant-writing and investor-introduction support, investor networks, on-call strategic advisors, milestone reviews with CBIT team, and access to a comprehensive hardware/software resource bundle.
Who we’re looking for
We are actively seeking diversity of medium and practice — photography, sound, moving image, installation, performance, sculpture, archive work, writing, drawing, hybrid and cross-disciplinary practices are all welcome.
You do not need:
- An academic background or university affiliation
- Prior experience of entrepreneurship, enterprise or prototyping — that is part of what EASE offers you, not a prerequisite
- Prior experience of working with scientists or in interdisciplinary settings
We ask that you are:
- UK-based (this is a UKRI requirement for the 25 UK places)
- Able to commit fully to one week on site in Crete, plus pre- and post-lab engagement online; for the 24-month timeline of the project.
- Interested in working collaboratively, publicly, and across disciplines — the labs are not solo residencies
This work is supported by the UKRI [UKRI3719].
