Locarno Film Festival 2026

In 2019, we initiated an experiment: bringing together young scientists and over 250 international artists at the Locarno Film Festival BaseCamp. What began as a bold idea has since evolved into one of the most dynamic and inspiring formats within the NCCR MSE’s Art of Molecule ethics platform.
Each year, this unique environment opens a rare space for encounter—where scientific thinking meets artistic practice, and where new forms of dialogue emerge beyond disciplinary boundaries. It is an intense, immersive experience that challenges etsablished perspectives and sharpens one’s ability to communicate science in a broader societal context.

From 5–15 August 2026, we will once again invite a selected group of PhD students and postdocs to join our Ambassadors of Science team at the Locarno Film Festival BaseCamp – Laboratory of Ideas.

For ten days, Locarno becomes a global hub of auteur cinema, artistic experimentation, and intellectual exchange. As part of BaseCamp, you will:

• Engage with around 250 international filmmakers and artists
• Participate in talks, masterclasses, and curated discussions
• Contribute to a vibrant, transdisciplinary community
• Explore new ways of thinking, communicating, and collaborating

This is not a conference. It is a living laboratory—a place where ideas are tested in conversation, where perspectives collide, and where new forms of understanding take shape.

We are seeking curious, open-minded researchers who are willing to step beyond their disciplinary comfort zones and actively engage in dialogue with the arts. If you would like to be part of our Ambassadors of Science team, please submit a short application (max. 1 A4 page) addressing:

• Who you are and what drives your research
• Your motivation for engaging in Art–Science dialogue
• Your experience (or interest) in science communication
• Your connection to or curiosity about contemporary art
• Your thoughts on digital, environmental, and societal futures

To help us better understand your perspective and approach, we also encourage you to include:

• One concrete example of your science communication experience (e.g. a talk, outreach activity, teaching format, media contribution)
• A short idea or proposal for what you would like to bring to Locarno (e.g. a format, topic, intervention, or way of engaging with artists)
• Your personal perspective on why dialogue between art and science matters today

Optional (but highly welcome):

• A link to a video, talk, or project you have contributed to
• Initial thoughts for a small “Ambassador project” you might develop during the festival

Please include a short CV with your application.

Deadline: 22 May 2026

ralf.stutzki(at)unibas.ch

Because this experience will change how you think about your work.
Because it will sharpen your voice as a scientist in society.
And because, for a brief moment in August, you will become part of a community that believes that science and art are not separate worlds—but different ways of asking the same essential questions.

Selected participants will receive:

• Travel costs (public transport, 2nd class, from Basel)
• Accommodation in Locarno, including breakfast
• Full access to the Locarno Film Festival programme, including a festival pass
• Participation in the BaseCamp – Laboratory of Ideas, with curated talks, masterclasses, and networking opportunities
• On-site guidance and integration into the Art of Molecule programme