Vivid Stockholm Metro Station Interior from Efren Efre
European Contemporary Photography Network for Public Spaces (ECPN)
INTERNAL CALL ADDRESSED TO THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY (RESEARCHERS, PROFESSORS, ETC.) TO JOIN THE ECPN APPLICATION TEAM OF Innovative transnational cultural cooperation project - Creative Europe - CREA-CULT-2026-COOP
The Centre for Studies Nuno Portas (CENP), based at the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Porto (FAUP), invites expressions of interest from colleagues to join the application team of the European Contemporary Photography Network for Public Spaces (eCPN) — an innovative medium transnational cultural cooperation project to be submitted under the Creative Europe – Culture (CREA-CULT-2026-COOP) call.
CREA-CULT-2025-COOP-2 (Medium Scale Projects) supports cross-border cooperation projects in the cultural and creative sectors under the Culture strand of the Creative Europe Programme. Open to organisations of all sizes, the action promotes European collaboration, innovation and shared cultural value, in line with EU priorities such as sustainability, inclusion, digital transition and international cooperation. Medium-scale projects require a consortium of at least five partners from five eligible countries and can receive up to EUR 1 million in EU funding (max. 70% co-financing). For reference, small-scale projects are funded up to EUR 250,000, while large-scale projects may receive up to EUR 3 million. Projects exclusively focused on the audiovisual sector are not eligible.
This Internal Call is addressed to the academic community (researchers, lecturers, etc.), namely colleagues from UP/ESMAD/ESAP and UBI interested in contributing to the development of a highly ambitious European project that brings together artistic practice, academic research, and public engagement, positioning contemporary photography as a critical tool to reflect on urban, social, environmental, and political challenges across Europe.
About the Project
The European Contemporary Photography Network for Public Spaces (eCPN) is an innovative transnational initiative that transforms metro stations, transport hubs, and surrounding public spaces into dynamic cultural stages for contemporary photography, civic participation, and urban reflection. Conceived as an Open Museum and a network of Living Labs, eCPN activates public space as a shared platform for artistic experimentation, interdisciplinary research, and democratic dialogue.
The project operates across Portugal, Spain, Ireland, Finland, and Croatia, while establishing strong links with Ukraine, engaging universities, cultural institutions, artists, researchers, and public space operators. Rooted in the research culture of FAUP and CENP, particularly through the Architecture, Art and Image (AAI) research group, eCPN builds upon significant previous initiatives such as CONTRAST (DGARTES) and Visual Spaces of Change (FCT), scaling their methodologies and vision to a broader European context.
European Cultural Platforms and Visibility
A key dimension of eCPN is its strong integration within the European cultural and artistic ecosystem. The project will be engaging with international leading photography and media art platforms and networks, as well as participating in major international forums around these cultural and artistic fields that we believe enhance the visibility, circulation, and accessibility of European contemporary photography. Rather than duplicating existing initiatives, eCPN acts as a complementary and generative platform, contributing new curatorial formats, unexplored geographies, and emerging voices, while reinforcing Europe’s cultural presence in both physical and digital public spaces.
Cross-Border Cooperation and Impact
At its core, eCPN is a project of cross-border cooperation, fostering a transnational network built on trust, shared methodologies, and long-term collaboration. Through exhibitions, residencies, workshops, conferences, and open calls, the project connects cultural institutions, researchers, artists, and citizens across diverse European contexts.
By activating public spaces in cities such as Porto, Vila do Conde, Fundão, Barcelona, Dublin, Helsinki, Zagreb, and Kyiv, eCPN promotes intercultural dialogue, knowledge exchange, and innovative approaches to public space, cultural participation, and urban transformation. Its outcomes (visual narratives, research publications, cartographic data, and digital resources) are designed to be replicable and adaptable, extending the project’s impact beyond the core partner countries and contributing to a more connected and culturally engaged Europe.
Why Join the eCPN Application Team?
This is a unique and highly stimulating opportunity to:
Work within a young, motivated, and collaborative team;
Contribute to a large-scale European project with strong international visibility and impact;
Engage with cutting-edge artistic and research practices at the intersection of photography, architecture, urban studies, and social sciences;
Gain hands-on experience in the conceptualization and writing of a Creative Europe application, including work packages, dissemination strategies, and impact frameworks;
Participate in a project closely aligned with FAUP’s pedagogical legacy and CENP’s interdisciplinary research mission.
