The first phase of the project was that of co-creation with school pupils, students and young people (15 tot 25) in which Science Gallery Rotterdam organizes a series of masterclasses and workshops where young people from Rotterdam, scientific researchers, artists and designers discuss themes from research and provide context. The results were developed in the program for Science Hotel. Four online masterclasses with subsequent workshops were organized.
In a follow up series of four workshops, young people, scientists and artists investigated how online culture influences the identity of young people. A core group of twelve young people aged 17 to 21 participated in the workshops. Each of them formed a bubble, a group of other youngsters, around them, in total 120 young people. The results is an algorithm-driven dynamic digital artwork that was presented during Science Hotel.
With the Willem de Kooning Academy, Science Gallery Rotterdam organized a co-creation project in which 60 first-year Transformation Design students who followed online presentations by Erasmus MC scientists and international artists for a week, in the beginning of April. The Transformation Design students then worked for two months on a project at the intersection of science, art and social experience. The result consisted of 4 video productions, that were staged as pre-events for Science Hotel, during the Open Air Cinema Rotterdam from August 11 tot 29, 2021.
In April a call for presentations among researchers of Erasmus MC and its strategical partners was announced, inviting researchers to present Covid & Disaster related research during Science Hotel. It offered participating researchers an intensive communication and presentation training in advance of the event. 31 Researchers responded to the call, of which 20 embarked on the training and the program of Science Hotel. Apart from the researchers participating in the training 10 additional researchers were invited to help prepare or present parts of the program.
Due to Covid-19 measures, the organizers had to make the decision to reschedule to a mainly online program. In addition, collaboration with Rijnmond regional radio and television was intensified in order to prgram presentations in televison and radio formats.
In the week before Science Hotel the presentations by researchers were broadcasted.
The event Science Hotel during the Night itself was relocated to Schiecentrale Rotterdam, because of limitations of the planned location Mainport Inntel hotel.
A pre-event during the afternoon of September 24, 2021 was visited by 50 researchers and artists who have been involved in the preparations of the program.
The onsite event was visited by 140 people, a limited number that secured the possibilities for social distancing. Thanks to livestreaming the program in collaboration with Rijnmond regional television and radio, the final number of visitors for the event turned out higher than expected: In total 91.487 people attended (parts of) the program.
