Connecting arts and sustainability
In early 2017, Creative Carbon Scotland teamed up with Adaptation Scotland, Aberdeen City Council, Robert Gordon University and four creative practitioners to deliver a min-arts festival focused on involving communities in the story of our changing climate. This project aimed to explore the benefits of using creative activities to stimulate new discussions on climate change, reach out to new audiences and discover new skills.
Effective community engagement is an important element of creating transformational change. This case study explains how the organising group used a mini-arts festival in Middlefield, Aberdeen, to explore the contribution artists, or cultural practitioners, can make to adaptation engagement and the benefits this can bring to local decision making.
The below video created by SHMU shows the workshops in action and reflections on the day from participants and organisers.
A reflective blog on the project by socioligist and project collaborator Leslie Mabon is also available here.
Project contacts
Ruth Wolstenholme – Project Manager: Ruth@sniffer.org.uk
Creative Carbon Scotland – Gemma Lawrence: Gemma.Lawrence@creativecarbonscotland.com
Aberdeen City Council – Alison Leslie: AlLeslie@aberdeencity.gov.uk
Robert Gordon University – Leslie Mabon: L.j.mabon@rgu.ac.uk
Project participants
Our four artists were:
Simon Gall www.clypemusic.com
Jo Hodges & Robbie Coleman www.museumsofthefuturenow.wordpress.com
Alice Mary-Cooper www.alicemarycooper.co.uk
This project was part of Creative Carbon Scotland’s culture/SHIFT initiative which seeks to understand and support the contribution of cultural practices to a more environmentally sustainable Scotland. For further information about this project please contact Creative Carbon Scotland Producer, Gemma Lawrence – gemma.lawrence@creativecarbonscotland.com
Supported by
A project initiated by Edinburgh’s Festivals with key partners the Federation of Scottish Theatre and Scottish Contemporary Art Network
© Creative Carbon Scotland 2020. Creative Carbon Scotland is a Scottish Charitable
Incorporated Organisation. Registered Charity number: SC042687
Registered office:
City Chambers, Room 9/50, High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1YJ
