3rd Artistic Laboratory
By Lara Matos, CPL
Online session via Zoom
16 March 2026
10:00 – 11:15 CET
The third and final Artistic Laboratory session concluded the cycle of online meetings bringing together artists from the four AMPLIFY pilots. Following the previous sessions, which focused on artistic exchange, co-creation and the presentation of the project’s technological tools, this meeting centred on the ethical and human-centred framework guiding the development of AMPLIFY technologies.
The session included a presentation by Katrien De Moor from the Human-Centred research team, introducing the principles and methodology used to ensure that technological innovation remains grounded in human needs, artistic practices and meaningful cultural experiences.
The second part of the meeting was dedicated to collective reflection, where participants shared questions, comments and expectations regarding the Artistic Laboratory process and the upcoming face-to-face laboratory in Barcelona. This final session therefore helped consolidate the reflections emerging from the three meetings while preparing the collaborative work that will take place in the next phase of the project.
Objectives
- To introduce the ethical and human-centred framework guiding the technological development of the AMPLIFY project.
- To reflect on how a human-centred approach can support and enrich artistic practices and creative processes.
- To deepen artists’ understanding of the methodological processes behind the development and experimentation of AMPLIFY technologies.
- To create a space for participants to share reflections, questions and suggestions following the three Artistic Laboratory sessions.
- To gather insights that may inform the design and organisation of the face-to-face Artistic Laboratory in Barcelona.
Participants
The meeting brought together artists, pilot leaders, researchers and members of the Human-Centred research team, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of the AMPLIFY project.
The artistic participants represented the four pilot projects involved in the Artistic Laboratory process.
Artistic Participants (by Pilot)
FEISEAN
- Rae MacIver – Musician
- Claire Frances MacNeil – Musician
CPL
- Pedro Santos – Musician
- Inesa Markava – Dancer
TPM
- Paolo Peewee – Musician
- Mauro La Mancusa – Musician
LICEU
- Tomàs Peire – Composer
Pilot Leads / Artistic Coordination
- Francesco Mariotti – TPM Pilot Leader
- Paulo Lameiro – CPL Pilot Leader and Artistic Director
- Irene Calvís Rovira – LICEU
- Anna Bindi – TPM
Human-Centred Research Team
- Katrien De Moor – Researcher contributing to the Human-Centred approach within AMPLIFY
Research and Co-Creation Advisor
- François Matarasso – Researcher and advisor on co-creation and participatory arts (AMPLIFY project partner)
Process Accompaniment and Reflective Support
- Lara Matos – Social Psychologist supporting the human-centred perspective and reflective monitoring of the artistic process within the CPL pilot
Session Lead
- Paulo Lameiro
Process Support
- Lara Matos
Guest Contribution
- Katrien De Moor – Ethical and Human-Centred Approach
Materials and Logistics
Materials
- Online meeting platform (Zoom)
- Presentation slides prepared by the Human-Centred research team
- Interactive participation tool (Mentimeter) used to gather participants’ reflections and questions
Logistics
The session followed the same online format adopted in the previous laboratories, combining conceptual input with moments of collective reflection and dialogue.
The use of an interactive platform allowed participants to share comments, questions and concerns in an open and participatory way, supporting a richer exchange of perspectives among artists and project partners.
Methodological Approach
This session focused on introducing the ethical and human-centred approach guiding the technological development within the AMPLIFY project.
The presentation highlighted the importance of placing human needs, experiences and artistic practices at the centre of technological design. In this perspective, technology is understood as a tool that supports artistic creation and meaningful cultural experiences, rather than being an end in itself.
The human-centred approach presented in the session emphasises participatory and inclusive processes, ethical reflection in design, and a focus on the overall human experience. It encourages collaboration between artists, researchers and developers so that technologies evolve through experimentation, feedback and dialogue.
Within the AMPLIFY project, this approach unfolds through three main stages: understanding stakeholders’ needs and designing together, testing technological prototypes in small-scale contexts, and finally experimenting with these technologies in real artistic environments.
Session Structured
The session was organised into two main moments.
Presentation – Ethical and Human-Centred Approach
Katrien De Moor introduced the ethical and human-centred framework guiding the technological development within the AMPLIFY project. The presentation focused on the principles of designing technologies that place human needs, artistic practices and meaningful experiences at the centre of the process.
The methodological approach presented follows three main stages: understanding stakeholders’ needs and designing together, testing technological prototypes in small-scale contexts, and experimenting with these technologies in real-world artistic environments.
Collective Reflection and Open Discussion
The second part of the session was dedicated to an open discussion among participants. Using an interactive platform, artists shared questions, reflections and suggestions regarding the Artistic Laboratory process and the next stages of the project.
The discussion addressed topics such as the role of technology in artistic creation, the diversity of artistic contexts represented by the pilots, and expectations regarding the upcoming face-to-face laboratory in Barcelona.
Reflections and discussion
The presentation and subsequent dialogue reinforced the importance of maintaining a human-centred perspective in the development of technologies within artistic contexts.
Participants showed interest in better understanding the ethical and methodological principles guiding the project, recognising that these frameworks help situate technological experimentation within broader artistic and human dimensions. The discussion that followed the presentation revealed curiosity, critical reflection and strong engagement from the artists. Participants also highlighted the importance of maintaining close dialogue between artists, researchers and developers so that technological tools can evolve in response to real artistic needs and practices.
The interactive discussion also revealed several critical reflections regarding the relationship between technology, artistic practice and human experience. Participants raised questions about how technological tools might influence artistic creation and whether there is a risk that artistic experiences could gradually become shaped by what technology is able to measure or capture.
Artists also emphasised the importance of ensuring that technological innovation remains genuinely oriented towards human needs and artistic meaning. Several contributions highlighted that technology should support artistic exploration, collaboration and human connection, rather than becoming the central focus of the artistic experience.
Overall, the exchange confirmed the value of maintaining a reflective and participatory approach throughout the development of the AMPLIFY technologies.
Next Steps
- Analyse the reflections and questions collected during the three Artistic Laboratory sessions.
- Use these insights to inform the design and preparation of the face-to-face Artistic Laboratory to be held in Barcelona.
- Continue fostering dialogue between artists, researchers and technological developers as the project moves into the next phase.
- Prepare the collaborative experimentation with AMPLIFY technologies that will take place during the in-person laboratory.
Conclusions
The third Artistic Laboratory session concluded the cycle of online meetings that brought together artists from the four AMPLIFY pilots. By introducing the ethical and human-centred framework guiding the development of the project’s technologies, the session provided participants with a clearer understanding of how technological experimentation relates to artistic practices and human experience.
The discussion that followed the presentation revealed curiosity, critical reflection and strong engagement from the artists. Participants also highlighted the importance of maintaining close dialogue between artists, researchers and developers so that technological tools can evolve in response to real artistic needs and practices.
Overall, this final online meeting helped consolidate the reflections emerging from the three sessions and contributed to preparing the collaborative work that will continue during the face-to-face Artistic Laboratory in Barcelona.
