MUTEK AI Ecologies Lab

A residency to develop sustainable AI tools for the digital arts

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The MUTEK AI Ecologies Lab is an interdisciplinary residency fostering innovative and sustainable approaches to AI in the cultural sector. As AI democratizes rapidly, its potential for creative exploration and global impact grows. However, the environmental toll of AI, including energy and water consumption, calls for urgent action to develop more sustainable practices. This lab provides a platform to examine these challenges while advancing AI-driven innovation in art and culture. The project is a collaboration between MUTEK, the Society for Arts and Technology (SAT), Applied AI Institute, Milieux Institute and Abundant Intelligences.

Call for Projects

Note: The call for projects is now closed.

Are you an artist, cultural worker, technologist, coder, or researcher exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and ecology?

Who Can Apply?

We are seeking 6 participant groups (including artists, technologists, researchers, or curators) for this opportunity:

4 participant groups from Montréal.
2 participant groups from outside Montréal, within Canada.

Participants from all disciplines and backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Applications are welcome from groups as well as individuals.

Why Apply?

Participants will:

Develop their projects in collaboration with leading mentors and institutions, including the Society for Arts and Technology (SAT), the Milieux Institute and the Applied AI Institute at Concordia University, and Abundant Intelligences.
Gain access to resources and expertise for prototype development.
Present their work to local and international audiences and decision-makers at MUTEK Festival.
Contribute to the creation of sustainable AI tools for the cultural sector.
Each project will be awarded an honorarium of 1,500 CAD.
Travel expenses will be covered if participants are required to be physically present in Montréal. MUTEK will provide one round-trip flight and hotel room per project traveling from outside Montréal.

How to Apply?

Submit your proposal, including:

Project description and objectives (max 500 words).
A short bio (250 words) and relevant portfolio materials.
Your personal approach and concrete examples to addressing the intersection of AI, ecology, and sustainability. (200 words).

Applications can be submitted in French or English.

Deadline for submission: February 14, 2025

SUBMIT YOUR PROJECT

With a commitment to advancing our initiatives for parity and inclusion, we strongly encourage submissions from artists who identify as female or non-binary, Black, Indigenous, or belonging to racialized minorities and/or LGBTQIA2S+ communities or living with a disability.

If, for accessibility reasons, you wish to submit your proposal in a format other than the online form, please contact the MUTEK team at the following email address: soumission@mutek.org. For example, you could submit a two-minute video explaining your creative project.

Please also write to soumission@mutek.org for any other questions regarding your submission with the email subject: Submission // // AI Ecologies Lab

About the Lab

Hosted online and in person in Tiohtià:ke / Mooniyang / Montréal.

Guided by leading institutions and industry experts, the MUTEK AI Ecologies Lab investigates the critical relationships between our digital infrastructures, the cultural sector and our natural ecosystems. The programme invites a cohort of 6 selected participants to develop proposals for AI tools that work towards a sustainable digital arts sector, with access to mentorship and coaching along the way.

The lab not only questions the environmental impacts of spreading AI technologies by cultural organizations and artists but more critically aims to prototype tools and practices that may facilitate more sustainable adoption of AI in the sector.

Through collaborative research and development, the Lab aims to:

Question the environmental impacts of AI when adopted in the cultural sector;
Prototype climate sustainable AI tools for cultural organizations and artistic practice;
Develop best practices for the environmental sustainable adoption and use of AI in the sector;
Situate findings in broader conversations about risks and opportunities of the environmental impact on AI;
Bridge artistic, curatorial, and technical disciplines to drive responsible innovation in the cultural sector.

Outcomes of the lab will be showcased at the MUTEK Forum’s 11th edition in August 2025, through workshops, presentations, and knowledge-sharing activities.

Timetable

January 13 - February 14, 2025: Call for Projects

March 3, 2025: Notification Date

April 2025: Virtual Lab (Online)
A virtual lab (10 hours) featuring seminars and 1:1 coaching sessions. The program emphasizes collaboration and knowledge exchange between participants and a select group of industry experts, aiming to refine their projects and deepen their understanding of artificial intelligence and ecology through various activities.

June 2-6, 2025: In-Person Lab (Tiohtià:ke / Montréal)
The week-long Lab brings the cohort together to create tools through collaboration and innovation. Participants spend the first half of the week at Concordia University, engaging in workshops and mentored work sessions to deepen their expertise. The second half shifts to the Society for Arts and Technology (SAT) for a hackathon-style sprint, where they collaboratively develop technical prototypes of 2-3 tools with guidance from mentors and technical experts.

August 20-22, 2025: Presentation at MUTEK (Tiohtià:ke / Montréal)
The six participants will showcase their work at the MUTEK Forum in Tiohtià:ke / Montréal, gaining valuable feedback and insights from a diverse network of industry professionals to refine their ideas further.

September 2025: Project Evaluation and Feedback
MUTEK gathers feedback from the cohort, mentors and MUTEK Forum participants on the overall impact of both the Lab and Forum activities.

Partners and Mentors

The lab is supported by leading institutions, including:

Society for Arts and Technology (SAT)
Milieux Institute for Art, Culture, and Technology
Abundant Intelligences Program
Applied AI Institute

Thank you to the Canada Council for the Arts and the City of Montreal for their support. This project is funded as part of the Cultural Development Agreement of Montreal established between the City of Montreal and the Government of Quebec.