Ars Bioarctica is an art & science initiative with a focus on subarctic environment, taking place at the Kilpisjärvi Biological Station of the Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences of University of Helsinki. The program was first initiated in 2008, when Bioart Society was founded. Currently, Bioart Society facilitates an ongoing Ars Bioarctica residency program and biannual Field_Notes field laboratories at Kilpisjärvi. Ars Bioarctica fosters projects between artists and scientists to develop new kind of scientific and artistic thinking and through this participate and contribute to the discussion on the relation of humankind and nature.
The emphasis of the Ars Bioarctica residency programme is on the sub-Arctic environment and art & science collaborations. Previous Ars Bioarctica fellows have spent their residencies, for example, researching snow, darkness, bacteria and lichen, working on projects varying from screenwriting to photography and from filmmaking to soundscape and dance. We welcome applications from artists, scientists and interdisciplinary research teams from all over the world, in all stages of their careers. We hope to receive applications from people of all backgrounds.
The regular Ars Bioarctica residency opportunity is not financially supported. Bioart Society provides support in the form of a local mentor and invitation letter. The Biological Station offers the residents the same possibilities and infrastructure as its scientists and staff: a combined living and working environment, an internet connection, a sauna, access to scientific equipment, laboratory facilities, the library, and a seminar room as well as the usage of field equipment.
The recommended residency period is two weeks or a month, but other periods are also possible. We strongly encourage the chosen applicants to travel to Kilpisjärvi by land (for example, the train) to reduce the environmental impact of the journey.
As a residency, Ars Bioarctica requires independence from those attending. There is no Bioart Society staff present at the Station, and while the Station staff is happy to help when they can, they need to prioritize their own work and research. The closest doctor is 300 km away, which means those with medical conditions should take this into consideration and possibly consult their doctor before attending.
The open call for this opportunity is held in December-January every year.
Field_Notes is an art and science field laboratory organized by the Bioart Society biannually at the Kilpisjärvi Biological Station since 2011. The previous Field_Notes editions include Cultivating Grounds (2011), Deep Time (2013), HYBRID MATTERs (2015), EOS (2018), The Heavens (2019) and Traces (2021) and The North Escaping (2023).
Former Field_Notes participants have described the experience as a habitat in which ideas are planted and new partnerships are nurtured and fermented. Field_Notes is a unique opportunity for artists, scientists and other practitioners in all stages of their career to set things in motion through intense fieldwork.
Kilpisjärvi (Gilbbesjávri in the Sámi languages) is located near the northwesternmost point of Finland, in the Finnish side of Sápmi. Sápmi refers to the region historically inhabited by the Indigenious Sámi people and the region covers parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia.
Kilpisjärvi/Gilbbesjávri is a place where the conditions typical of the Arctic Ocean region meet a more southern and continental clime – it takes particular skill to predict weather in this area. The terrain in the Käsivarsi Wilderness Area rises high above sea level and the landscape is dominated by high fells, including Saana (1,029 m), Termisvaara (1,024 m) and Halti (1,328 m). Winter persists nearly all year long in the Kilpisjärvi area. The general growing season only lasts for 100 days. Lake Kilpisjärvi does not clear of ice until around midsummer. In spite of all this, the area has abundant vegetation. Kilpisjärvi has a distinctly oceanic climate affected by its northern location and altitude: the area is located over 400 metres above sea level and less than 50 kilometres from the Arctic Ocean. The climate is very arctic with one of the lowest mean annual temperatures on the European continent at only 2.3 °C. On average, the temperature does not rise above +10.9 °C in July. The ground is usually covered in snow from September or October to early June. Patches of snow may be found on the slopes of Malla all year round.
People have lived in the region around Gilbbesjávri for thousands of years, leaving their trace in the surroundings. The area has evolved into a rich cultural landscape, although the signs of human presence are not as pronounced here as in agrarian areas. Sámi people have traditionally fished, hunted and practised reindeer hearding in the area. You can read more about the history of Gilbbesjávri / Kilpisjärvi on the Kilpisjärvi Biological Station's website.