The Project
Art & Science across Italy is a European project of the CREATIONS network (H2020) organised by the National Institute for Nuclear Physics and CERN in Geneva to promote scientific culture among young people, combining the languages of art and science: two knowledge tools among the highest expressions of human creativity.
Art & Science across Italy is a European project of the CREATIONS network (H2020) organised by the National Institute for Nuclear Physics and CERN in Geneva to promote scientific culture among young people, combining the languages of art and science: two knowledge tools among the highest expressions of human creativity.
The first objective of the project is to bring students closer to the world of science and research, regardless of their aptitude for science subjects and initial knowledge, using art as the communication language.
The project is structured in successive steps with seminars in schools and universities, visits to museums and scientific laboratories, workshops held by experts from the world of science and art, and tutoring activities during creation of the artistic compositions. In particular, for each of the cities involved, the project is divided into a training and a creative phase, followed by a local exhibition and a final national selection that culminates in the Exhibition “I colori della scienza – nell’arte della ricerca scientifica” (The colours of science – in the art of scientific research), scheduled to take place at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples in spring 2020.
The winning students of the national art/scientific competition that concludes the project, selected by an international committee of experts, are invited to take part in a Master in art and science, in September 2020, at CERN in Geneva and in other national laboratories.
All winners receive a scholarship, awarded by the patrons and sponsors of the project, to cover the cost of the Master and incidental expenses.
Phase I
Education
“Art and Science across Italy” envisages an initial training phase during which students participate in seminars and workshops, visit art and science museums, are hosted in the science labs of local and national universities, and participate in educational trips with an artistic/scientific topic.
Phase II
Creativity
The second phase is of a creative-design type. The students, organised in groups of three, are invited to design and create the artistic composition that will enter the competition, taking inspiration from one of the scientific topics presented. This second phase is carried out in close collaboration with the reference teachers and under the supervision of scientists and artists participating in the project.
Phase III
Exhibition
The third phase consists of the local exhibition “The Colours of Science”. This is an opportunity for the young people to see their works displayed and to take part in the local artistic-scientific competition. The best artistic compositions from each city, selected by a national jury consisting of scientists and experts from the world of art and communication, enter the national competition.
Phase IV
Competition
The works selected at the end of each local stage are entitled to take part in the “The colours of science – in the art of research” national exhibition, at the MANN museum in Naples. The authors of the winning works, selected by an international jury of experts from the world of science, art and communication, receive one of the 27 scholarship for a Master in art and science at CERN in Geneva or in one of the INFN national laboratories.
The role of INFN
The INFN is the main sponsor of “Art & Science across Italy”.
The INFN Sections of Florence, Genoa, Milan, Naples (connected to Potenza and Matera), Pisa, Padua (connected to Venice), Rome I and Turin and the Communication Department coordinate and organise local and national activities.
INFN provides scientific expertise, laboratories and scientific communication material for the project in order to ensure its optimal outcome, as well as the necessary support for involvement of the museums and the various local and national institutions.
The project is financed with internal funds as well as partnership and sponsorship relationships with public and private entities. The INFN contribution is carried out under the supervision and step-by-step evaluation of the INFN Third Mission Coordination Committee (CC3M).
The role of CERN
CERN is one of the sponsors and organisers of the project and the location of one of the Masters in Art and Science. CERN takes care of the organisation of the Master, the courses and laboratory visits.
Several researchers involved in experiments at CERN are involved in the project.
Sascha Schmelling (Head of Student and Teacher group of CERN) is a member of the Scientific Committee and of the international jury.