Irish Enterprise Awards 2021

EU BUSINESS NEWS /2021 Irish Enterprise Awards 39 , Feb21207 Best International Cultural Initiative 2021 Science Gallery International is the founding body behind the Science Gallery Network; a global collaboration of universities that strives to ignite creativity and discovery where science and art collide. The first network of its kind in the world, Science Gallery provides the tools and resources to reshape education for young people, delivering cultural and educational experiences that centre on digital connectivity and innovation. Established in 2012, Science Gal lery International was created with a goal to build the Science Gallery Network, that would bring together leading universities to collaborate towards a singular mission: to ignite creativity and discovery in a world where science and art collide. Today, Science Gallery International is the central force of the one-of-a-kind network it has created, utilising an expert team to provide the tools, knowledge and resources to build the network and strengthen the connectivity within it. Spread between eight galleries across four continents in Dublin, London, Melbourne, Bengaluru, Venice, Detroit, Rotterdam and Atlanta, the Science Gallery Network is committed to marrying science, art, technology and design together in world-class, cultural experiences to inspire young people. The nature of the Network is that it allows collaboration across the world, enabling teams to co- curate exhibitions, develop joint projects, inspire and lead training programs for one another, and widen exhibition open calls to thousands of participants from around the world. To date, more than 4 million people have visited the galleries; hundreds of the world’s best and brightest scientists, artists, and researchers have used the Network as a platform from which to present ground-breaking work; and more than 1.7 million visitors have engaged with the galleries’ travelling exhibitions. The momentum of the Network has empowered the universities within it to innovate education, utilising the resources created by Science Gallery that encompass cutting-edge technology and digital platforms, peer support, mobility programs and unique knowledge exchange, to create global learning experiences for the university and local community. The partners within the Network each contribute to key strategic objectives of internationalisation, excellence in research and learning, innovation and entrepreneurship, student recruitment, and community engagement. The results are proven, tangible impacts in the wider community. In its offerings to global communities, Science Gallery also respects the distinct knowledge and competencies of those communities within its network to navigate the future of innovation and education in their own way. Through values of connection, creativity and collaboration, Science Gallery takes a proactive approach built on trust, respect, listening and learning to work alongside its partner universities, rather than for them, so that together, the Network can bring together creativity, knowledge, innovation and curiosity in their many rich and diverse forms. Science Gallery Dublin, which is now in its thirteenth year of operation and has welcomed more than three million visitors since its inception, takes pride in its Irish base, contributing to the country’s role as a hub for technology and innovation that plays a major part on the global stage. Ireland thrives on a culture of building communities and this is, after all, at the very heart of the Science Gallery philosophy. While most of the galleries in the Network have had to close their doors for now as a result of the pandemic, the fully online event and exhibition offering that has taken over has enabled Science Gallery to reach even more audiences around the world. During this period of international crisis, it is more apparent than ever that Science Gallery’s international mindset that drives education, outreach and engagement is vital. As such, the network continually strives to be a force for good, powering creative, dynamism and lateral thought. Today, as the only university network in the world that is dedicated to public engagement with science and art, Science Gallery is committed to growth, focusing on adding members from unrepresented regions to ensure total globality in its galleries and audiences. To that end, Science Gallery Melbourne will open the doors of its brand-new, purpose- built gallery space in June 2021. Designed by William Smart of Smart Design Studio, the university’s innovation precinct includes more than 3,500 square metres of immersive exhibition and learning spaces, complete with interactive digital experiences. The opening will coincide with the launch of the MENTAL exhibition, exploring the full spectrum of mental health and creating a positive place to confront societal bias and stigma. By 2025, Science Gallery anticipates it will become a global university platform with a critical mass of public venues and digital channels that engage millions of people every year, with four additional galleries so as to reach even more local audiences and extend the cultural and educational reach of the Network. Each university will continue to be connected by an ethos that bridges traditional learning and expertise and new forms of knowledge to become a hub for forward-thinking individuals who together bring their university into the future. Contact: Andrea Bandelli Company: Science Gallery International Website: sciencegallery.org