The Interactive Arts Lab (InArts Lab) at the Department of Audio & Visual Arts, School of Music and Audiovisual Arts, Ionian University, was established on June 23, 2015, with the mission to promote research, education, and artistic creation in areas that integrate art, technology, science, and communication theory. From its inception, the Lab has assumed a pivotal role as a bridge—connecting artistic practice with theoretical reflection, university frameworks with international networks, and creative imagination with rigorous scholarship.
Over the past decade, InArts Lab has become a reference point for contemporary arts both in Greece and internationally. Its interdisciplinary approach is not merely rhetorical; it is a daily practice that brings together artists, researchers, students, theorists, and technical specialists, all sharing a common interest in exploring the complex interplay between humans, machines, and the environment.
Interactivity, as a core principle and method, lies at the heart of the Lab’s ethos. It extends beyond technological applications to encompass all forms of communication and exchange—among bodies, species, ideas, and institutions. In this context, art is approached as a research process, research as creative practice, and education as a collective experience.
During its first decade, InArts Lab has participated in and led numerous research and artistic programs that have expanded the boundaries of the field of interactive arts. Notable among these is the European project Rewilding Cultures (Creative Europe 2022–2026), which investigates new modes of coexistence between human and non-human life through art and ecology. Equally significant is the Lab’s engagement with international networks such as Taboo–Transgression–Transcendence in Art & Science (TTT) and FEMeeting: Women in Art, Science and Technology, both originating from initiatives by Lab members. These networks have evolved into platforms for dialogue and collaboration, advancing equality, feminist perspectives, cross-border exchange, and the expansion of the boundaries between art and science.
Beyond European and international projects, InArts Lab has supported dozens of national and local initiatives: exhibitions, performances, workshops, symposia, and educational seminars that foreground the social dimension of art and its role in cultivating critical thinking. Participation in the Chania Film Festival, the Mediterranean Biennale of Emerging Artists, as well as in international conferences and exhibitions, underscores the Lab’s continuous presence in both artistic and research arenas.
A particular focus has been placed on participatory education and artistic research through the Department’s programs and the Master of Research in Hybrid Arts (MARes), under the academic coordination of InArts Lab. Here, students and researchers are encouraged to develop practices that combine theoretical rigor with aesthetic experimentation, fostering a learning ecosystem in which art functions as a mode of knowledge rather than merely an object of study.
InArts Lab is not merely a space for producing artwork or conducting research; it is a network of relationships connecting the Ionian University with international universities, research centers, and artistic organizations. Collaborations with institutions such as Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (USA), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, University of Malta, and the Center of Philosophy of Sciences at the University of Lisbon, alongside active participation in international artistic networks, reflect the Lab’s outward-looking, interdisciplinary philosophy.
During its first decade, the Lab has made significant contributions to shaping the field of interactive arts in Greece. The concept of hybridity, fundamental to its identity, is approached not only as a technical or aesthetic combination but as an ethical and cultural stance toward the complexity of contemporary life. From this perspective, InArts Lab seeks to demonstrate the significance of art as a tool for social understanding, ecological awareness, and cultural repositioning.
The years 2015–2025 were marked by challenges as well as profound renewal. The Lab adapted to the evolving conditions of education, technology, and society, while maintaining the spirit of collaboration and collective research that defines its character. Through its actions, InArts Lab has elevated the Ionian University as a point of reference for the study and creation of contemporary media arts, connecting the student community with international artistic discourse.
Today, on the occasion of its 10th anniversary, InArts Lab continues to redefine the boundaries of interactivity and hybrid creation. This celebration is not only a retrospective of past achievements but also a commitment to continuity: a pledge to remain an open space for experimentation, critical reflection, and imagination, where art, science, and technology intersect to explore the possibilities of human and non-human experience.
The Lab enters its second decade with a renewed vision: the strengthening of international collaboration, the development of new artistic methodologies, and the continued cultivation of an ecosystem that supports innovation, equality, and social sustainability. The first ten years demonstrate that art can serve as a field of coexistence rather than exclusion, as a means of knowledge rather than mere expression, and as a site of experimentation where creativity, research, and care coexist.
InArts Lab has also been instrumental in fostering inclusive and socially responsible artistic practices, integrating considerations of accessibility, gender equality, and environmental awareness across all projects. Examples include the TTTlabs, temporary collaborative research communities exploring the ethical dimensions of genetic engineering, and the ASH MA – Art, Science, and Health Master of Arts Online Pilot Course, emphasizing care, ecology, and ethical responsibility in artistic education. Similarly, the Winter School and MARes workshops facilitate immersive learning, cross-cultural exchange, and experimental pedagogy.
Throughout the decade, InArts Lab has hosted numerous international artists and researchers, providing workspace, mentorship, and opportunities to present their work through exhibitions, lectures, and collaborative projects. The AIR InOurLab program, launched in 2025, has welcomed artists such as Nathalie Dubois Calero and Kelly Tarenidi, fostering creative exchange and strengthening the Lab’s global visibility.
The Lab’s approach to research, education, and production is characterized by interdisciplinary collaboration, methodological rigor, and ethical responsibility. Through its specialized nodes—Hybrid Arts, Gaming & Gamification, Film Praxis, and AI & Research—InArts Lab cultivates expertise in interactive media, game design, immersive experiences, audiovisual production, and artificial intelligence applications in art. Landmark projects such as BRENDA, a gamified city-scale project combining culinary culture, local products, and historical knowledge, exemplify the Lab’s capacity to merge artistic innovation with technological specialization.
Finally, InArts Lab actively contributes to gender equality and ethical practices in accordance with the Horizon Europe program guidelines, developing the Lab’s Gender Equality Action Plan (2022–2027) based on institutional, national, and international frameworks and informed by systematic analysis of its personnel, activities, and teaching practices.
As it celebrates a decade of achievement, the Interactive Arts Lab (InArts Lab) stands as a vibrant hub of artistic and academic innovation, connecting theory, practice, and technology with social, ecological, and economic responsibility. Its first ten years demonstrate a sustained commitment to excellence, collaboration, and the cultivation of creative, ethical, and critical perspectives. Looking ahead, InArts Lab will continue to inspire, experiment, and lead, shaping the trajectories of interactive arts for years to come.
