Performance

EPSN proposes the use of the Performing Arts as a transversal language. Performing Arts and specially the proposed methodology are idoneus for creating fake and immersive experiences perceived as “nearly real” for the audience. These proposed fake experiences have three main advantages: i) they become a risk free and iterable sandbox for experimentation, really valuable for the researchers for validating their theories, techniques and/or technologies; ii) they become a friendly space for civil society to get closer to science and scientists and, iii) the proper language for scientific knowledge transfer and impact in civil society.

Proposed performances will work around the main objective of the European Researchers Night “bringing closer science and civil society and to show the value of science and the scientists”, although it is seen with two really different meanings, objectives and mission according to the point of view.

  • From the audience point of view. A cultural activity.

When civil society faces science, some frontiers appear. Even if they consider it interesting or not, important or not, necessary or not, most of them consider it far away from their daily life and of course out of their reach. The stereotype is that science is only available for some in the elite with a special talent, knowledge and language and to take place in special places where they have no chance to contribute, nor access.

This is the main reason why in the past, when we have tried to invite our neighbourhood to a really interesting talk about neuroscience, most of them commented on the importance of neuroscience but nearly none of them came to the talk (Information vs Memory, 2018).

The approach to be spread throughout the citizenship is a traditional performance and/or exhibition around science directed by La Fura dels Baus, widely recognised locally and internationally as it has been responsible, during 40 years, from the opening of the Olympic Games in Barcelona 92’ to the conceptualization and scenographies of new contemporaneous operas.

  • From the researchers’ point of view. An experiment.

Often scientists are too closed and busy in their silos, trying to solve long term global challenges without a clear deadline and pretty overloaded. This together with the frustration they usually feel when trying to communicate with society, don’t let them feel comfortable when working in knowledge transfer to civil society and consider it a burden in terms of ted in our previous experiences, this new concept of performing science allows scientists to have a direct “return on investment”, as they can use the event as a lab-test, and improve their research.

As demonstrated in previous experience, this new approach is much more valuable for the scientist and impacts significantly on the implication of the research teams (Scientific communication is not anymore only for science lovers and/or Scientific Culture departments, but now also includes researchers). The Performing Scienceconcept, comes back to the Renaissance where Leonardo was both an artist and a scientist. 

During the performance, the researchers will collect data related to the experiments in which the audience participates. These data will be collected taking into account different parameters and means according to the technical needs of each experiment. Data from this event may be used towards scientific publications, new research lines, new collaborations between researchers.