PHILADELPHIA, PA -- (March 7, 2018) – The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has awarded the University City Science Center a $50,000 grant to establish an artist residency program that explores developments in science and biotechnology. Three artists will each spend three months working on creative research projects in the lab of Integral Molecular, a uCity Square-based biotechnology company. This grant is part of a $920,000 investment the Knight Foundation announced in the arts today.
The artist residency program will foster collaboration between artists and scientists. Not only will it allow both parties to gain new perspectives, but artists will also be able to serve as intermediaries communicating and creating dialog around complex scientific issues.
Developments in science and biotechnology are at the center of many pressing issues in the world. Some of these developments, such as stem cells, embryonic research and synthetic biology, have the power to change basic life processes. Yet, Philadelphia currently lacks resources for artists looking to work with biological media. By opening the doors of Integral Molecular, artists will have the opportunity to use cutting-edge scientific equipment and interface with experts in the field of biotechnology.
The selected artists will each spend four months conducting research in Integral Molecular’s biotechnology lab. Upon research completion, each artist will produce a finished product, such as a documentary film, a publication, or art for an exhibition. Throughout the program, the Science Center will host related lectures, interviews and exhibitions at the Esther Klein Gallery.
“For more than 40 years, the Science Center has supported the collaboration of artists and scientists through artistic programming at the Esther Klein Gallery,” says Angela McQuillan, Curator of the Science Center’s Esther Klein Gallery. “This grant will allow us to further advance our interdisciplinary approach, and provide more access for engagement in the realm of scientific discovery.”
About the Science Center
Located in the heart of uCity Square, the Science Center is a mission-driven nonprofit organization that catalyzes and connects innovation to entrepreneurship and technology commercialization. For 50+ years, the Science Center has supported startups, research, and economic development in the life sciences, healthcare, physical sciences, and emerging technology sectors. As a result, graduate firms and current residents of the Science Center’s incubator support one out of every 100 jobs in the Greater Philadelphia region and drive $13 billion in economic activity in the region annually. By providing resources and programming for any stage of a business’s lifecycle, the Science Center helps scientists, entrepreneurs and innovators take their concepts from idea to IPO – and beyond.
For more information about the Science Center, go to www.sciencecenter.org
