It was my close working relationship with the Wellcome Trust as an architect

and designer that led directly to the invention of Sci-Art.  Back in 1995, when

my conversations with a former Director of the Wellcome Trust first sparked off

the idea, the time seemed to be right for finding ways in which scientists

and artists could be encouraged to enrich and maximise each others potential.  

In pursuit of this idea, the Wellcome Trust was prepared to take a leap in the dark by supporting and sponsoring ideas generated by artists and scientists working together in partnership.  

 

The results of Sci-Art have far exceeded initial expectations; some of the ideas submitted are at the cutting edge and together they have established Sci-Art

as a potentially powerful force for change and innovation in the development

of new products, processes and services.

 

Of the many Sci-Art projects sponsored by the Wellcome Trust just a few pinpoint the way ahead because they have begun to engage with a whole Cycle of Science/Art Creativity from ideas generation to prototyping and testing or, in some cases, to development, implementation and marketing.  In my presentation, I describe the results of just four specific projects:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These four projects can be regarded as ‘exemplars’ of fully fledged and combined creativity.  Some exploitation of their potential has occurred – enough for us to be able to glimpse the nature and value of results achieved by Sci-Art partnerships.  Research into my four exemplars was undertaken in August of this year (2007).  The scientists and artists concerned  have contributed knowledge and insights which enable me now to highlight the deeper trends and significance of the Sci-Art experiment.  The processes of discovery I describe can be regarded as a ‘new type of creativity’ which serves to demonstrate how successful Sci-Art projects can lead to the creation of wealth generating products, processes and/or services.  Charles Landry (my partner in exploring the development of Sci-Art) and I see this development as a key Opportunity in the Creative Economy.In discussing Sci-Art’s future role as a driver of the Creative Economy, Charles and I put forward initial ideas for Sci-Art Lab which draw confidence from the success of the Sci-Art experiment but take it many steps further.

 

Terry Trickett, November 2007

 

 

Subsequently, at the request of the Wellcome Trust, TerryTrickett and Charles Landry set up the Sciart Consortium which included the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, the British Council, the Arts Council of England, NESTA and, of course, the Wellcome Trust.  For three years the Consortium ran

the initiative and, thereafter, for a further five years, the Wellcome Trust re-assumed sole responsibility for Sci-Art.  The last competition was held in 2006.

 

in 1972), has advised many large organisations on their use of space and redesigned the environments in which they work.  His clients have included the Financial Times, IBM, Thorn EMI, Canon Research and, significantly, the Wellcome Trust.  He has carried out much research

on workplace and environmental design and lectured widely on this subject in Britain, America

and Europe.  For the Wellcome Trust he has created exhibitions including ‘Look Hear’, ‘Abracadabra’ and ‘Before Birth’, all on the subject of the art and science of medicine.

 

and a background in forecasting and economics.  He has worked in over 20 countries and undertaken over 180 assignments for national governments, international agencies and local authorities in the UK

and abroad.  His specialisms are strategic policy development, the economics of innovation, and city futures.  His most recent publications are Culture at the Crossroads: Culture and Cultural Institutions