GLARE (Gaze, Live Art, Research & Engagement) is a transnational small-scale cooperation project co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union. It is led by Hangartfest (Italy), in partnership with Teater Nu (Sweden) and RedSapata Tanzfabrik (Austria). The project is conceived and artistically led by Lucia Mauri — choreographer, dancer, researcher and teacher whose practice investigates the intersections between the body, new technologies and performative practices. GLARE explores the gaze — both human and artificial — as a lens for artistic research, critical pedagogy, and inclusive participation. Grounded in contemporary dance and body-based practices, the initiative investigates how the gaze shapes perception and generates movement, redefining relationships between bodies, space, and audiences.

The project unfolds across three creative phases. OSOM (Out of Sight Out of Mind) Extended in Austria focuses on visibility and fluid identity; Playlist in Sweden addresses media attention and collective visual imagination; ZEKANI in Italy examines algorithmic bias and digital embodiment. Each phase includes a three-week residency, two Gaze Labs for local communities, and a public sharing. Post-residency online reflections support cross-border exchange and collective learning. A central component of the project is AtlasGaze, a digital platform and evolving archive that gathers research insights, testimonies, and visual materials, functioning both as documentation and dissemination.

Rooted in methodological innovation, the collaboration develops a new artistic and pedagogical approach to the gaze grounded in somatic practice, embodied awareness, and interdisciplinary exchange. Rather than focusing on product or technology development, it prioritises a transferable, process-based framework that artists, educators, and researchers can adapt across contexts. Artists, technologists, educators, and researchers — including specialists in neuroscience, visual studies, and interaction design — converge to foster dialogue between artistic practice, scientific inquiry, and digital experimentation. This intersection strengthens both creative output and audience engagement.

The project produces three performative outcomes, a digital publication, a final international event in Italy, and the AtlasGaze platform — a lasting infrastructure designed to extend the research initiated within the project and support long-term reflection on gaze, identity, and perception in a changing European context.