The role of cultural organisations in the Earth Crisis

Tuesday, May 19th, 9:00 – 11:00 a.m., online: Zoom

An online workshop with Bridget McKenzie of the Climate Museum UK

We ask for your registration: roswitha.gabriel@sbg.ac.at (After your registration the Zoom ID will be sent by mail.)

© Climate Museum UK

© Climate Museum UK

How do the impacts of climate change and the wider Earth crisis affect the wellbeing of communities? There are many potential threats to physical and mental health, social peace and economic security. Psychologists use terms such as ‘pre-traumatic stress disorder’ and ‘eco-anxiety’ for states aroused in facing these existential threats. How can cultural organisations help their communities understand and respond to these threats and find the most effective strategies to cope? The solutions may lie in following certain principles and trying new practices that are more democratic and more eco-centric. Bridget McKenzie, founding director of Climate Museum UK will work with the participants to explore the personal and emotional dimensions of responding to the planet’s crisis, the different needs and attitudes of key audience groups, and the possibilities for cultural organisations to play active roles towards people’s wellbeing. Bridget will describe the guiding principles of the Museum team, and show some of the creative tools and handling objects which stimulate discussion. The participants will be invited to share and explore concrete ways to engage with people on environmental topics to increase their agency and wellbeing.

Climate Museum UK is a new mobile museum creatively stirring and collecting responses to the Climate and Ecological Emergency. We produce and collect creative activities, games, artworks and books, then use these in events to engage people. Through workshops, we help professionals to explore these complex issues in conversational, creative and relevant ways. Through pop-up installations or bespoke projects, we help public such as families or community groups to learn, create and take action. Through digital collecting and campaigns we make our resources available to anyone who needs them. https://climatemuseumuk.org/

Bridget McKenzie is the Museum’s founder director, who has 30 years’ experience as a Cultural Learning manager, consultant and researcher. She has been Education Officer for Tate, Head of Learning for the British Library and Director of Flow Associates. https://aboutbridgetmckenzie.wordpress.com/

Preparation:

Please be prepared to share with the group a concrete idea you have, or an effective project that you know about, which helps people cope better with environmental challenges or threats. (There may not be time for you to describe your example, but you can share in a digital resource.) Please share this example here beforehand: https://padlet.com/timnapachner/8h8si00jc1mbi2ne or here in this shared resource https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ENmWRGSuOB3wOM4YtlNDRryzG_Capgz1kwAaqBpmxiQ/edit?usp=sharing. Thank you!