Canada Council & GRAND NCE Media Artist and Scientist Collaboration Pilot Program
The Canada Council Grants to New Media and Audio Artists program supports Canadian professional independent artists who use new media or audio technology as a mode of artistic expression. Through this partnership, the Canada Council for the Arts and the GRAND NCE provide opportunities for innovative collaborations and exchanges between media arts and the sciences.
This pilot program assists Canadian artists working in partnership with a scientist. An artist and a scientist will be co-applicants who propose a single project that has both and artistic and a scientific portion. The project will use media arts as a means of artistic expression, combined with peer-reviewed science or research. Grants cover the costs of research, creative development, production and presentation of artworks created through media arts practices.
Priority will be given to projects that:
- explore and expand modes of expression in media arts practice in creative and innovative ways
- involve innovation and artistic expression
- demonstrate the development of an individual style or expressive process, as well as a commitment to questioning and expanding the discipline
- demonstrate a strong, mutually beneficial collaboration between artist and scientist, with positive demonstrated outcomes for both parties
Program Guidelines
Deadline: October 1, 2013
Neato Holdings Ltd. Selects NSCAD Researcher Glen Hougan for Nova Scotia Productivity and Innovation Voucher Project
What is a "productivity and innovation voucher"?
A productivity and innovation voucher is a credit note that small and medium-sized enterprises can use to acquire the engagement of researchers at Nova Scotia universities and colleges in order to provide assistance in making their businesses more innovative and productive.
The Project: CommercialBreak is 'virtual remote control' software that allows people to use their smartphoens to control a new generation of 'Smart' - or internet connected - TVs that are increasingly becomming the norm in the market. Neato Holdings has received a $15,000 voucher award from NS Economic & Rural Development and Tourism to have Glen Hougan (NSCAD Division of Design) research and provide creative input into three particualr areas that will allow a public Beta version of the software to be made available in the fall of 2013.
This is Glan Hougan's and NSCAD's 3rd Productivity and Innovation Voucher project.
SSHRC Welcomes Applications Involving Research-Creation
Recognizing the importance of research-creation in the social sciences and humanities, and the expertise of artist-researchers, SSHRC is integrating research-creation as an eligible activity across its Talent, Insight and Connection programs.
SSHRC defines "research-creation" as a creative process that comprises an essential part of research activity, and fosters the development and renewal of knowledge through aesthetic, technical, instrumental or other innovations.
Beginning with the October 2012 Insight Grants competition, applicants will be able to request support for projects involving research-creation. Eventually, research-creation activities will be eligible for support through most of SSHRC's funding opportunities, with newly launched competitions adding "creative outputs" to their evaluation criteria as an option for evidence of expertise.
Applicants whose proposals involve research-creation will have the opportunity, in the CV portion of their applications, to provide a link to a website showcasing their creative outputs or research-creation achievements.
NSCAD Partners with Ultra Electronics to Design High-Tech Product
NSCAD University faculty Gord Morrison and Squint Inc have completed a unique project that integrates rapid visualization and prototyping principles to the product design process at Ultra Electronics Maritime Systems Inc. Ultra offers sophisticated, cost-effective and innovative solutions to the defence, aerospace and industrial markets across Canada, as well as internationally.
The project focused on exterior design of a new self-contained product. "Our traditional markets are defence and aerospace but some of our new product offerings are also branching into the commercial market. We want to enhance out capability in commercial package design" says James Dean-Moore, Program Manager for Ultra. The NSCAD team worked closely with the engineering team at Ultra over the past four months to present three concepts for the product re-design. Ultra is now considering options for moving the product forward.
Saint Mary’s, NSCAD to collaborate on commercialization of research
A water-quality monitoring toolkit. A shelter for victims of natural disaster. An advanced film camera.
All of the projects listed above were developed through the ingenuity of NSCAD University professors and students. And now that research will go even further thanks to an agreement with the Saint Mary’s Industry Liaison Office which will allow NSCAD’s research initiatives to be advanced where commercialization is an objective.
“We believe there is a tremendous advantage to our partnership with the Saint Mary’s Industry Liaison Office,” says James Moy, Provost and Vice-President of Academic Affairs at NSCAD University. “Their experience will help us advance projects with commercial potential and develop new opportunities with industry partners.”
Saint Mary’s ILO, a member of Springboard Atlantic, inked a similar partnership with Mount Saint Vincent University in 2005. Springboard Atlantic is a network with the mandate to support the commercialization of research in Atlantic Canada—transferring knowledge and technology developed at the region’s universities to the private sector.
“Very complementary expertise and talent exist among smaller institutions and it seems fitting that we should pool our resources and work together,” says Gina Funicelli, director of Saint Mary’s ILO.
Prior to the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between Saint Mary’s and NSCAD University last month, the two universities collaborated on a pilot project—the commercialization of the WET-Pro water quality monitoring toolkit. It was developed by a NSCAD design team including Glen Hougan, Gord Morrison and students in association with Cathy Conrad, professor of geography at Saint Mary’s. The WET-Pro toolkit aids community groups across Nova Scotia in generating credible, consistent data on local water bodies. A training program has also been developed to assist volunteers in conducting reliable environmental monitoring.
Jason Blackburn, Coordinator, Research Services & Industry Liaison at NSCAD, says he expects even more inter-university collaborations to emerge.
Other projects that could benefit by the agreement include the “e-Home”—e standing for environment—a simple, low-cost shelter for families in the wake of natural disaster that has been designed by Gene Daniels, associate professor at NSCAD and chair of the Foundation program; and a next-generation film camera developed by Sam Fisher, associate professor with NSCAD’s film program.
Kim Morgan and Soloman Nagler Awarded SSHRC Research Creation Grant
NSCAD faculty members Solomon Nagler (Media Arts) and Kim Morgan (Fine Arts), along with Martha Radice (Dalhousie University, Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology) have received a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Research Creation grant for their project Tracing the City: Interventions of Art in Public Space.
This three-year project explores an innovative combination of creative processes in the visual and media arts, principally in film (expanded cinema), public art (site-specific installations), and empirical qualitative research in the social sciences and humanities (urban social anthropology).
Collaborators include Christopher Kaltenbach (NSCAD Division of Design), Ellen Moffat (artist) and Erin E. Wunker (Dalhousie Department of English). The principle researchers will be presenting their research framework during the Cineflux Symposium at NSCAD University in May and at the 17th International Symposium on Electronic Art in Istanbul, Turkey in September.
SSHRC Launches Two New Partnership Funding Opportunities as First Stage of Renewed Program Architecture
The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) has launched the first stage of its renewed program architecture. Funding opportunities within the renewed architecture will fall under three umbrella programs: Talent, Insight and Connection.
The two funding opportunities kicking off the new program structure at SSHRC offer support of formal partnerships and span the insight and connection umbrella programs:
• Partnership Development Grants (application deadline Nov 25, 2010)
• Partnership Grants (application deadline January 31, 2011)
Please see the Program Updates section of SSHRC’s website for an overview of program architecture renewal and the timeline for implementation.
Detailed program descriptions and complete listings of all funding programs offered through each agency or department can be obtained through the Office of Research Services or by accessing the links below.
www.sshrc.ca
Knowledge Synthesis Grants: May 10, 2013
Connection Grants: Temporarily closed for applications
www.canadacouncil.ca
Project Grants for Organizations: April15, 2013
Visiting Foreign Artists Program: June 1, 2013
Media Artist and Scientist Collaboration: October 1, 2103
Investing in Our Future
Industry Growth Program: April 15, 2013
Grants to Individuals: May 15, 2013
Productivity and Innovation Voucher: October 2013