What is SxAffold?
What is SxAffold?
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SxAffold (/scaffold/) is a week-long workshop bringing together scientists and artists with the aim of fostering art-and-science projects and collaborations.
A cohort of six artists working across different media visited The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, Washington, in order to become acquainted with scientific research and develop a network for future collaborations with scientific labs.
During the workshop, artists worked closely with Hutch researchers to develop ideas, themes, and methodologies for future interdisciplinary art-and-science projects. The workshop also included professional development opportunities for scientific partners (PIs) to learn about how to apply for funding and host artists in their labs.
SxAffold took place between June 2 - 6, 2025.
Why SxAffold?
Why SxAffold?
Cross-disciplinary collaboration is needed to advance knowledge-making, technological innovation, and social impact. Fred Hutch has a long history of being a leader in art-and-science collaboration. SxAffold engages Fred Hutch scientists and early-career artists.
The aim of SxAffold is to bring together art and science to advance social impact. Beyond scientific illustration, data visualization, or science communication, artists can create works that change broader cultural paradigms about science and technology through meaningful collaboration with scientists. Additionally, artists can change the way scientists conceptualize and interpret their research methodologies and findings. Together, transdisciplinary collaborations between artists and scientists can advance more creative, socially-responsible, and innovative research.
Sanjay Srivatsan (Srivatsan Lab, Fred Hutch) and artist Wei Yang during a lab shadowing session. 3 June 2025. photo: Fred Hutch
Organizers
Organizers
Nasa Sinnott-Armstrong
Assistant Professor, Herbold Computational Biology Program,
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Callie Chappell
Bio Innovation Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for International Security and Cooperation,
Stanford University
Rodrigo Guzman-Serrano
Curator, Art Historian, Doctoral Candidate in Art History, Department of History of Art,
Cornell University
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