Creating New Practices of Sustainability – Cross-Sectorial Creativity in the Era of Climate Change
Project Duration
October 2019 – December 2020
Arts and culture as activators for sustainable futures.
Keywords
Sustainability, arts and climate, cross-sectoral creativity, Northern Dimension, eco-social transition
Summary
How can creativity shape a sustainable future?
This project set out to explore exactly that, positioning arts and culture as drivers for sustainable development in the Northern Dimension area.
What makes this project unique is its cross-sectoral approach, which weaves together artists, scientists, intermediaries, communities, and policymakers to co-create responses to the climate crisis while addressing sustainability from social, environmental, economic, and cultural perspectives.
Led by the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture (NDPC), the project recognised the potential of art and culture to activate dialogue and action, empowering communities to engage with complex challenges in the era of climate change. Through fieldwork, artistic interventions, workshops, and people-to-people platforms, the project connected diverse voices to explore innovative solutions for an eco-social transition across the region.
Objectives
- Explore climate change and sustainability challenges through artistic and cultural practices
- Strengthen cross-sectoral collaboration in the Northern Dimension area
- Support community-led and participatory approaches to sustainability
- Foster sustainable growth through creative expertise and cross-sectoral innovation
Key Activities
- Module 1: Social Sustainability – Generating new common ground through participatory practices, with a focus on cultural and social ownership, including the perspectives of indigenous communities.
- Module 2: Environmental Sustainability – Collaborative and creative responses to climate challenges, bringing together scientists and artists through explorations, fieldwork, and artistic interventions across the Northern Dimension.
- Module 3: Economic Sustainability – Strengthening professional intermediation through workshops and peer learning, providing tools for creative expertise to support sustainable regional growth.
- Module 4: Cultural Sustainability – Fostering cross-cultural communication and creativity, building a people-to-people platform to share learnings, uncover hidden opportunities, and create pathways for continuous collaboration.
Results
- Established a cross-sectoral network connecting artists, scientists, and communities in the Northern Dimension area
- Fostered creative responses to climate and sustainability challenges through art-based methods
- Strengthened local and regional capacities for sustainable practices through culture and creativity
- Created pathways for ongoing cooperation across sectors and regions