SPLOT UA - a young creatives’ residency program for young Ukrainians by SPLOT Institute
SPLOT UA Residency – an interdisciplinary creative program for young Ukrainians currently residing in Poland due to the war. Participants collaborate on designing prototypes of social innovations in 3 working groups with topics inspired by the UA Recovery Plan: Healing the city, Rewilding the night and Revitalizing education. Our goal is to combine competencies from different industries and facilitate integration between Ukrainian, Polish and international creative communities.
National
Poland
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It addresses urban-rural linkages
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
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No
Yes
As a representative of an organisation
Name of the organisation(s): New Space Foundation Type of organisation: Non-profit organisation First name of representative: Jan Last name of representative: Pomierny Gender: Male Nationality: Poland Function: President of New Space Foundation Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Wspólna 54A/8 Town: Warsaw Postal code: 00-684 Country: Poland Direct Tel:+48606248898 E-mail:jan.pomierny@sciencenow.studio Website:https://www.ua.splot.institute/
SPLOT UA Residency is an interdisciplinary creative program initiated and organised by New Space Foundation and Science Now with financial support from the US Embassy in Warsaw and the US Department of State. The program is addressed to young Ukrainians aged 18-30 currently residing in Poland due to the Russian aggression on Ukraine. 21 selected participants (from 126 applications) have been invited to collaborate in multidisciplinary teams on designing prototypes of social innovations that could be implemented in Ukraine in the future, as part of recovery activities.
There are three working groups with topics inspired by the UA Recovery Plan: Healing the city (exploring the future of wellbeing, memory, culture, entertainment and leisure in cities), Rewilding the night (seeking ways to protect the dark sky and natural heritage through responsible tourism) and Revitalizing education (create and prototype new ways of learning, teaching and sharing knowledge). The program aims at developing creative competencies through interdisciplinary projects in a space where science, art, culture, design and entrepreneurship can connect to respond to the most urgent social and economic challenges of the future.
The residency is organised in a hybrid formula with online and onsite activities. The program of SPLOT UA engages various experts and mentors, who support the teams throughout the creative process rooted in the design sprint methodology. We practise a hands-on and practical approach so that participants can apply their new skills right away in order to create more functional, better-designed prototypes of social innovations in a collaborative effort with an emphasis on experimentation and the use of new methodologies.
The project is taking place from September 2022, and participants selected for the programme are now taking part in the creative process. Its results – prototypes created by the groups – will be published in May 2023.
social innovations
Ukrainian recovery
multidisciplinarity
sustainable future
education
MULTI-PERSPECTIVE THINKING
SPLOT UA Residency program is an initiative by SPLOT Institute, a new venture that aims to empower cross-disciplinary thinking to bring unconventional ideas to life.
Thematic areas of SPLOT UA were derived from the needs highlighted in Ukraine’s Recovery Plan, where sustainability is amongst the top priorities in all the areas – from economic growth, through education challenges to social recovery.
During SPLOT UA we are trying to address these issues by working together with a socially disadvantaged group – young Ukrainian refugees, living in Poland as a result of war. By raising broad environmental problems and prioritising the application of prototyped solutions in a country destroyed by war, we’re hoping to highlight the universal importance of the matters at hand.
SUSTAINABILITY AS A MAIN PRINCIPLE
Thematic areas designed for the program attracted people with a general interest in environmental protection and sustainability, eager to tackle these matters within all research areas. During the open-call interviews applicants demonstrated qualities such as knowledge, creativity, social activism and digital savviness – crucial to address environmental issues in a complex way.
MORE THAN A PROGRAM
Sustainable practices were prioritised in planning the logistics of the residency. Many activities will take place online to reduce unnecessary commute. The outcomes of the program and each group’s project will be published as open-source material for others to utilise and implement. We believe sharing knowledge and experience is the most sustainable solution long term.
SUPPORTED BY EXPERTS
Participants are currently working under the mentorship of various experts who provide an important reality-check and practice-oriented approach to developing the proposed ideas.
The SPLOT UA co-founding organisations come from the world of sustainable design and its connections to science, art and culture – throughout the last 10 years we have collaborated with institutions such as the European Space Agency, EXPO 2020 DUBAI, BIG DREAMS, Tellart, Ars Electronica, Leiden University or International Astronomical Union. The principle that design should be useful and serve engagement or communication goals is present in all our projects.
As SPLOT UA brings together Ukrainians who found themselves in exile, our top priority was to create a safe and inclusive space that supports the process of creating friendships in both professional and private fields. Strengthening social bonds is intended to support the awareness of belonging to a group with similar values. The program gives participants the opportunity to turn their creative needs into actionable interventions in a group that shares common motivations and interests. We believe that by engaging in such activities, people affected by war can channel their need for an agency. We hope, especially in the context of stress and trauma related to war, that strengthening positive feelings and emotions plays a crucial role in the healing process and can benefit the overall experience of the initiative.
