An expedition to the Titanic site this summer will include some unlikely participants.

Not only will the 2022 Titanic Survey Expedition, launched from St. John’s in June, involve some groundbreaking deep-sea environmental DNA research, but it will include some local Indigenous artists on a unique artist-in-residence program.

Jasmine Saunders, business manager with Miawpukek Horizon Maritime Services, says not only are they helping with the logistics and support involved in getting researchers and adventurers back and forth to the site, but they’re also working with the Miawpukek First Nation in fostering a unique Indigenous art project.

They have two Indigenous artist residencies involving two separate eight-day visits to the site.

She calls it an interesting collaborative opportunity to gain inspiration from the surroundings and the people they meet.

The lucky artists will be named in the coming weeks.