ghost in the loop Arts Program Micro-Commissions
Two micro-commissions for artists/collectives in UK and Germany exploring human-machine collaboration and AI aesthetics in photography.
The Photographers' Gallery and Goethe-Institut London invite proposals for two micro-commissions from artists or collectives based in the UK or Germany. This programme explores how cultural practices evolve within computational environments, examining feedback loops in artistic creation and the implications of producing work for machine audiences.
The initiative welcomes proposals addressing themes including human-machine collaboration, machinic audiences, emotion detection, anthropomorphic intelligence, AI-driven creativity, data and computation processes, emerging AI aesthetics, AI psychosis, collective intelligence, and data colonialism. The programme investigates how the next generation of photography is situated, what form it takes, and how its symbolism, data, and networks reconfigure visible worlds.
Selected artists will each receive a fee of €1,500. Applicants are encouraged to propose feasible projects within financial parameters and aligned with thematic directions. Selected artists must provide work schedules, technical requirements, anticipated outcomes, and participate in public presentations and video interviews.
Eligibility is open to practitioners over 18 based in UK and Germany. Applications from individuals and collectives demonstrating talent, originality, and innovation are welcomed. Both new works and adaptations of pre-existing projects, including human-machine collaborative creations, are acceptable. No educational prerequisites apply.
The selection panel reviews entries on 27 November, with two chosen projects announced on 1 December 2025. Final works will be presented on Unthinking Photography platform in February 2026.