We give voice to young Ukrainians who are the core of this project - it is their perspective, skills and situation that is the most valuable starting point. Such a multi-pronged approach, in which the role of experts is primarily to mentor new ideas, leads to respecting the voice of young people.
All materials that are produced within the framework of the project are created with consistent and attractive branding that was crafted specifically for the initiative by a designer Kosma Masny. The branding is based on modularity and the presence of AI-generated visual elements. Modularity allows the use of branding in the context of various levels of communication as well as for future initiatives.
The SPLOT UA program was built on the principle of inclusivity understood at various levels. The wide thematic scope of the initiative aimed to attract people with different backgrounds and skills as well as levels of experience.
The geographical inclusion embedded in our activities assumes that by organising meetings in different Polish cities participants will have a chance to get to know their new country of residence better and will be able to strengthen their networks in Poland (both professional and informal). The logistic model of the program supports inclusion and provides greater accessibility in the context of the financial requirements (we cover all costs of participants’ involvement in the programme). For us, the hybrid (online + offline) model also means creating elements of the program that are available not only to participants of the workshops but also to a wider, open audience: enthusiasts of science, architecture, art, music, business – hence parts of the SPLOT UA residency initiative is called the Open Program: a series of keynote speeches and inspiring lectures with experts representing a wide range of disciplines - scientists, artists, educators, designers and many more – will be published online throughout the 1st half of the year.
The goal of the project is to create inclusive designs for new social models, in which the human, social and planetary dimensions are determinants. We encourage participants to think of fresh solutions – in our methodology we use a wide range of tools, including design for the future or speculative design. The methodology has been consulted and co-created with mentors, who will be directly supporting the three groups.
SPLOT UA is a space where science, art, culture, design and entrepreneurship meet to develop cross-disciplinary social innovations for a better future for Ukrainian citizens. The thematic areas are strictly linked to the current needs of the Ukrainian society and economy, as described in Ukraine’s Recovery Plan. We encourage participants to delve into the problems and challenges that appear in their hometowns as a result of war, as a starting point for their initiatives. Their input and personal experiences provide a priceless connection with the most pressing needs of society.
Mentors of the Residency have been chosen to ensure a complex approach in facilitating applicable solutions, well-grounded from a scientific point of view and corresponding with the actual needs.
SPLOT UA participants demonstrate a deep involvement in helping their compatriots suffering as a result of war. Some of the activities they are involved in include: counselling, tutoring, supporting people seeking refuge abroad and organising deliveries of aid to their hometowns and soldiers fighting at the front line. By joining SPLOT UA Residency they wanted to upskill themselves and develop more efficient ways of providing help for their communities.
SPLOT aims also to support the restoration of social bonds in areas and communities directly affected by the Russian invasion. We hope that the legacy of the program will be defined through real-life applications of the ideas of its participants, and benefit Ukrainian society long term.
SPLOT UA Initiative is organised by:
- New Space Foundation (a Polish NGO implementing projects in the field of education and science for social and economic development in Poland and Europe)
- Science Now (a multidisciplinary creative studio specialising in strategic design and new venture development at the intersection of art, science, new tech, education and entertainment)
- US Embassy in Warsaw (supports the project financially and provides some of the experts and mentors participating in the programme)
Partners who provide facilities/communications support/expertise/speakers:
NOSPR National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra in Katowice, Leiden University, International Astronomical Union, Unitalent foundation by the Unibep Group, Polish Economic Institute, Unitalent, Microsoft, Match & Spark, Microsoft, Fulbright Poland, as well as independent experts and speakers representing a multitude of fields and disciplines, such as culture management, astronomy, speculative design, economy
Communication activities:
- We have established a relationship with the Communication Media Center at the Embassy of Ukraine, which supports promotion of the program and will potentially support the further development and implementation of concepts created as an outcome of the project.
- The recruitment process included a social media campaign and joint communication with organisations, and institutions within and outside of our network of contacts – over 100 contacts, including 30+ schools and universities, 10+ foundations, 10+ Associations, 15+ Ukrainian and Polish Media and local spaces involved in helping Ukraine.
SPLOT UA Residency was created to address selected problems highlighted in Ukraine’s Recovery Plan. The design of the framework for the residency was based on the principles of Universal Design Principles. The principles of i.a. equitable, flexible and easy use will also apply to the innovations on which the Participants will be working.
The program focuses on three thematic areas, each built around different disciplines and knowledge fields:
1. Healing the city – Residents work with leading experts in the fields of: architecture, urban planning, government affairs, urban art and cultural policies. Experts will host a series of workshops, keynote speeches and seminars providing the Residents with a broad and complex understanding of aspects involved in designing solutions for building back better, more community-friendly cities.
