Yearly Archives: 2014

Toronto: Eco-Art-Fest Save the Date!

HEADER.1d2664e.1.1.1Save the date! Join us on June 21st from 5-11pm for the No.9 Eco-Art-Fest Opening Preview night at Todmorden Mills!

Eco-Art-Fest is an outdoor summer-long festival that 
– Promotes sustainability and environmental awareness
– Provides hands-on artistic programming
– Celebrates an active outdoor lifestyle
– Presents 8 public artworks by Dean Baldwin, Nicole Dextras, John Dickson, Sean Martindale, Ferruccio Sardella, Penelope Stewart, Labspace Studio (John Loerchner & Laura Mendes). 

The festival runs until September 21st, Wednesday to Sunday.

For more information, visit http://www.no9.ca/ecoartfest/

Formal Invitation with Ticket information to follow.

Culture2015 – Declaration on the Inclusion of Culture

Declaration on the Inclusion of Culture in the Sustainable Development Goals

1 May 2014

www.culture2015goal.net

We, the undersigned organisations active in the field of culture and development:

Understanding the concept of development to comprise

  1. human development: the pursuit of the full potential of citizens with physical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, psychological and cultural dimensions
  2. social development: the building and sustaining of structures, policies and strategies that facilitate and enhance the pursuit of human development, social cohesion and participatory governance
  3. economic development: the creation of wealth and generation of economic resources that can help drive human and social development

Convinced of the unsustainability of

  1. human development without fundamental rights and freedoms and respect for cultural diversity
  2. social development without social justice
  3. economic development that exacerbates inequality and depletes natural resources

Observing that the cultural dimensions of development are too often ignored to the detriment of the achievement of sustainable development – human, social and economic

Recognizing that

  1. culture – understood as an ensemble of values, traditions, tangible and intangible heritage, religious beliefs, worldviews and the expressions of culture in ways of living – can facilitate the achievement of development goals
  2. development – premised on values, worldviews, ideological beliefs, vision etc – is itself an act of culture that impacts, benevolently or adversely, on the culture of its intended beneficiaries
  3. conflicts rooted in economic and power disparities may be fueled by the exploitation of cultural differences, with such conflicts impacting negatively on development through the destruction of infrastructure, social cohesion and human life and the flight of people with expertise

Believing that

  1. strong cultural organizations and participation can play a key role in preventing conflict by promoting dialogue and a diversity of cultural expressions
  2. development means participation in the cultural life of the community and access to the arts as fundamental human rights asserted in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights
  3. as the fourth dimension of sustainable development, culture is as essential as the economic, social and environmental dimensions; and therefore, the safeguarding of heritage, diversity, creativity and the transmission of knowledge are integral to sustainable development
  4. human development thrives on creativity, creative expression, the arts and cultural heritage as means of emotional and psychological catharsis, intellectual stimulation and the exploration, celebration and transformation of the human condition within given circumstances
  5. social development requires creativity, a diversity of creative expressions, the arts and cultural heritage as means of education, social cohesion, intercultural dialogue and the building of national identity
  6. economic development will benefit from capacity building and investment in all aspects of the value chain of the arts, creative industries, and tangible and intangible cultural heritage, by in turn creating jobs and generating income

Recalling the many United Nations resolutions, international declarations and instruments on culture and sustainable development, as well as the substantial evidence, gathered during the last two decades, of the positive role of culture in development.

Convinced that culture is both a driver and enabler of development and should therefore be integral to Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals based on

  • A vision of the future anchored in human rights and universally accepted values and principles, including those embodied in the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, UNESCO’s Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, and the Millennium Declaration;
  • A focus on issues with the greatest impact on sustainable development and a set of concise goals and targets aimed at realizing the priorities of the agenda;
  • A global partnership for development to mobilize implementation and a participatory monitoring framework for tracking progress and mutual accountability mechanisms for all stakeholders.

