Living Labs of Artistic Intelligence: Prototyping Circular Futures with Biomaterials and Co-Creation / HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-HERITAGE-01

SÕÕR is a Circular Makerlab (based in Estonia) and competence centre for biodesign, nature-based materials, and artistic experimentation, operating as a transdisciplinary innovation environment where artistic practice is embedded into material research, education, and prototyping.

We seek to join a consortium contributing to the call’s objective of mobilising artistic intelligence as a structured approach to addressing complex societal challenges, enhancing soft skills, and boosting innovation and competitiveness.

Strategic fit with the call

The call requires moving beyond theory toward demonstrable integration of artistic approaches into research, innovation ecosystems, and skills development, contributing to Europe’s competitiveness and societal resilience.

SÕÕR directly addresses this through:

• practice-based artistic research embedded in material innovation

• real-world co-creation environments (living lab format)

• tested educational and prototyping methodologies

• strong links between CCIs, education, and sustainability transitions

SÕÕR’s contribution

1. Operationalising “artistic intelligence” through experimental lab methodologies

SÕÕR will contribute validated co-creation and artistic research methodologies, developed through:

• experimental lab practices combining art, science, and making

• structured co-creation formats involving artists, students, researchers, and industry

• iterative prototyping cycles linking artistic exploration with material innovation

These methods translate artistic intelligence into replicable innovation processes, directly addressing the call’s need for methodological frameworks with measurable impact.

2. Demonstrators: biomaterials, circular design & heritage-informed innovation

SÕÕR will lead or support pilot demonstrators where artistic intelligence produces tangible outputs:

• Bio-based materials and prototypes (developed through our biomaterials experimentation)

• Circular design solutions linking sustainability challenges with creative practice

• Heritage-informed material innovation, connecting traditional knowledge and contemporary biodesign

Our biomaterials library (physical + digital) will serve as a shared infrastructure for experimentation, knowledge transfer, and replication across the consortium.

3. Soft skills development through embedded artistic practice

In line with the call’s emphasis on skills and competences, SÕÕR will develop and validate:

• hands-on learning formats (maker-based, experimental, interdisciplinary)

• co-creation toolkits for education and innovation actors

• student integration models, building on collaboration with general and higher education institutions

These activities foster:

• creativity and critical thinking

• systems thinking and sustainability awareness

• cross-sector collaboration skills

4. Innovation ecosystem integration (CCI ↔ research ↔ industry)

SÕÕR acts as a bridge between cultural and creative sectors and innovation ecosystems, contributing to:

• embedding artists in R&I processes

• enabling early-stage experimentation (low TRL prototyping)

• supporting translation from artistic exploration to innovation outputs

This aligns with the call’s ambition to activate CCIs as drivers of cross-sector innovation and competitiveness .

5. Scalable knowledge and tools (impact & legacy)

SÕÕR will ensure long-term impact through:

• open-access biomaterials library and documentation systems

• transferable co-creation and lab methodologies

• toolkits for replication in education, research, and industry contexts

Position in the consortium

SÕÕR is best positioned to contribute to:

• WP: Artistic intelligence methodologies & co-creation frameworks

• WP: Pilot demonstrators (material innovation, circular design)

• WP: Skills development & education (incl. student engagement models)

• WP: Ecosystem building and CCI integration

Unique added value

SÕÕR offers something most consortia lack: a fully operational environment where artistic intelligence is already tested in practice, not just theorised.

Our strength lies in:

• translating artistic processes into material, testable innovation outputs

• combining biodesign, circular economy, and artistic research

• working across education, experimentation, and real-world application

This directly supports the call’s core ambition: demonstrating how the arts contribute concretely to solving complex challenges, enhancing skills, and strengthening European innovation capacity.