ArtCOP21: global festival of cultural activities on climate change

On the occasion of the UN Conference on Climate Change (COP21) in Paris, the French and international cultural sectors are coming together in the ArtCOP21 to confirm the central role of culture in ecological transition and sustainable development. In line with our involvement in the Green Art Lab Alliance, we are very proud to say that DutchCulture | TransArtists is taking part in the Professional Workshop (3-4 December, Gaité Lyrique, Paris).

The Professional Workshop

On December 3 and 4, 2015, COAL, Julie’s Bicycle, IFACCA, La Gaîté Lyrique and On the Move will gather some 150 international key players from more than 25 countries to define together how the cultural sector can better embed sustainable development in its activities as one of the special events of the ArtCOP21.

This Professional Workshop is based on a series of preliminary reports and international recommendations. Based on an exchange of best practices, the workshop aims to reinforce cross-sectorial dialogues between various types of actors.

The objective is also to highlight the necessity of a focused support and adapted funding mechanisms to ensure the leadership of the cultural sector with regards to sustainable development.

This workshop is co-curated by COAL, Julie’s Bicycle, IFACCA, On the Move in partnership with IETM, Imagine 2020 and GALA. DutchCulture | TransArtists is a member of On the Move.

Most of the sessions will be streamed, and some are open to the public - please check here for more details. Here below are three highlights of the Professional Workshop in which DutchCulture | TransArtists and GALA are direclty involved.

Working group: art as a medium to mobilize citizens - think globally, act locally

December 3rd, 14h00 - Gaité Lyrique, Paris (+ streamed)

Illustration: Left: "Discover Eliava" project, GeoAIR, Georgia; Right: Sasha Kurmaz, Kiev 2013. "Annoyed with a car (that blocks the passage)? Pierce the tire"

How to encourage sustainable bottom-up approaches and work closely with local communities. How to develop partnerships which support community engagement on environmental challenges and sustainable development. With:

• Chen Feng et Mu Wei, architects and co-founders of Natur Wuhan (CHN),
• Anton Polsky a.k.a. MAKE and Igor Ponosov, Partizaning (RUS),
• Marco Kusumawijaya, urbanist/activist, Rujak (IDN),
• Carolina Caycedo, artist/activist, Descolonizando La Jagua, Rios Vivos Movement and Asoquimbo (COL),
• Matthew Biederman, artist, Arctic Perspective Initiative / Changing Weathers (SI),
• Flannery Patton, Alliance of Artists Communities (USA) and
• Sithabile Mlotshwa, artistic director of Thamgidi Foundation and IFAA Global (NL).

Moderated by Marie Fol, DutchCulture | TransArtists (NL) and Sophia Lapiashvili, GALA- Green Art Lab Alliance (GE).

Plenary session: transforming the culture industry

December 4th, 14h30, Gaité Lyrique, Paris (+ streamed)

Illustration: Left: Ellie Harrison's 'Early Warning Signs'; Right: Green Teas(e) Glasgow, Creative Carbon Scotland GALA workshop

In the context of the Sustainable Development Goals and COP21 policy frameworks – at local, regional, national and international levels – which bring together the sustainability and creativity agendas by scaling up existing initiatives and understanding, what more is needed. With:

• Patrick Degeorges, Philosopher and working with the Ministry for Ecology, Sustainable Development (FR)
• Jordi Pascual, Coordinator of Agenda21 for the culture and of UCLG (ESP),
• John Crowley, team leader of SHS at UNESCO (UK),
• Sacha Kagan, founder and coordinator of Cultura21 (DEU),
• Alison Tickell, Head of Julie’s Bicycle (UK) and
• Diane Dodd, coordinator for Europe at IFACCA (AUS).

Moderated by Cees De Graaff, Director of DutchCulture, Centre for International Cooperation.

Translocal's "River Ecologies: Contemporary Art and Environmental Humanities"

Book presentation & signing, December 4th, 18h00, Gaité Lyrique

Illustration: Left: Experiencing during River School Romania (in framework of GALA Lab from Translocal); Right: Book cover.

The researchers Maja and Reuben Fowkes and co-Directors of Translocal Institute – Hungary present "River Ecologies: Contemporary Art and Environmental Humanities on the Danube", an in-depth research around art and ecology around the river Danube, a project funded via the EU Culture Programme, GALA- Green Art Lab Alliance.

More about the book here.

We hope to see you there!