THEREFORE

Call on governments and policymakers defining the post-2015 UN Development Agenda to ensure that targets and indicators on culture be included as part of the Sustainable Development Goals

in particular (but not limited to) those related to

  • Poverty eradication
  • Education
  • Sustainable cities and human settlements
  • Peaceful and non-violent societies
  • Equality
  • Ecosystems and biodiversity
  • Economic growth

Commit to work together and with international, regional, national and local partners to achieve development policies and strategies that recognize and integrate effectively with the cultural dimensions of development

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

International networks promoting the campaign to include culture in the Sustainable Development Goals

  • IFACCA – International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies
  • Agenda 21 for culture – UCLG’s Committee on Culture
  • IFCCD – International Federation of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity
  • Culture Action Europe
  • Arterial Network
  • IMC – International Music Council
  • ICOMOS – International Council on Monuments and Sites

To support this campaign please urgently:

  • Visit and sign this Declaration either as an organisation or as an individual
  • Send this Declaration, or your own message, to your country’s representative at the United Nations (this will probably be via the Minister or Department for Foreign Affairs).  See the list of Permanent Delegates herehttp://www.un.int/protocol/documents/HeadsofMissions.pdf
  • Circulate this Declaration to your networks and spread the word.

Why is this important?

Global expenditure on development over the next 15 years will be defined by the final goal document to be agreed by UN Member States in coming months. If culture is not mentioned, it will be extremely difficult for countries to elaborate policies and provide funds for projects that rely on culture’s role as a driver and an enabler of sustainable development.

‘Culture’ was completely absent from the Millennium Development Goals document http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/ . Don’t let this happen again.

Why is this urgent?

UN’s Open Working Group (OWG) on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/owg.html holds working sessions to draft a list of goals, targets and indicators. ulture is again almost absent. The OWG’s draft of the SDGs will be finalized in July 2014.

Please act now and help raise awareness of the UN’s Member States of culture’s vital contribution to sustainable development.

Contact: info@culture2015goal.netThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Environmental Action Planning for Creative Businesses Tickets, Cambridgeshire

JBsustainingcreativity.102840Calling all creative and cultural SMEs and Micro Businesses in the East of England – join Culture Change for a free, practical workshop. Get support on building an action plan to take your first steps in ‘going green’.

The four-hour session will cover:

  • The environmental impacts associated with creative and cultural work
  • Inspiring case studies of environmental best practice
  • Access to tools and resources that support environmental sustainability
  • Training on how to measure your carbon footprint
  • Identifying opportunities to save money as well as reduce your carbon emissions
  • How to develop an environmental action plan for your business which is relevant and achievable

There will also be networking opportunities to connect with a UK-wide community of creative businesses, acting together to become greener, and access to ongoing support through the Culture Change programme.

The workshop will be facilitated by Julie’s Bicycle

Julie’s Bicycle is an environmental charity working with over 1,000 creative businesses, both UK-based and international, to go green using the latest tools and resources to support action and sustainable business growth.

Please note: this workshop is only available to businesses registered in the East of England, including Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk.

Places are limited so early booking is recommended.

For more information about Culture Change see www.juliesbicycle.com/culture-change.

For more inforantion on direction click here

Julie's Bicycle Logo  Royal Opera House Logo

Project Part-Financed by the European Union European Regional Development Fund      Low Carbon Economic Growth in the East of England

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Green Arts: Sustainable Responses from the Literature Sector

JBsustainingcreativity.102840Julie’s Bicycle will be holding an event that will look at how the literature sector is responding to environmental challenges. The event will create ambitious goals and address how the sector can lead on environmental innovation. The free, half-day event will take place from 10:30am – 2pm on Wednesday 25th June at Free Word, London. It is open to all literature organisations, publishers, development agencies, associations, venues and writers interested in shaping the role of literature in creating change.

 Informative speakers and workshops will share best practice, resources, and opportunities to collectively reimagine a literature sector that’s fit for the future.  Julie’s Bicycle will highlight examples of best practice in the industry and share results from D&AD’s annual audit.

Speakers include Andy Fryers, Director of Hay on Earth and Peter Hughes, Chair of the Publishers’ Action Group. Attendees will be invited to sign up to a workshop, based around the following topics:

*Publishing & Digital – with Peter Hughes, Chair of the Publishers’ Environmental Action Group.

*Sustainable Buildings – with Nick Murza, Director of Operations at Arvon.

