Concordia University’s MFA graduate students have recently been invited to the Arctic Circle Residency as participants of the Leadership in Environmental and Digital Innovation for Sustainability (LEADS) program.

The collaborative work of Dimo Ivanov and Sonya Stoeva took shape in 2010 as the duo IvanovStoeva following several collaborative projects in Canada and Europe. Currently they are completing their Master’s in Intermedia (Video, Performance and Electronic Arts).

During their participation in the Leadership in Environmental and Digital Innovation for Sustainability (LEADS) program, they hope to reach out to a large collaborative sphere in order to contribute to actions towards climate change and sustainability solutions. LEADS will give them the opportunity to develop their knowledge for interdisciplinary collaboration, with the goal of creating a bridge between science and society using art and digital technology.

Their proposed project will evolve during a research residency. The Arctic Circle Residency, which brings together international artists and scientists on an exploratory journey. It will start with a departure from Longyearbyen, Svalbard, and will be carried out on a sailboat travelling to the Arctic Circle. The objective of the residency program is to offer to the participants a common experience to stimulate exchange and collaboration. IvanovStoeva’s goal as researchers-artists is to inform, inspire and stimulate actions. For them, the combination of technology, science and art has great potential, and they are eager to contribute to this field. The project will help build a broader understanding of the many positive effects that the natural environment provides for us as natural beings.