ecosystems as living communities

Cittadellarte-Fondazione Pistoletto and UNIDEE Residency Programs, in collaboration with UniCredit Group, are supporting two production residencies for emerging international artists working with socially engaged artistic practices related to contemporary ecological issues.

The two selected finalists, an Italian artist and an international artist residing in Europe, will take part in a residency where they will create the proposed artworks, which will become part of the UniCredit Art Collection.

OBJECTIVES AND THEME

In 2024, UniCredit Group will launch a new collaboration with Cittadellarte-Fondazione Pistoletto and UNIDEE Residency Programs. The project aims to support artistic research and production in response to contemporary ecological challenges. It promotes interdisciplinary collaboration with scientific, technological, and humanistic research to contribute actively to society's sustainable transformation.

In alignment with the mission of Cittadellarte-Fondazione Pistoletto, the vision and work of Michelangelo Pistoletto, and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this initiative promotes environmental protection and sustainability. It encourages emerging artists to take on a pivotal role in the process of social transformation by addressing urgent challenges related to climate change and the environmental and social crisis.

The theme for the 2024-25 open call, "Ecosystems as Living Communities", invites artists to address with global, contemporary, and future ecological challenges, fostering positive visions of desirable futures. Emerging artists are encouraged to submit project ideas that explore ecosystems as living communities of humans and non-humans, challenging anthropocentric perspectives and promoting an ecocentric mindset.

During the residencies, which offer a fertile ground for collaborative research processes, selected artists will work alongside mentors and experts from various disciplines to develop new artwork.

Specifically, the artistic projects may engage with one or more of the following areas:

- Technological research, exploring how new technologies can enhance understanding and foster deeper relationships with ecosystems;

- Educational and pedagogical practices, employing innovative and transdisciplinary methods to engage the public with pressing environmental issues;

- Circularity in the fashion industry, addressing sustainable production processes based on recycling, reuse, and upcycling.

The production residencies, called UNIDEE Connective Residencies, aim to forge connections between artistic research and other sectors of society, fostering a multidisciplinary dynamic approach to building a beneficial network that involves researchers, associations, industries, organisations, and members of civil society.

The residencies will take place between March and May 2025.

The two selected artists will take part in a shared research phase, which will include meetings with tutors, researchers, and experts, as well as field visits. The residency program and schedule will be tailored to the selected projects and finalised in consultation with the artists. Therefore, a collaborative approach and flexibility in the development and implementation of the project, aligned with the research process undertaken, are essential. The works created by the selected artists will be publicly showcased and become part of the UniCredit Art Collection. Additionally, the outcomes of the projects will be disseminated online, helping to raise public awareness and promote responsible engagement with ecology and social transformation.