3. Rewilding the night – the main points of focus are light pollution, preserving the dark sky and designing ideas for sustainable tourism. Experts invited to work with this group include astronomers, astrophysicists, climate policy experts, and educators. Residents who chose this group have astronomy, design, entrepreneurship and environmental education. By bringing them together we encourage cross-disciplinary innovation.
2. Revitalising education – in this group the work focuses on identifying and addressing challenges for the education system in Ukraine during and after the war. Participants work with experts in academic and non-academic education, sociologists, multimedia artists & producers. They aim to develop new education solutions which will mix traditional learning models with modern media and technology.
The interactions between all involved parties will take place during scheduled online & offline meetings. The everyday communication and integration between participants, organisers, experts and mentors is also facilitated by specially created channels on slack and on social media.
The unique thing about SPLOT UA is the situation it aims to address. A full-scale war in the middle of Europe is an experience unknown to most European citizens. While many ad hoc aid initiatives have been started since the outbreak of the war, SPLOT is unique in being future-focused and relevant in various disciplines simultaneously.
SPLOT goes beyond providing existential aid and creating a platform to understand Ukrainian refugees on a personal, individual level. The influx of Ukrainian refugees created a challenge for all hosting countries – the immediate large-scale humanitarian response gave the refugees safe places to stay. But instantly a new question appeared: what’s next for them?
SPLOT hopes to give participants a sense of purpose, continuity and further development of their education and personal skills by linking them with leading professionals in their fields of interest. The recruitment process targeted skilled and talented young people representing different disciplines, keeping at the same time a strong emphasis on creating highly functional working groups.
SPLOT also translates the language of global policies and ideas for the future of Ukraine into the form of immediate action and a lively & inspiring community. While major government or EU programs may take a long time to implement, SPLOT UA could have been launched much quicker, providing an instant first step for addressing the problems that will remain relevant for many years.
SPLOT also touches on problems that may not be addressed by other recovery programs, such as light pollution. Because of a strong scientific connection between Science Now Studio and astronomy, we were able to recognise the challenges and opportunities arising from Ukraine’s unique position as one of the biggest areas of dark sky in Europe. Innovations created during SPLOT UA can set an example for many similar protective activities in other countries around the world.
Transferability was among the top priorities while designing the program. We believe that even the most brilliant ideas resonate only when they are shared and inspire others. We implemented that throughout the initiative, introducing it during two phases: (1) Finalised concepts will be published online on an open-source licence so that they can inspire further uptake and work as blueprints for similar interventions (our goal is to push the prototypes to be developed and in a long run – have them implemented in some way) (2) SPLOT UA residency is accompanied by the Open Program (launch date: Feb '23) – a format which invites a broader audience to join keynote lectures and supports dissemination of knowledge (materials from the lecture will remain available on SPLOT various channels)
By these actions we hope to inspire similar projects, especially concerning:
1. Refugees in Europe - create a transferable framework for initiating a broad range of social activities which give a sense of belonging and agency to refugees living in European countries. Our solutions can help with: identifying and recruiting suitable participants, involving top-level professionals to provide mentorship, stimulating social integration, prototyping social innovations.
2. Revitalising urban areas - reconstruction of destroyed cities will be a great challenge for Ukraine. It will present an opportunity to build back better cities. Ideas implemented in this process can prove beneficial to many other cities struggling with the revitalisation of post-industrial, degraded areas.
3. Innovative education - from everyday access to lifelong learning possibilities. These challenges apply to many different contexts, not exclusively war-related. We hope our ideas will inspire solutions for inclusive education for people from various disadvantaged groups.
4. Environmental pollution - highlighting the importance of preserving nature, a broad approach to rebuilding sustainable tourism after the war.
SPLOT UA combines experiences from Science Now and New Space Foundation initiative ART+DESIGN+SCIENCE (https://bit.ly/3kUo2jh), a program for young creatives to break down barriers in thinking about collaboration and creativity. Experiences from that helped us build interdisciplinary learning and team-working formats. They are based on:
(1) PERSPECTIVE
We encourage participants to think from these perspectives: (1) Human-centred design (stimulating empathy towards people to whom the projects are addressed), (2) Humanity-centred design (expanding perspective beyond particular user, thinking on a societal level with interrelated issues), (3) Life-centred design (fostering thinking about a regenerative and globally-inclusive framework that aims to create various ways of being).
(2) KNOWLEDGE
The ecosystem of roles in the program (mentors, experts, tutors & facilitators) is focused on creating as disciplinary a network as possible.
