Within the framework of the S+T+ARTS in the City project, and in collaboration with a team of researchers from the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), HacTe has designed and implemented a plan to evaluate and measure the impact of the artistic residency programme which, over the course of 9 months, has addressed regional challenges in collaboration with academic institutions, scientific and technological.
The results of the experience are presented in the report “Legacies of transdisciplinary collaborations. A practice based analysis of the S+T+ARTS in the City residencies programme”, a document that offers an approach to the transformative potential of interdisciplinary collaboration between the arts, science and technology. The document collects the experiences, learnings and impacts derived, highlighting how these processes can generate new methodologies, work dynamics and forms of relationship between agents from different fields.
A recommended reading for cultural professionals, heads of institutions and all those interested in interdisciplinary collaboration models.
About the report
The report presents the analytical framework used, based on three descriptors: dimensions, aspects and perspectives. This approach has allowed for a thorough assessment, both qualitative and quantitative, of the complex nature of cross-collaborations. The “dimensions” analysed have served to generate a series of measurement indicators on interdisciplinary collaborations, innovation and creativity, residency processes, participation and dissemination, and long-term sustainability. The “aspects” have made it possible to interpret data on the perceptions, actions and conditions of the programme in order to assess its tangible and intangible legacies. Finally, the “perspectives” have provided feedback from the main agents involved in the program: artists, scientists and facilitators.
The analysis of the residency programme has highlighted the need to introduce improvements in the ACTS collaboration models in the S+T+ARTS projects.
Among the main challenges that emerge from the analysis are communication barriers, different worldviews and languages, and the need for immediate tangible results. It is therefore urgent to develop strategies that facilitate open communication, foster trust, align objectives and create common languages to overcome semantic frictions. It is also essential to provide training and support to mediation figures, who play a crucial role in promoting dialogue between different disciplines and facilitating genuine collaboration. It also follows that it is necessary to move towards programs that prioritize the quality of the processes that facilitate open research, without focusing on predetermined results, which often limit the exploratory potential of interdisciplinary research and collaboration.
Time constraints have also been identified as a significant factor affecting trust building, the adoption of experimental practices, and the level of public participation. This highlights the need for longer timelines and adaptable processes to achieve meaningful and sustainable results. Consequently, institutions and funding bodies need to support more flexible frameworks, creative experimentation and unconventional outcomes. This should be achieved by balancing short-term financing with long-term structural support, which would facilitate the development of more inclusive and diverse innovation ecosystems.
Finally, the report highlights the need for a paradigm shift in evaluation metrics, which goes beyond the traditional quantitative KPIs, which are insufficient to capture all the complexity and dynamics of ACTS practices. We need to continue to explore and apply key transformation indicators (KTIs), which integrate qualitative perspectives that provide a deeper understanding of the quality of collaborations, the transformative potential in the medium and long term, and the potential systemic changes that can catalyze interdisciplinary collaborations. In this sense, the S+T+ARTS initiative, through the artistic residencies pillar, offers an optimal context to demonstrate the transformative potential of interdisciplinary collaboration, exemplifying a model of integration of art, science and technology with the aim of promoting innovation. Incorporating Key Transformation Indicators (KTIs) into evaluation frameworks can facilitate a more comprehensive understanding of the impacts and legacies of arts-driven innovation.