*Festivals and events – with Andy Fryers, Hay on Earth and Jon Atkin, Acting Co-director Manchester Literature Festival

Attendees have the chance of signing up to a taster session of ‘Paper Jam!’delivered by Calverts, specialists in the production of sustainable commercial print. The session will start at 2.30pm (1 hour), if you would like to book a place email Rachel@juliesbicycle.com.

Supported by Free Word and Arts Council England and in association withTipping Point

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Edinburgh Green Tease with Sarah Hopfinger

This post comes from Creative Carbon Scotland

creative_carbon_scotlandChildren and artists both do something very well indeed: inventing exciting worlds to live and play in. At a time when our own world is in environmental and economic crisis, how can we use that imaginative power to make things new?

If you haven’t already heard, Green Tease is coming to Edinburgh this June for a special event in collaboration with Imaginate and Festivals Edinburgh.

Following on from a workshop we ran with Imaginate a while back with children’s theatre makers exploring what a sustainable children’s theatre network might look like in 50 years we wanted to get the ball rolling again.

We hope you can join us at Summerhall on June 18th, 5 – 7pm for this first Edinburgh Green Tease. We’ll be joined by Sarah Hopfinger, artist and children’s theatre-maker, in a discussion of how we can transform the children’s theatre sector and the art we make, and transform folk’s lives in doing so. Sarah’s practice explores the interconnections between people and wider ecology, and we’ll be thinking about the connections between children’s theatre, the wider arts sector, the city, and the world.

Green Teas(e) brings together the artistic and sustainability worlds of Edinburgh to spark new connections and join up projects and activities which share a common desire to make the city a more environmentally, socially and economically sustainable place to live. At each event invited speakers start us off with short presentations/provocations to lead us on to a wider discussion. We really want to hear your views and hope you can join us and contribute to the event.

To find out more and to sign up for the event click here.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Image: Sarah Hopfinger: www.sarahhopfinger.org.uk

The post Edinburgh Green Tease with Sarah Hopfinger appeared first on Creative Carbon Scotland.

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Creative Carbon Scotland is a partnership of arts organisations working to put culture at the heart of a sustainable Scotland. We believe cultural and creative organisations have a significant influencing power to help shape a sustainable Scotland for the 21st century.

In 2011 we worked with partners Festivals Edinburgh, the Federation of Scottish Threatre and Scottish Contemporary Art Network to support over thirty arts organisations to operate more sustainably.

We are now building on these achievements and working with over 70 cultural organisations across Scotland in various key areas including carbon management, behavioural change and advocacy for sustainable practice in the arts.

Our work with cultural organisations is the first step towards a wider change. Cultural organisations can influence public behaviour and attitudes about climate change through:

Changing their own behaviour;
Communicating with their audiences;
Engaging the public’s emotions, values and ideas.

Go to Creative Carbon Scotland

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BODO KORSIG IS WINNER OF COOL STORIES FOR WHEN THE PLANET GETS HOT IV

artport_making_waves_logo_animated_gif_2014_367_pxl1Artport is  pleased to announce BODO KORSIG (Germany) as the public-voting-winner of COOL STORIES FOR WHEN THE PLANET GETS HOTS IV with his video “Täuschung (Deception)”, 2013 (3:03′).

He will be awarded a 4-weeks-residency at the artist residency Largo das Artes in Rio de Janeiro  in May 2014. Bodo Korsig explores human behavior under extreme conditions such as fear, violence, pressure, and death. He is especially intrigued by the artistic conflict of those neurological and cognitive processes inside human beings that are difficult to record from a scientific standpoint.

Korsig has exhibited in over 100 museums and galleries, both in his native Germany and internationally. His work is in over 40 museums and public collections. Exhibitions include “Stronger than Fear is Hope” at Kunstverein Pforzheim(C) (2013); “Metal” at Greenfieldsacks Gallery Los Angeles (2010); “CLASH” at Makii Masaru Fine Arts Tokyo (2009); and “I CAN’T STOP” at Tenri Cultural Institute, New York (2007).

He has received 14 international prizes and scholarships, including Artist Residency Inside-Out, Art Museum, Beijing (2012), Grand Prix 4th International Triennial Prague (2004), and a grant from the Max Kade Foundation (2003).

