A Sea Change

A creative international intervention in cultural and natural ecologies related to the Mediterranean Sea

A Sea Change is an international cooperation project between KONTEJNER (HR) as lead partner, MOMus - Experimental Center for the Arts (GR), NeME (CY) and Quo Artis Foundation (ES). Starting in June 2022, it is a project co-funded by the European Union and focused on promoting creative innovation around Blue Economy practices through interdisciplinary and intermedia arts, as well as artistic and curatorial research.

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES:

Troubled blue. Weaving hybrid solutions for sustainable marine futures.
Interdisciplinary symposium
BAU, College of Arts & Design, Barcelona
21 April, 2023

Quo Artis in collaboration with BAU, College of Arts & Design of Barcelona, will host a symposium around Blue Economy practices and the interdisciplinary approach to marine and coastal sustainability and education in different Mediterranean communities, with an emphasis on the city of Barcelona and its European context.

What can we learn from the association of art and science with regard to a sustainable transformation of the economy on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea? What diagnoses and strategies can we draw up from this hybrid space that will allow us to establish a more balanced and less anthropocentric relationship with the sea that fills our coasts?In this symposium the project A Sea Change brings together different voices from the fields of art, science, economics and philosophy, and invites them to weave a choral but coherent discourse concerning the foreseeable future of the Mediterranean.How do we relate to the sea as a source of food, as a place for leisure and tourism, as a means of transport for people and goods, and what is the current state of Mediterranean ecosystems?And, having made these evaluations, what concrete actions can we propose for the near future?

With contributions from experts in the fields of art, design, marine literature, film, philosophy, economy and environmental sciences, as well as interventions by international artists, the event will raise issues and urgencies around urban design, the well-being of Barcelona's coastal communities and ecosystems and their environments.

Land art workshop with Joaquín Jara
El Delta del Llobregat, Barcelona
22 April 2023

The symposium will be followed by a workshop by organised the environmental sculptor Joaquín Jara. Through the use of listening and recording materials, as well as proposals for connecting with the environment by touch, drawing or smell, the workshop will consist of a tour of the Delta area, recently threatened by the possible expansion of the Prat airport. Listening to the marine ecosystem and the sounds of airplanes, and interacting with the local flora and land, the workshop will collect and recover the sound, visual and haptic ecosystem.

Culminating in Barcelona with an exhibition in 2024, the project will develop between Croatia, Cyprus, Greece and Spain. During this time, partner and collaborating organisations will get involved with different communities to catalyse a positive impact on the environment, the marine ecosystem and the well-being of coastal populations, with special emphasis on Blue Economy urgencies both at the local and European level. The project will unfold across various sectors, including environmental sciences, health, tourism and design, and will involve a series of exhibitions in many countries. 

A Sea Change activities (workshops, artistic residencies, public programs, documentary screenings and educational activities) will promote and catalyse changes in local environments and will produce new works of art and intersectional collaborations to build a more sustainable, diverse and inclusive Mediterranean.

Objectives

To bring new and sustainable cultural practices to coastal communities.

To educate and build capacities of involved cultural agents and local citizens.

To foster critical practices and innovations in coastal economies.

Find more about the project's mission, activities and updates at A Sea Change's website.