Creative collaborations - new ideas at the interface of art and science

Creative collaboration - new ideas at the interface of art and science

The latest events in our Art–Science platform, BSI Create, brought together creative professionals and scientists for two exciting workshops to share and explore scientific research concepts from new perspectives.

In June we welcomed a diverse group of contributors, including artists, filmmakers and games designers from across the UK to meet our researchers from Durham University. Participants presented short snapshots of their work, sharing scientific ideas alongside creative projects, often revealing unexpected connections across the disciplines.

The event encouraged wide-ranging, exploratory conversations, fostering new connections and supporting participants in identifying shared themes that cut across both creative and scientific practice. Scientific topics covered in the session included cell division and the dynamic role of the cytoskeleton, the unusual fluid properties of saliva, and VisualPDE, an accessible tool that allows non‑mathematicians to explore mathematical patterns and natural phenomena.

United by shared curiosity

A key feature of the workshop was curiosity, and its role as a driving force for exploration across the different disciplines. By bringing together these individuals who shared a common interest in exploring scientific ideas in different ways, the event created a very special space in which creative and scientific perspectives could connect seed new ideas.

Building on this momentum, the BSI will support the next phase of activity through its seed scheme, designed to foster cross‑disciplinary conversations without predefined agendas. This initiative will provide a platform for continued dialogue and collaboration, enabling participants to form new connections and explore ideas freely, without expectation of specific outcomes.

The event reflects the our ongoing commitment to enable innovative, interdisciplinary interactions, demonstrating how bringing together different ways of thinking can open up new possibilities for both scientific discovery and creative practice.

InsectNeuroLab – Strike Collective workshop

Earlier in June, a more targeted workshop introduced members of the Strike Collective to Dr Lena Riabinina and researchers from her group including Iman Muktar, Pooja Mahendran. The session took a deep dive into her research on insect sensory neuroscience, through an exploration of the amazing images of bees and mosquitos collected through her research.

Image above: This brightly coloured image shows the arrangement of cells in larval mosquito antenna. 

Find out more

• Event page and programme 
• VisualPDE
• BSI Seed funding 
• Our heritage of Art-Science