Last week, T6 had the honour of being invited by the Deputy Ministry of Culture of Cyprus to attend the opening of the Cyprus Pavilion at the 61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale Arte 2026 di Venezia, presenting Marina Xenofontos’ It Rests to the Bones. Moreover, we participated in the pre-opening events and met with the Deputy Minister of Culture of Cyprus during a moment that strongly highlighted the growing importance of culture, artistic research, and creative practice within the European agenda.
This experience reinforced something we deeply believe:
- Art is political.
- Artistic research is not secondary to scientific research: it is an equally valuable way of investigating and responding to the complex social, environmental, and cultural challenges Europe faces today.
Many of the works we encountered at La Biennale Arte di Venezia demonstrated how artists are engaging critically with memory, ecology, technology, identity, conflict, and transformation. Artistic practice is not an “add-on” to innovation policy or competitiveness. It is an integral part of Europe’s capacity to imagine, test, and shape alternative futures.
These conversations resonate strongly with the work we are currently developing around the STARTS (Science, Technology & the Arts) framework, and through the PACESETTERS project, where we continue exploring the role of artists, creatives, and cultural actors in driving systemic innovation and societal transformation.
As part of our involvement in these projects, this summer we will organise a policy event within the framework of the 2026 International Forum on Artistic Research, hosted by the University of Galway under the theme Endangered Conceptual Worlds. This moment is particularly meaningful as it will coincide with the transition from the Cypriot to the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU, creating an important symbolic and strategic bridge between the two. Furthermore, we are also preparing a policy event in Brussels for early autumn, focusing on the role of art-science-technology collaborations and artistic research in addressing Europe’s major transitions.
We hope that these events will allow us to continue these discussions together with our Cypriot colleagues and partners, strengthening a European vision where culture, artistic research, and creative practice are recognised as essential pillars of resilience, democracy, innovation, and competitiveness. Congratulations to everyone involved in the Cyprus Pavilion and thank you again to the Deputy Ministry of Culture of Cyprus for the invitation and hospitality.