Application Team Structure
The eCPN application is currently coordinated by:
Pedro Leão Neto – General Coordinator
Sérgio Miguel Magalhães – Deputy Coordinator
Maria Neto – Associate Coordinator
Ana Miriam Rebelo – Scientific and Administrative Support
The team operates through a shared, flexible, and collaborative structure, allowing mutual substitution and collective responsibility, ensuring continuity, rhythm, and stability throughout the application process.
eCPN Organisations / Roles and Contributions
Coordinating Organisation
University of Porto (FAUP, Portugal)
Provides academic leadership, research coordination, methodological development, and hosts public exhibitions and local workshops.
Promotes circulation and co-creation among European artists.
Develops photography projects reflecting on inadequate housing and social vulnerability.
Through research project CONTRAST
○ Engages with public spaces and transport networks.
○ Activities include exhibitions, debates, and workshops promoting critical thinking and inclusion.
○ Uses Porto Metro for mobile exhibitions.
Colaboratoring Organisations
BSA (Belfast, UK)
Develops Living Labs in Belfast around issues like gentrification and housing crises;
Emphasizes community collaborations and exhibition curation. Finland
ESAP (Porto)
Focus on photography’s role in geopolitics and territory;
Engages with disused urban spaces in Porto;
Promotes collaborative and interdisciplinary practices
ESMAD (Vila do Conde)+
Multidisciplinary artistic reflection on public space;
Addresses social, political, and environmental challenges;
Each year focuses on a different city;
FLUP (Porto)
Encourages cross-fertilisation of knowledge across arts, humanities, and social sciences;
Explores the artist’s role in the green transition, the right to housing, and urban policy change.
UBI (Covilhã/Fundão)
Project linked to "Landscapes of Care and Domesticity" (La Caixa Foundation/FCT).
Strong connection with local governance and cultural institutions.
Partner Institutions
ETSAB (Barcelona, Spain): Urban studies expertise, curatorial programming, and hosting of events.
Documents urban change in La Sagrera (Barcelona);
Engages students and professionals in photographic missions;
Outputs include exhibitions, publications, and citizen engagement tools. Ireland
UCD (Dublin, Ireland): Urban humanities, interdisciplinary research, editorial outputs.
Coordinates events in Dublin linked to the Living Labs;
Hosts public talks, exhibitions, and open calls for artists;
Focus on site-specific installations and audience interaction.
AALTO (Helsinki, Finland): Visual culture and contemporary photography, coordination of Living Labs.
Conducts workshops on “Infrastructural Photography”;
Topics include sensory engagement, infrastructural tourism, and experimental publishing;
Activities occur at metro stations and include toolkit development and interactive tours. Croatia
KUĆĆA (Zagreb, Croatia): curatorial programming, direction of artistic residence, editorial outputs
Research underground cities and forgotten routes;
Organizes residencies, public interventions, and exhibitions in war-era tunnels;
Focus on revitalization of disused infrastructure. Ukraine
Associated Partners
European Association for Architectural Education (EAAE)
Strategic dissemination and European academic engagement.
Cityscopio Cultural Association (CCA)
Consultancy on graphic identity, curatorial direction, and public engagement activities.
NAFFA (Kyiv, Ukraine):
Public spaces network residencies
Final project Conference
Subcontracting expert company
Graphic Identity
eCPN digital platform and its information architecture.
Profile Sought
We are looking for a Researcher or Lecturer with:
A strong interest in contemporary photography, visual culture, architecture, urban studies, or related fields;
Motivation to work in an interdisciplinary and international environment;
Capacity for collaborative research, critical thinking, and academic writing;
Availability and commitment to actively engage in the preparation phase of the Creative Europe proposal.
Applications / Contacts
Interested candidates should submit their application by sending their CV and cover letter (up to 3000 characters including spaces) to the following email address: info.aai@arq.up.pt
Application deadline: February 1, 2026
Selection Candidate
Selection will be made by the eCPN application team according to the following criteria:
CV – 50% | Cover Letter – 50%
An interview may be required to clarify the information provided by the candidates or to break a tie.
Dates for the eCPN project public presentation
Information regarding the eCPN project public presentation will be available soon during January 2026.
Institutional Context
FAUP and the Centre for Studies Nuno Portas (CENP) provide a stimulating research environment with strong international recognition, interdisciplinary openness, and a long-standing commitment to critical, project-based knowledge production. Joining this application team means contributing to a project that reinforces FAUP’s role as a European reference point for innovative research and cultural cooperation.
Colleagues interested in joining the eCPN application team are warmly encouraged to express their interest and become part of this collective endeavour.
Join us in shaping a European cultural network where public space becomes a living laboratory for art, research, and democratic participation.
Pedro Leão Neto
(on behalf of the eCPN Application Team)
Faculty of Architecture – University of Porto (FAUP)
Centre for Studies Nuno Portas (CENP)