(3) GROUPS
In the 1st phase of open call, applicants answer open questions (motivations, inspirations, expertise and competencies). Based on the preliminary evaluation, 40% of applicants are invited to online interviews, where we get to know them better. The goal of this is to pre-assign them to thematic groups so that they are as diverse as possible (gender balance, competencies, age, experience and personalities). 21 participants take part in the program.
(4) THEMES
Based on the UA Recovery Plan published by the UA Govt, we identified 3 themes as design challenges for the program. They have been consulted with experts from relevant fields and captured in a form of descriptions available on SPLOT website. Special attention was paid to approachable, evocative language.
(5) CREATIVE PROCESS
Methodology is inspired by design sprints and divided into 6 main stages (Map & understand, Sketch, Decide, Design, Prototype, Test). The process is intertwined with workshops and tutoring sessions. Participants’ work is facilitated (not led) b
The main challenges addressed by SPLOT UA are the war in Ukraine and the resulting refugee crisis. SPLOT provides a new way of thinking about the integration of refugees in their own network and in local communities while keeping a connection with their hometowns. Thematic areas of SPLOT UA are based on the UA Recovery Plans published on https://recovery.gov.ua – to prioritise the needs of Ukrainian society, but in a broader context, they can be also transferred to many other realities. The mass migration of Ukrainian refugees to Poland opened a new chapter in the cross-border relationship between the two countries, which wasn’t always easy. The situation provides new opportunities for rethinking the coexistence of the two countries in times of crisis and beyond.
Education-wise, SPLOT UA is designed in a way intended to develop a mindset beyond silo, which is a problem of many modern highly-specialised institutions. At SPLOT we are teaching our participants how to address complex challenges in a holistic way, by working on interdisciplinary solutions.
Other key challenges have been outlined in the 3 thematic groups of the programme described in the earlier sections of the form.
As part of the project SPLOT UA Residency, during the period up to January 31, 2023, we have completed and implemented the following:
- Concept development (detailed design of the program’s structure, ecosystem of roles in the program, the review of the Ukraine Recovery Plan published by the Ukrainian Government, definition of 3 thematic areas and the design challenges of the residency program, methodology of the creative process)
- Calendar (complete agenda of the creative process and specified dates and locations of online and onsite events in Katowice, Białystok and Warsaw. We have also confirmed venues with the local partners, confirmed dates for the official reception held by the Ambassador of the United States to Poland for the participants, mentors, experts and partners of the program)
- Program’s visual identity and communication (a coherent and modern brand identity with the intention to effectively communicate with the target group of the project, website, social media channels)
- Partnerships (established partnerships with relevant organizations, institutions and companies and confirmed them, established a relationship with the Communication Media Center at the Embassy of Ukraine in Poland)
- Mentors and experts (confirmed 3 mentors & confirmed 8 key-note speakers)
- Participants recruitment (21 participants currently taking part in the program, chosen out of 126 applications)
- Onboarding meeting (two online introductory meetings with organisers, mentors and participants)
Steps to be taken in 1st half of 2023:
- By the end of April 2023, the groups will present their prototypes of social innovations
- Participant’s concepts will be published first as a case study published on Behance, then subsequently as an open-source package
- Outreach activities led by the New Space Foundation and Science Now team - presenting the concepts and prototypes on relevant events and utilising our network of contacts to promote the projects.
SPLOT UA supports the development of skills corresponding to all aspects of the European sustainability competence framework (Green-Comp). It embodies sustainability values by linking them to all innovations developed during the Residency. This starts on a granular level of personal commitment to sustainability demonstrated by successfully selected participants – and goes further in underlying sustainability as a core aspect of all created innovations.
The fundamental idea behind SPLOT is to create future-oriented innovations for Ukraine. This requires a focus on providing thorough technological and pragmatic grounding for all ideas. It is ensured by the participation of leading professionals and practitioners in particular disciplines.
But the main driving force behind the program is the will to act and to give agency to UA refugees, scattered all over Poland. Their participation in the program creates an inspiring mixture of individual initiative and creativity – and our goal is to facilitate the strengthening of their sense of agency to put their ideas into life.
Through the interdisciplinary approach and broad range of competencies and skills of our mentors, experts and participants, we embrace the complexity of any functional and future-oriented sustainability innovations. That is possible thanks to a carefully curated collective process which encourages critical and creative thinking in building better.
The edu aspect of the program refers not only to the participants developing new skills/knowledge but more importantly, to the exchange of skills and attitudes amongst themselves. Members are set together in contrasting and most beneficial ways - one member of the team is a representative of humanities studies and collaborates with a coder, or a dancer works together with a UX designer. By working together on a shared goal, participants can share methodologies, tools and ways of thinking from their own fields, creating a seamless exchange of knowledge.
