As Europe prepares the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and begins shaping the future of research and innovation beyond Horizon Europe, artistic research is becoming an increasingly important part of policy discussions. More than a cultural practice, artistic research is emerging as a strategic approach to generating new knowledge, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and addressing complex societal challenges.
To contribute to this debate, T6 Ecosystems organised the policy roundtable “Advancing Artistic Research Policy” at the Society for Artistic Research (SAR) 2026 Conference to discuss with experts from artistic research, higher arts education, European research programmes how can artistic research be meaningfully integrated into European policy frameworks.
Moderated by Simona De Rosa, Partner and Senior Researcher at T6 Ecosystems, the session brought together representatives from the Society for Artistic Research (SAR), ELIA, the PACESETTERS project, COST and the STARTS community to explore the role of artistic research in fostering Europe’s competitiveness, democratic resilience, digital transformation, cultural diversity and innovation capacity. The discussion addressed several key themes, including: the knowledge generated through artistic research, the contribution of artistic practices to interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral innovation, the role of artistic intelligence in emerging technological and digital ecosystems, the challenges surrounding the recognition of artistic research within European research and innovation frameworks, and opportunities for future European programmes to better integrate and support artistic research.
During the roundtable, Stella Diakou, Senior Researcher at T6 Ecosystems, presented insights from T6’s experience within the STARTS Ec(h)o, which over the past decade has demonstrated how collaborations between artists, scientists and technologists generate forms of knowledge that neither discipline could produce independently. Indeed, social value is the foundation upon which transformative innovation is built, and artists act as epistemic agents, reframing problems, challenging assumptions and opening perspectives that disciplinary silos often overlook. Therefore, the impact of artistic research requires dedicated evaluation methodologies: traditional performance indicators alone cannot capture its broader societal, cultural and systemic contributions.
As the European Union prepares its next Multiannual Financial Framework and shapes the successor to Horizon Europe, this discussion comes at a crucial moment: while policy discussions increasingly acknowledge the importance of culture, creativity and interdisciplinary approaches, further efforts are needed to ensure that artistic research becomes an integral component of future research and innovation policies.
For T6 Ecosystems, this roundtable reflects our commitment to supporting collaborative innovation ecosystems, participatory research and evidence-based policy dialogue. Through projects such as PACESETTERS and our involvement in the STARTS Ec(h)o, we continue to explore how interdisciplinary collaboration can generate new approaches to addressing societal challenges while informing future European policies. The discussion reaffirmed that artistic research is a valuable source of knowledge, experimentation and collaboration that can help shape Europe’s future, it is essential to fostering innovation that is not only technologically advanced, but also socially meaningful and culturally grounded.
Over the coming weeks, T6 Ecosystems will consolidate the recommendations emerging from the roundtable into a policy brief, contributing to the ongoing discussions surrounding the next Multiannual Financial Framework and the future of European research and innovation programmes.
For now, you can have a read at the summary report prepared by Simona De Rosa: CLICK HERE.