New exhibition in Singapore from The Migrant Ecologies Project

This post comes to you from Cultura21

Curated by Kenneth Tay and Jason Wee, the exhibition is the latest incarnation of over 6 years of art history-informed explorations of relationships between wood, trees and people from this region.

When_you_get_closer_to_the_heart_a

Date: 12 June 2014, Thursday
Time: 7.00pm
Venue: NUS Museum

Free admission with registration. To register, please email museum@nus.edu.sg

Guest-of-Honour: Professor Leo Tan, Director (Special Projects), Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore

Special guest: Professor Alan Chan, Dean, College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University

Programme:
6.30pm – Arrival of guests
7.00pm – Arrival of Guest-of-Honour, Prof Leo Tan
7.05pm – Welcome remarks by Ahmad Mashadi, Head, NUS Museum
7.15pm – Opening address by Prof Alan Chan
7.30pm – Speech by Guest-of-Honour, Prof Leo Tan
7.50pm – Curator’s tour followed by refreshments

NUS Museum presents an exhibition featuring encounters and exchanges between the arts and sciences, between practice and research, between the inquiring subject and the object inquired. An interdisciplinary project, “When you get closer to the heart, you may find cracks” is a continued inquiry by the Migrant Ecologies Project into the human relationships to trees, forests and forest products in Southeast Asia – explored in terms of materials, metaphors, magic, ecological resources and historical agency. Beginning with an attempt to trace the origins and stories connected to a teak bed found in Singapore, and set against the macro-context of “cutting of wood” (deforestation) today, the project has evolved into an accumulation of the diverse “aborealities” – connections between the peoples, trees and wood – in Southeast Asia.

The exhibition will feature several new woodprint works by artist Lucy Davis alongside works by photographers Shannon Lee Castleman and Kee Ya Ting. Tales from two “Islands after a Timber Boom” form an underlying structure to the exhibition, vacillating between Muna Island, Southeast Sulawesi (where early DNA tests have suggested as the origins of the wood from the teak bed) and Singapore island (where Davis has been researching stories of the local entrepot timber industry in and around the Sungei Kadut Industrial Estate). Fragments of iconic woodblock prints from the NUS Museum’s collection are also reconstructed as animated shadows which weave in and out of the exhibition. A disappearance of forests in the region sees also a similar disappearance of the various stories of wood with their attendant memories and practices. This exhibition is an attempt to re-member and re-animate these tales. “When you get closer to the heart, you may find cracks” is a curatorial collaboration between NUS Museum and Jason Wee from Grey Projects.

Exhibition runs till November 2014.

Works are supported by: Ministry of Education Tier 1 Grant, DoubleHelixx, Singapore International Foundation, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Art & Heritage Museum, National Arts Council, School of Art, Design and Media, NTU, Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, Lee Foundation, Objectifs Centre for Photography and Film and The Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple.

[Image: Together Again (Wood:Cut) Part V: EVIDENCE, Lucy Davis.  Assembled print fragments of a ripped-up log end. Part of what is supposedly the last shipment of teak logs to Singapore from Burma before a 31 March 2014 ban on whole log exports by the Burmese government. The log ends were donated by Allen Oei, an old-time Singapore timber trader and log grader. The letter and number marks were punched into to the timber in Burma. They tell you the grade of the timber and (if you can decode the marks) where in Burma the logs come from. A star apparently means best quality. 125 x 125 cm, woodprint collage on paper, 2014]

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Cultura21 is a transversal, translocal network, constituted of an international level grounded in several Cultura21 organizations around the world.

Cultura21′s international network, launched in April 2007, offers the online and offline platform for exchanges and mutual learning among its members.

The activities of Cultura21 at the international level are coordinated by a team representing the different Cultura21 organizations worldwide, and currently constituted of:

– Sacha Kagan (based in Lüneburg, Germany) and Rana Öztürk (based in Berlin, Germany)
– Oleg Koefoed and Kajsa Paludan (both based in Copenhagen, Denmark)
– Hans Dieleman (based in Mexico-City, Mexico)
– Francesca Cozzolino and David Knaute (both based in Paris, France)

Cultura21 is not only an informal network. Its strength and vitality relies upon the activities of several organizations around the world which are sharing the vision and mission of Cultura21

Go to Cultura21

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