JRC Makers-in-Residence programme

The JRC makers-in-residence programme is an annual, short-term research-focused residence hosted by the JRC Makerspace, in the Joint Research Centre’s Ispra site, in Italy. The residence is centred around specific concepts and themes directly tied to the science and technology policy topics considered in the Joint Research Centre’s Annual Work Programme. Each year a new theme is proposed. The JRC makers-in-residence programme aims to:

During the duration of the residency, makers are asked to produce a tangible outcome, be it a workshop, a prototype, an artwork, or an exhibition.

The JRC makers-in-residence programme is part of a new strategy that views citizens as epistemic actors and not just people whose opinions need to be surveyed. Furthermore, it makes the JRC makerspace visible to the makers’ community, which is a necessary legitimacy.  The main strategic reasons to run a residence programme with makers through the JRC makerspace are:

1. Implementing the experimental angle of citizen engagement as per pillar experimentation of the CC;

2. Complement and even underpin other citizen engagement activities that are ongoing for policy or science for policy files;

3. Demonstration for the makers’ movement on how their interventions can be made helpful for institutionalised policy design;

4. Connecting directly to the makers’ communities and strengthening the place/visibility of the JRC makerspace within the network of makerspaces.

In the last few years, the Competence Centre on Participatory and Deliberative Democracy (CC-DEMOS) has experimented with citizen engagement through makerspaces, demonstrating the value of co-design, tinkering, and prototyping to have conversations about the science and policy issues of concern (e.g., the future of work; connected and automated vehicles). The plan is to have in residence each year a maximum of four makers for the next five years, i.e., 2022-2027.

The JRC Makers-in-Residence programme offers participants the possibility to:

develop and original thematic project (that can combining art, science and technology);

have access to a unique space at the crossroad between science and policy – the JRC Makerspace;

have financial support in the format of a grant & travel allowance;

have access to the necessary digital fabrication equipment to go from an idea into a physical prototype;

exchange ideas with the JRC technical and scientific staff;

foster partnerships with other makers;

publish the findings of the work carried out.

The third edition of the JRC Makers-in-Residence programme is planned for the first quarter of 2024. Makers are selected to develop a tangible outcome (e.g., workshop, prototype, artwork, exhibition), original and re-usable to respond to the challenges in one of the topics proposed:

The selected makers are invited to a maximum 10-day funded residency taking place at the JRC Makerspace, located in Ispra, Italy. Please note that some preparatory work will be required to be carried out beforehand, remotely.

What: JRC Makers-in-Residence Edition #3

When: first quarter of 2024.

Where: JRC Makerspace, located in Ispra, Italy.

Duration: maximum 10-day on-site. Preparatory work will be required to be carried out beforehand, remotely.

Financial Support: Yes, in the format of a grant.

Travel: Plane or train expenses covered.

Accommodation: Not provided. Fix accommodation allowance provided to cover the costs.

Food: Not included but it is possible to use the JRC canteen.

Application deadline: 30 September 2023, 12:00 CET.

More:  https://cop-demos.jrc.ec.europa.eu/jrc-makers-in-residence

Applications to the programme were open between 16th August and 15th September 2022.