Imagined Organizations: Practices of Artistic Research Moving Across Semiperipheries

The practice and discourse of contemporary art have undergone profound changes with the emergence of artistic research, one of the most important factors that have modulated established practice in the field. In addition, artistic research has presented a whole set of new challenges and pressures on the institutional forms through which both state and non-state actors support artistic development. This has not been a uniform development, but one that has different characteristics in different political geographies. If in the ‘former East’, these changes overlapped with the major geopolitical changes of the 1990s, in the ‘former West’, the rise of artistic research has been strongly determined by the internal discourses and practices of universities and art academies. It is now clear that, in both geopolitical contexts, the new demands on institutional structures arising from the need for change generated by the specific challenges of artistic research have not been fully resolved. Imagined Organizations is an international gathering of artists, curators, researchers and activists to share and discuss these challenges. We will also address the organizational imaginaries through which the development of artistic research cultures, infrastructures and environments have been elaborated. 

The intensive will include contributions from including Charles Esche (NL), Djordje Balmajovic (SRB/ SI), Andrei Trager (MD/Prednistrovie Republic), Minna Henriksson & Sezgin Boynik (FI / RKS), Vitalie Sprînceană (MD), Cristina David (RO), Mick Wilson (IRL / SE), Stine Hebert (DK), Ioana Florea, Maria Hlavajova (NL), Ioana Florea (RO), Ghenadie Popescu (MD), Baran Caginli (TR / FI), more.  

Partners organising the event include: transit.ro/; 1+1 (RO); Oberliht Association, Chișinău, (MD); Doctoral School Visual Arts Art University, Iași (RO); HDK-Valand Academy of Art and Design, University of Gothenburg (SE); and the Centre for Art and Political Imaginaries, CAPIm (SE). 

Programme details posted in 20 April 2026.  

This event is free and open public, opportunity to book will open in 20 April 2026.