Positive Turbulence

Photo: RISEBA University of Applied Sciences in Riga, Latvia 

With the ELIA Biennial Conference just around the corner, final preparations are in full swing! In this article, Maria Hansen, ELIA Executive Director, highlights the ELIA Biennial Online Satellite Events, an update on the ETHO Community Conference 2025, and introduces the new Artistic Research Alliance. 

Traditionally, the month before the ELIA Biennial Conference is a ‘somewhat’ turbulent time at the ELIA office. Final preparations are happening behind the scenes, too many to list here. Our colleagues at NABA, the generous host of this conference, are getting ready for us with great energy, and we are all looking forward to welcoming you very soon to Milan. 

This is an action-packed newsletter, and I am happy to draw your attention to a few of the stories inside. For me, one of the most exciting events coming up is the ELIA Biennial Online Satellite Events. These are not just any online events – they are lead-up conversations on themes tied to the overarching theme of the ELIA Biennial: Arts Plural. These online conversations are curated and hosted by six of our non-European members from Egypt, Singapore, the USA, and the Republic of Korea. Taking place in the weeks leading up to the ELIA Biennial, they offer a fantastic opportunity to explore global perspectives—completely free for all ELIA members! This Satellite Events series was launched last year during the ELIA Leadership Symposium 2023, and I couldn’t be more excited to see how the ELIA Team has taken it to the next level. It’s all about inclusivity, bringing more members into the conversation, and making the experience accessible to a broader audience. I highly encourage you to join in and share these rich discussions with your colleagues and students. Join us — check them out here and be part of the conversation! 

Photo: Visit to RISEBA University of Applied Sciences in Latvia for ETHO 2025

And then: drumroll please! I am excited to announce that we are opening the Call for Contributions for the ETHO Community Conference 2025. We will be hosted by the RISEBA University of Applied Sciences in beautiful Riga, Latvia from 19 - 21 March 2025. Under the title ‘Crafting the Future’, the conference invites those involved in technical teaching and learning (all disciplines welcome!) to create a space for exploration, uncovering new opportunities and learning from each other how emerging technologies are transforming making practices. Discover all the details here, and a big thank you for sharing this fantastic opportunity with the technical teams at your institutions! 

Last but not least, at ELIA, we are proud to be one of the founding members of the Artistic Research Alliance. The Artistic Research Alliance represents a unified effort to advocate for artistic research (AR) at both European and international levels. A hugely important advocacy activity on behalf of the field which will be happy to have a leading role in. Read about the inaugural meeting in Vienna and our recent statement here.  

PS Don’t forget to register your voting representative for the hybrid ELIA General Assembly on 23 November! 

Read more in our October newsletter>