The Art of Dissemination: How an "Artist-in-Residence" Reached 1 Million People

If you manage EU research projects, you already know the golden rule: dissemination is a pillar of every project. But as any seasoned Research Manager & Administrator (RMA) will tell you, there is often a massive difference between the dissemination plan written in the proposal and the reality of executing it.

We all write projects that contain ambitious plans for outreach. Raising public awareness is a strong request from the European Commission. However, it is notoriously difficult to actually raise that public awareness, and even harder to generate genuine engagement.

Why do we struggle so much? The harsh truth is that, most of the time, scientists disseminate to scientists. We forget that different audiences require a different story. As a result, critical dissemination objectives might not be met during the project lifecycle.

But what if we completely changed the way we translate science to the general public? At the EARMA 2018 conference in Brussels, a fascinating presentation titled "The Art of Dissemination" by Anna Dumitriu and Yoram Lev Yehudi showcased a radically different approach.

Here is why you might want to write an "Artist-in-Residence" into your next Horizon Europe proposal.

The Experiment: Merging BioArt and Future Technologies

To bridge the gap between complex science and the general public, a new idea and concept was tried for the first time: engaging artists in residence in FET (Future and Emerging Technologies) projects.

Through an initiative called FEAT (featart.eu), artists were matched with selected FET projects. The core objective was for the artist to create project-associated physical artwork that would assist in dissemination, especially to the general public.

Initially, the project managers didn't know what to expect or what the results would be. But they struck gold when they were matched with Anna Dumitriu, an extremely talented and diligent artist with excellent communication and social media skills.

Dumitriu is an expert in "BioArt and Bacteria," having previously served as an Artist in Residence for the MRG_Grammar Project (FET Open) and the Modernising Medical Microbiology project at the University of Oxford. Her unique background allowed her to take the highly technical work being done in the lab and translate it into striking, tangible, physical art.

Petri dishes showing the blend of textiles, bio-art, and bacteria, visually capturing the raw science

Making the Invisible, Visible

Dumitriu’s work took the abstract genetic and microbial concepts of the project and turned them into stunning physical pieces. By creating physical artwork, she gave the general public something they could see, touch, and emotionally connect with.

A physical garment created as part of the project-associated artwork, making abstract concepts tangible

This approach bypassed the traditional, dry "scientists talking to scientists" format. Instead, it leveraged a completely different medium to tell a compelling story to a non-scientific audience.

The Results: A Dissemination Masterclass

When it comes to EU projects, we measure success in numbers—and the results of this artist-in-residence experiment were beyond any expectations. The project proved that the power of art can do magic for science dissemination.

Impressive results and wide exposure were achieved across multiple channels. The project's outcomes included:

• Major Exhibitions: Five exhibitions were held at prestigious venues, including the BOZAR Art Museum in Brussels, The Museum of the History of Science in Oxford, and the Ars Electronica Festival in Linz.

• High-Tier Publications: The project generated a peer-reviewed paper in the Leonardo Journal of Art and Science, alongside 18 other publications, which incredibly included reviews in Nature and The Lancet.

• Awards and Talks: The initiative was nominated for the EU STARTS Prize and led to 10 keynotes, talks, and lectures.

The artwork displayed at an exhibition under the EU STARTS Prize banner, showcasing massive public visibility

But the most staggering metric is the sheer volume of audience engagement:

• Attendees at exhibitions: 141,756.

• Attendees at talks: 1,092.

• Readership of publications: 897,900.

In total, this unconventional approach resulted in a total engagement of over 1,040,748 people—and rising.

A glowing, immersive exhibition space demonstrating how art transforms complex science into a captivating public experience

The Takeaway for Research Managers

As RMAs, we are constantly looking for innovative ways to make our dissemination work packages punch above their weight. We want strategies that actually resonate with the public rather than just ticking a compliance box for the portal.

The take-home message from Anna Dumitriu and Yoram Lev Yehudi is incredibly clear: it is highly recommended to embrace the artist-in-residence model as a standard in any research-intensive project.

By bringing an artist into your consortium, you aren't just creating a deliverable; you are creating a bridge between your researchers and the world.

To follow Anna Dumitriu's work:

• Website: http://www.normalflora.co.uk 

• FEAT Project: http://www.featart.eu 

• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/annadumitriu 

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annadumitriuarts 

• X/Twitter: @annadumitriu

The Art of Dissemination: How an "Artist-in-Residence" Reached 1 Million People

The Art of Dissemination: How an "Artist-in-Residence" Reached 1 Million People