ARx5 Applications Now Open!
Apply by October 31, 2025
The Artist + Researcher Program (ARx) brings together local Phoenix artists with leading scientists and researchers from across the Phoenix Bioscience Core (PBC). Together, these collaborators explore the intersections of art and science, transforming groundbreaking research into creative works that spark dialogue, curiosity, and community connection.
Now entering its fifth cycle, ARx5 will pair selected artists with researchers from Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, the University of Arizona, the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), and other PBC-based organizations. Over the course of several months, each team will co-create an original work of art inspired by the researcher’s work and the artist’s vision.
These pieces will debut in a public exhibition in 2026, showcasing the unique blend of scientific discovery and artistic expression at the heart of Phoenix’s growing bioscience and creative communities.
Who Should Apply — Researchers
Researchers and scientists play a vital role in the collaborative experience, opening up their work to creative interpretation, allowing artists to explore its meaning, impact, and potential through new perspectives.
Participation offers researchers the opportunity to:
- Strengthen cross-disciplinary collaboration skills and relationships.
- Gain fresh perspectives on their work through creative interpretation.
- Build public awareness of their research in engaging, accessible ways.
- Connect with the wider Phoenix community through a public exhibition.
Researchers should be:
- Affiliated with one of the PBC’s partner institutions: Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, the University of Arizona,, TGen, or other PBC-based organizations.
- Open to creative collaboration, willing to engage in dialogue and share research concepts with an artist partner.
- Committed to accessibility, helping translate scientific ideas into approachable themes for broader community understanding.
- Available throughout the program timeline for regular meetings with their artist collaborator.
Who Should Apply — Artists
ARx5 welcomes artists of all backgrounds and disciplines who are curious about collaboration and eager to explore the connections between art, science, and community. You don’t need a scientific background — just a willingness to engage, experiment, and translate complex ideas into creative expression.
We encourage applications from:
- Visual artists — painters, sculptors, photographers, printmakers, illustrators, muralists, installation artists, mixed media creators.
- Performing artists — dancers, actors, musicians, composers, choreographers, performance artists.
- Literary artists — poets, writers, storytellers, spoken word performers.
- Digital + new media artists — filmmakers, animators, VR/AR creators, designers, sound artists, interdisciplinary makers.
- Community-based and socially engaged artists — creatives working with collective storytelling, participatory practices, and public art.
Artists should be:
- Committed to the full program timeline, from team pairing to exhibition.
- Based in the greater Phoenix area and available for in-person collaboration.
- Excited to co-create with researchers, bridging different ways of thinking.
- Open to experimentation and exploring new artistic directions.
