Arts Catalyst: in between disciplines and situated knowledge

Arts Catalyst commissions art that experimentally and critically engages with science. We produce provocative, and risk-taking projects to spark dynamic conversations about our changing world.

Arts Catalyst is one of the UK’s most distinctive arts organisations, distinguished by ambitious art commissions and its unique take on art-science practice. The organisation’s primary focus is commissioning new artists’ projects, presented in a range of museums, art galleries and other public spaces in the UK and internationally. In its 22 years of activity, Arts Catalyst has commissioned more than 140 artists’ projects, including major new works by Tomas Saraceno, Aleksandra Mir, Critical Art Ensemble, Jan Fabre, Yuri Leiderman, Stefan Gec, Otolith Group, Beatriz da Costa, Kira O’Reilly and Marko Peljhan, and has co-produced numerous exhibitions, events, performances and publications. Arts Catalyst plays a leading role in the development of artists’ engagement with science, and critical discourse around this field.
In January 2016 Arts Catalyst opened its Centre for Art, Science and Technology in the King’s Cross Area.

In her lecture, Santomauro will present the curatorial approach that Arts Catalyst has been developing by working in between disciplines and situated knowledge. She will encompass some recent projects, including ‘Wrecked on The Intertidal Zone’ – a project about the changing ecology, society and industry of the Thames estuary –, and Test Sites – a series of inquiries into matters of concern connected with environmental change.