Summer Academy for Artistic Research

SAAR 2026

Sunday 9 - Friday 14 August 2026, Voss (Norway)
 

Welcome

Program and working methods

Participants

Documentation
 

Photo: SAAR 2026 will take place at Voss, where we will stay at Voss folkehøgskule. 

Welcome to SAAR 2026

The Summer Academy for Artistic Research (SAAR) 2026 takes place at Voss in Norway. SAAR aims to provide a supportive setting where PhD candidates in Artistic Research from all fields can share, collaborate, present their on-going research, and receive feedback from peers and experienced supervisors from leading academic art institutions.


SAAR 2026 will bring together 18 PhD candidates and 9 supervisors from Sweden, Finland, and Norway. The aim is to reflect the international diversity of Artistic Research and to provide a stimulating environment for co-creation, conversation, and supervision. SAAR is based on the participants' projects, and the activities are centered around their projects, as well as questions and reflections generated by each year´s specific context. 

Organisation

 

The SAAR network is coordinated by Uniarts Helsinki and governed by a joint Nordic Steering Group. The host for SAAR 2026 is The Norwegian Artistic Research Programme, which is part of the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills.  

Photo: Voss folkehøgskule.

Key dates


10 April 2026
Deadline for confirming who the SAAR participants are from each institution.

29 May 2026
Deadline for bios and abstracts/research descriptions etc. and allergies/dietary restrictions.

12 June 2026
Launch of full programme, bios and abstracts/research descriptions.

3 August 2026
You will receive an email with practical information and latest updates.

9 August 2026
Arrival at Voss, and start of the Summer Academy for Artistic Research 2026.

Venue

 

SAAR takes place at Voss, Norway. 

Photo: Prestegardsmoen, Voss.

Accomandation

 

We will stay at Voss folkehøgskule. The venue is in a walking distance to Voss centre and Vangsvatnet (where it is possible to swim). All participants will have their own room. Linen and towels are included. Meals are included (breakfast, lunch, afternoon coffees, and dinner). 

Arrival and departure

 

Vy train from Oslo or Bergen. Check times with Vy´s journey planner. From Voss train station it is 1,5 km to Voss folkehøgskule, and it is possible to walk. 

Theme and program

 

The theme for this year’s summer academy is context. See more details in the program, but the most important component is the participant´s ongoing research projects and processes. 

Hand in: bios and research abstracts

 

All participants – both PhD candidates and supervisors – are requested to submit:

 

  • Short bios (200 words maximum). We would appreciate if you include a portrait.
  • Short abstracts (300 words maximum). The abstract should describe your Artistic Research project or current research interests. More detailes to be announced.

 

Please include links to any online sources that are relevant to your research. You are most welcome to also include images, sounds, videos etc. Such material might be important for our understanding of your project/research interest. Please choose a format for the material that easily can be uploaded to the Research Catalogue.

 

Deadline for submitting the material is 29 of May 2026.

 

E-mail to pku@hkdir.no with “SAAR 2026” in the message header. You can use for example WeTransfer if the material are over the size limit for email.

 

The material will be published on this website, and it will be an important starting point and reference for the discussions and activites.

Photo: Voss folkehøgskule.

What to prepare

 

Please be prepared to expose us to your project in one way or another, but in the time frame of five minutes. This will be a plenary sessions on the first day of the event (sharing marathon), where the intention is to become curious about the different projects/research topics.

 

This session will also be a starting point for dwelling more with the doctoral students projects in smaller groups the next days.

 

Please read the program page for more information. 

What to bring

 

We recommend that you bring functional and warm outdoor clothing. The weather in Norway in August can be very unpredictable and the temperature might vary a lot. You should be prepared for both rain and sun:


  • Wind- and waterproof jacket and trousers
  • Warm sweater or jacket
  • Water-resistant hiking shoes
  • Head wear and gloves
  • Bathing clothes
  • Outdoor sitting map
 
Take a look at the weather forecast: Yr - Vossevangen.