Green strategies for the nordic art scene

INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR

Spring 2011 at Wanås

In spring 2011, the Wanås Foundation, in collaboration with Kristianstad konsthall, presents the international seminar Green Strategies for the Nordic Art Scene. The aim of the seminar is to provide hands-on advice on how to run an environmentally sustainable art organization, small or large. The seminar offers an in-depth discussion on challenges and possibilities through lectures and panel discussions by prominent representatives of the international environmental expertise.

The environmental issue is an essential part of our reality, for individuals as well as for cultural entities and society at large. The negative effect of the art world on the environment is partly caused by the constant production of exhibitions, installed with increasingly advanced technology and energy consuming light devices. Long distance traveling and transportations as well as the production of large quantities of printed materials also have a negative effect on the environment. The art world of today has an advantage when it comes to mediating knowledge. It has great possibilities to shape our future and to be in the forefront of the important environmental development.

Among the questions that are important to discuss are: How can we balance sustainable development with the audience’s expectations of constantly new exhibitions? How can an exhibition or an entire organization become environmentally certified? How can more environmentally sustainable exhibition spaces be built and what alternatives are there when constructing temporary exhibitions? What environmental demands can be made upon artists without intruding on the artistic expression and creative process? How can necessary changes start within the art world and what are the costs.

There is a large interest within the art sector to increase climate awareness and start making serious environmental efforts. The Wanås Foundation has decided to work actively with environmental issues in order to reduce its negative load on the earth’s resources. Since 2009 the Wanås Foundation is a member of the Nordic Ecolabel Group. The large changes of the Wanås Foundation include switching from conventional to green electricity, driving an eco-car, and only publishing eco certified catalogues, books and postcards. The Wanås Foundation also makes environmentally friendly choices in regards to traveling, transportation, communication, administration and production. In addition, the Wanås Foundation offers a 25% discount on the entrance fee to anyone traveling to Wanås by public transportation.

The seminar is a continuation of last year’s celebrated seminar at Wanås, which addressed art and ecology in relation to politics and philosophy. The topic of the seminar was the question of what contributes the most to environmental progress: individual efforts or collective system changes.

INFORMATION

Spring 2011 at Wanås
Open to the public
The seminar is held in English
Participation fee (including coffee and lunch): 450 SEK (students 250 SEK)
Register at pedagogik@wanas.se

The seminar is made possible through generous contributions from Nordisk kulturfond, Region Skånes miljöfond and Stiftelsen framtidens kultur.