BacteArte XIII: Interdisciplinary Art and Science Event Memory

This dataset documents the XIII edition of BacteArte (2025), a Latin American interdisciplinary biotechnology and art event held on October 27, 2025, at the Universidad de Santander (UDES), Colombia. The event was organized by the Bacteriology and Clinical Laboratory Program of UDES, with the support of Fundación Eureka Soluciones, as part of a long-term initiative focused on science communication, education, biodiversity, and interdisciplinary cultural practices.

BacteArte XIII brought together 432 participants from 43 institutions across Colombia, Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela, and Bolivia, consolidating the event as a national and international platform for collaboration among artists, scientists, students, and educators.

The core of the event was an art exhibition based on the microscopic world, centered on agar-based biological artworks created using living bacteria, including genetically modified bacteria expressing chromogenic proteins. A total of 416 artworks were produced, exhibited, and documented (400 Agar-Art; 7 Photography; 6. Drawing; and, 3 AI. All artworks are inspired by and dedicated to the biodiversity of Colombia, the most biodiverse country in the world, exploring biological diversity through microbial growth, color expression, and artistic interpretation at the microscopic scale.

In addition to agar-based biological artworks, the event included complementary artistic categories such as artistic expressions (drawing and illustration), scientific photography, and artificial intelligence–assisted artworks, which contextualize and expand the central bioart component.

The event integrated an academic, cultural, and science communication program, including invited talks, interdisciplinary discussions, immersive experiences, and educational activities designed to support the creation, interpretation, and dissemination of the artworks.

The dataset compiles photographic documentation, digital reproductions of artworks (PDF format), structured metadata on participants and institutions, science communication materials, event programs, certificates, and dissemination records. All materials were collected with prior authorization from participants and managed in accordance with applicable ethical and data protection standards.

This dataset constitutes the official archival record of BacteArte XIII (2025) and follows a standardized organizational structure designed to support documentation, preservation, reuse, and analysis of interdisciplinary practices at the intersection of biotechnology, bioart, biodiversity, education, and science communication.