Climate change in focus in Art and Culture Programme

Monday, 11 May 2009 12:24

The Art and Culture Programme received a record amount of applications to the first application round in 2009. New themes came up, and also new groups found their way to the programmes.

Out of the total of 198 applications, 49 were granted support. The total amount of applied support was 5 306 594 €. The total amount of granted support was 977 441 €.

Several of the projects dealt with the climate change and will be realized in connection to the UN Conference for Climate Change in Copenhagen in December 2009. NEW LIFE COPENHAGEN is one of the biggest funded projects on this application round.

NEW LIFE COPENHAGEN is a participatory art festival directly commenting on the current challenges related to climate change. The project invites artists to send in proposals for sustainable ”life rules” in the fields of transport, food, economy, living and social life. Five artists and their rules will be selected and presented to suggest how our cultural habits could be changed for the benefit of a more sustainable future. Read more about the project at www.wooloo.org

There was also an increase in the interest in cooperation between the Nordic and Baltic states. The Baltic Sea binds the region together and was used as an approach for cooperation and exchange of experiences in many projects, for example in ”Friend_Ship” initiated by Performance Art Union of Latvia.

Friend_Ship is a ship with 25 participants from the Nordic and Baltic countries. In 2010 the ship will stop and show performances in six harbour cities in the region. Seminars and workshops are also arranged during the time on sea.

See a list of all the projects that received funding.