About ARIAS

ARIAS is a platform for collaborative research through scientific and artistic practices. Its foundational drive is to nurture a diverse and sustainable research ecology among the institutions and organisations of education and knowledge in Amsterdam.

The platform forwards research on the intersection of the sciences, arts, and other practice-based disciplines. ARIAS stimulates transdisciplinary collaborations and experimentation with innovative methodologies, and co-develops the supportive structures needed for such hybrid forms of research that make alternative perspectives on today’s complex issues possible.

This is the agenda ARIAS articulates and acts upon as mediator and generator in between five knowledge institutions for academic and higher education that founded the platform in 2016: University of Amsterdam (UvA), VU Amsterdam (VU), Gerrit Rietveld Academie (GRA) / Sandberg Instituut (SI), Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (AUAS) and Amsterdam University of the Arts (AHK).

Forming inspiring alliances ARIAS connects to the wider field of scientific and artistic research in Amsterdam, with and among others De Waag | technology & society, International Institute for Social History (IISG), Framer Framed, Zone2Source, TAAK, EYE Filmmuseum, and others. We are looking forward to expand our network, for inquiries about possible (associative) partnerships please get in touch.

Research Ecology

Radical engagement with the complex issues of today’s world in ways that matter in the long run (sustainably), demand forms of trans-collaboration; working across differences. Calls for inter – and – transdisciplinary research modes of thinking and working that open up to an ecology of practices (I. Stengers) have been resurging for over two decades. More and more practitioners cross the streets between their domains and that of others, establishing ground-breaking and inspiring initiatives, researches, and social changes. The structural resources and conditions for doing research across diverse ways of knowing however, are overall still quite limited. How could a transdisciplinary research ecology be further developed?

Transdisciplinary work is challenging and demands a certain willingness to get disorientated; bringing disciplinary positions into discussion in support of the complexity at hand. Knowledge is generated in relation to bodies and their situatedness. Knowing is therefore never encompassing but manyfold, dynamic and always specific. That diversity is necessary for a healthy research ecology. ARIAS brings different expertise together in research contexts where the sum is more than its parts; generating ways of knowing that would not be possible otherwise. The intra-actions of different fields open up new modes and methods for practices to be together, generating ways of knowing that would not be possible otherwise.

What do we do?
ARIAS advises, connects, and conditions.

Advising
> Consulting post-Master researchers in giving shape to a doctoral trajectory in the arts (whether PhD, CrD, or other so-called ‘Third Cycle’ trajectories for artistic research) between WO and HBO. See Doctorate in the Arts.
> Pointing out relevant grant trajectories suitable for particular research projects to apply for by ARIAS partners, working groups, coalitions, and informing the network about developments in research funding. See Grants and Newsletter.
> Acting as an intermediary for the formation of coalitions with involvement from various ARIAS partners.

Connecting
> Building and maintaining a network of researchers working in and between the five institutions by creating online and offline contexts for exchange and collaboration – in line with the thematic umbrellas for the coming years. See Thematic Lines.
> Creating continuity for researchers with similar subject interests to develop collaborative research projects in working groups and coalitions between educational and social partners.
> Supporting such coalitions in making the step towards grant applications and realizing long-term research projects together. See ongoing Artistic Research Projects.

Conditioning
> Stimulating the discourse around artistic research by exploring new forms of making research practices public and visible in its materials outcomes eg. Events, online Library, publishing projects.
> Advocating the value of transdisciplinary research through expert meetings, lobby work, and impactful research projects.
> Nurturing a more permanent research structure in Amsterdam into being on the level of inter-institutional collaboration, grant policies and hybrid working contexts.

We invite you to contact us for support for any of the above or related requests.

Disclaimer:

ARIAS does not offer Doctorate in the Arts positions.

ARIAS does not offer support in the writing of research grant applications.

ARIAS does not have the legal status to be a formal partner in coalitions and grant applications.