The SETI Institute announces the shortlist for Cosmic Consciousness residencies

The SETI Institute announces the shortlist for Cosmic Consciousness residencies

The SETI Institute announced the short list for its new Cosmic Consciousness residency, part of the SETI Artist-in-Residence (AIR) program. In May 2024, the program invited writers and poets to submit proposals exploring big questions like "What is the nature of consciousness?" and "How does intelligence evolve?" Authors were encouraged to explore themes like alien intelligence, AI and consciousness, transhumanism and more. Submissions came from a wide variety of genres, including literature, sci-fi, speculative fiction, experimental poetry and philosophy.

This is the first time SETI AIR is offering the Cosmic Consciousness residency, which includes two opportunities: an 18-month residency for mid-career artists with a $10K stipend and a 12-month residency for emerging artists with a $5K stipend.

This residency connects with a key research focus at the SETI Institute: understanding intelligence. If humans ever communicate with intelligent life from other planets, how would we comprehend their thoughts, ideas, and language? This residency blends art and science together to explore these big ideas.

The SETI Institute received many submissions from artists all over the world. 

"It was an absolute joy to read through these submissions," said SETI AIR Program Director Bettina Forget. "The diversity of ideas in response to the residency’s research question was fantastic, and I was deeply impressed by the caliber of the artists who submitted proposals. The hardest part of reviewing the submissions was narrowing it down to a shortlist.” 

Experimental poet and scholar Gregory Betts, the Lead Advisor of the Cosmic Consciousness residency, added, “The submissions we received were wildly ambitious and totally innovative. The depth and quality far exceeded my expectations, which bodes very well for the future of this residency. I cannot wait to see the work that comes out of this program.”

The Cosmic Consciousness Shortlist 2024

Open Call (Mid-Career Artists)

Ángel Diaz Miranda
Doug Johnstone
Kelly Kowalski and Erik Loyer
Bart Kuipers, Julie Michèle Morin, and Daniela Brill Estrada
Orchid Tierney

Emerging Artists

Jeremy Colangelo
Tomas Ives
Julie Mae Stanley

Stay tuned for September 23, 2024, when we will announce the winners of the COSMIC Consciousness residencies. For more information about the SETI AIR program, please visit www.seti.org/air