Arts on the Edge Spaces (ARES) is a two-year cooperation project initiated by WASP STUDIOS Bucharest together with HIAP Helsinki and SCIAENA Faro. The project connects cultural organisations and artists working in communities situated at the geographic, social and symbolic edges of Europe. Rooted in cross-border collaboration and shared infrastructure, ARES develops sustainable models of mobility, research, co-creation and artistic circulation.

ARES unfolds in places often perceived as peripheral — geographically, politically or culturally. Coastal territories, delta regions and post-industrial urban contexts are proposed as working grounds for artistic research responding to climate pressure, shifting economies and geopolitical instability.

The platform is structured around three operational pillars. Exploration Junctions delivers coordinated residencies and co-production schemes, providing artists with research and production resources to develop context-based work. Creation Crossovers ensures the circulation of arts projects across the partner countries in the frame of an itinerant exhibition. Marginalised Knowledge integrates public talks, workshops and other exchange and learning practices, linking artistic research to broader discussions on adaptation and cultural sustainability.

ARES proposes a practical model for cross-border collaboration built on shared infrastructure, co-production and long-term partnerships, investigating “edge positions” as sites of knowledge production, resilience and imagination.

Read about the selected artists here.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

About the locations

Romania: WASP closely collaborates with national partners hosting residencies in the Danube Delta, at The Ivan Patzaichin Museum – Community Innovation Center in Mila 23, Atelier Saraev in Sulina and at NOD Makerspace, along Dâmbovița River in Bucharest. 

Portugal: One of the most striking coastline landscapes in the Algarve is Ria Formosa, a protected region of exceptional ecological significance. Stretching along the eastern Algarve coast between Faro, Olhão, Tavira, and Vila Real de Santo António, Ria Formosa is a dynamic area of barrier islands, tidal channels, salt marshes, salt pans, lagoons, and beaches where natural ecosystems collide with activities and ways of life that are closely linked to the sea

Finland: Suomenlinna island. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Suomenlinna is home to 800 permanent residents, 400 workers, an open prison, an active military base and is visited by over 1 million tourists annually. The island has a diverse and important history in the context of Finland and the broader Nordic Baltic region’s past. You can find out more about Suomenlinna’s history here. 

About the partners

WASP Working Art Space and Production is a cultural organisation which develops strategic national and international partnerships to support the production and promotion of contemporary visual and performing arts, organises and hosts residencies, workshops, debates, productions and presentations. Established in 2012, WASP has developed its activity as a community center for arts and culture in Bucharest, activating the important role of dialogue and inclusion, education and audience development. Since 2017, WASP has developed cross-disciplinary international projects, between art, architecture and ecology, including multidisciplinary creations and itinerary exhibitions in Europe. 

Sciaena is a Portuguese environmental NGO that works at the intersection of creative expression, community involvement, and marine science. Founded in 2006, it runs from local projects with fishing villages and schools to national and international advocacy addressing important ocean-related issues. It envisions a healthy ocean supported by an informed and empowered people. 

Believing in the transformative power of the arts to translate scientific knowledge into shared cultural experiences, Sciaena uses artistic expression as a bridge between research, emotion and public action. In 2014, it created Mar Motto, an annual ocean-focused arts festival that brings together contemporary art, debates, music, performances and workshops in a temporary exhibition space. Expanding this dialogue between science, culture and environmental awareness, Sciaena also launched Scianema in 2016, an annual environmental film festival showcasing documentaries that explore the fragile relationship between humanity and the marine environment. 

HIAP Helsinki International Artist Programme has delivered residencies for international artists since 1998, and is the largest artist residency platform in the Nordic Baltic region. We work across two locations in Helsinki – Cable Factory, a multi-arts centre on Helsinki mainland, and Suomenlinna, a UNESCO world heritage site and island located approximately 15 minutes by boat from Helsinki’s Kauppatori. Annually, we welcome up to 75 artists across both sites, to undertake residencies. HIAP also programmes Gallery Augusta, located on Suomenlinna, which is an exhibition platform for international and Finland based artists, and coordinates FAIRE, the Finnish Artist Residency Network. Projects include Ukraine Solidarity Residencies Programme, Learning Materials and multiple international exchanges.