Green Artivism

"<< Background >>Since 2018, inspired by leaders like Greta Thunberg, the youth mobilized globally through movements like Fridays for Future and Extinction Rebellion, creating unprecedented momentum to address the climate crisis. In 2019, the European Commission adopted the European Green Deal, aspiring to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. However, the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted climate strikes. Recognizing the need for innovative methods, our project, initiated during this application, aims to reignite environmental efforts post-pandemic. The European Commission's January 2021 launch of the European Bauhaus initiative aligns with our goal, focusing on design, sustainability, accessibility, affordability, and investment to support the Green Deal. To sustain this shift, motivated, informed, trained, and connected activists are crucial. As tomorrow's leaders and innovators, young minds possess immense potential for transformative change. Our project seeks to empower them with digital artistic tools, fostering collaboration, community building, participation in democratic processes, literacy, and advocacy, contributing to a just, local, green, and economically viable transition.<< Objectives >>This project aims to create young civic bodies that are well informed and well equipped in order to express their environmental concerns and struggles efficiently. Through the creation of a cycle of empowerment, the overarching goal of this project is for the political and social relevance of the climate crisis to regain momentum. With young generations being more accustomed to digital and artistic ways of expression (especially when the two are combined), this project aims at enabling youth participants to engage artistically in order to bring about social, economic and political change. The main objectives of the project are: -Offer a pacific way of engaging power, playing with power, rather than replicating oppression patterns or power dynamics, and as a result produce new forms of social relations. -Serves as a means for community building around the topic of the European Green Deal at grassroots level, thus creating not only an external solution to problems, but communities of support. - Through its low threshold and entertaining nature, allows new participants into the discussions on the topic of the European Green Deal.<< Implementation >>The project addressed the following activities:Design and development of relevant materials including five (5) tools for the Creativity Web Toolkit (PR1) and the handbook and materials for implementing the Green Artivism Workshop (PR2), as outlined in the application form. Further details are provided in the description of results and outcomes.Two (2) Learning, Training and Teaching activities (LTTA). These activities were designed and oriented to trainers selected by the partners for the implementation of two (2) pilot testing. Although the project budget considered only one (1) LTTA, all partners agreed on making two (2) (as planned in the initial application form). Activity 1 focused on training participants for PR1 – Creativity Web-toolkit, while Activity 2 trained participants for PR2 – Green Citizenship Workshop.Two (2) pilot testing activities per designed partners, totaling ten (10) in different countries, with 350 attendees. Pilot nº 1 tested the Creativity Web Toolkit. It allowed partners to start the conversation about the topics covered by the project and test the designed tools to create artistic expressions. Pilot nº 2 ran the Green Artivism Workshop, fostering discussions about the future and our role within the context of the European Green Deal.Five (5) multiplier events. Four (4) of them oriented to the dissemination of the project during the first year, with special focus on the promotion of the Creativity Web Toolkit. Partners utilized these events to engage potential stakeholders, recruit participants for pilot testing, and increase project impact.The Green Artivism Festival was the fifth multiplier event. Hosted in the Biosphere Reserve Omaña and Luna Valleys territory, the Festival gathered over 65 participants and 6 experts for two days. Activities included art and climate change workshops, astronomical observation, geological hiking, gold searching in the river, and the inauguration of the Green Artivism exhibition in Murias de Paredes (Spain).The Art for Climate Forum was set up during the second half of the project and it keep active for two (2) years after the project ends. Serves as a forum for keep sharing and discussing ideas related to project topics.Five (5) experts contributed through video interviews, spreading information about the European Green Deal, the Climate Change effects or the local adaptations to them, and other related topics.<< Results >>The project's results and outputs closely align with the goals outlined in the application form. All of them reflect the core values of the New European Bauhaus, emphasizing sustainability, aesthetics, and inclusiveness.All the outcomes listed here are available at the project’s website (https://green-artivism.eu) and the Erasmus+ results platform.Project Result 1: Creativity Web-toolkitThis toolkit aims to empower young individuals in active citizenship, offering alternative forms of expression inspired by Arts and digital trends. It seeks to prioritize the interests of future generations as equal to those of the present.•How to Inspire Action Through Video Creativity: This tutorial explores the use of video-essays, a powerful tool beyond social media for topics like Artivism. It delves into the key elements of subjects using audiovisual content, fostering critical discussions in an approachable tone. The tutorial guides users through CELTX and Avid First software for script creation and audiovisual content.Materials available: video-tutorial and pdf tutorial.Languages: English, Greek, Slovenian, Spanish•How to Visualise The Change You Want to See: Two five-minute video tutorials focus on creating artistic images, using raw materials that are respectful of the environment. The first guides users in building a camera obscura, and the second demonstrates creating anthotypes, using natural pigments to produce photographic-like images. Both techniques come up as a sort of slow photography tool and technique, that will provide the opportunity to get in touch with the surrounding environment (including the people) and enjoy the creative process.Materials available: video-tutorial and pdf tutorial.Languages: English, Greek, Slovenian, Spanish•Storytelling Through Social Media: This tool offers a practical guide on using social media to narrate a story through visuals, words, and hashtags, delivering a meaningful message. It covers traditional and digital storytelling, social media's storytelling potential, and provides step-by-step guidance using Facebook groups, illustrated through examples.Materials available: video-tutorial and pdf tutorial.Languages: English, Greek, Slovenian, Spanish•Crowd-Creative Urban Design: This toolkit focuses on collective public space design through artistic expression. It serves as a guide for various entities, including teams, academics, students, foundations, and associations. The toolkit supports participatory workshops and projects in urban planning, design, environmentalism, and climate change adaptation, incorporating art methodologies.Materials available: pdf tutorial.Languages: English, Greek, Slovenian, SpanishProject Result 2: Green Citizenship workshopThe purpose of the Green Citizenship Workshop Handbook is to provide clear and comprehensive guidelines for facilitators worldwide to conduct the ""Green Citizenship"" Workshop. This workshop aims to foster dialogue on Climate Change and social responsibility. The results available at the project’s website are: Handbook: The handbook introduces the Green Artivism Project and summarizes all the project results: PR 1 Creativity Web-toolkit; PR2 Green Citizenship workshop and the Virtual Think Tank, before entering to explain step by step how to deliver the Green Citizenship workshop.The workshop is divided into 3 sessions:•Session 1: The academic and policy debate behind each European Green Deal topic.•Session 2: Local relevance of EGD for me.•Session 3: Citizen power. Can we influence European policy developments?Each session includes a description of the objectives, the methodology and the resources needed for a successful implementation. Materials available: pdf tutorial.Languages: English, Greek, Slovenian, SpanishExtra materials: The extra materials include resources used by the project team for pilot testing preparation. They are listed in the handbook and available in the project website and includes material such as:•References about the European Green Deal and daata related with climate change, guidelines on conflict mapping, specific presentations made by the project team regarding the European Green Deal, Greenhouse gas emissions, Advocacy tools, etc.•Icebreaker, Warm-up and energizer games.•Specific examples for conflict mapping.•Suggestions for debate prompts.•Questionnaires for post-workshop feedback.•Tips for the inclusion of participants with less opportunities.Materials available: pdf and pptx files; urlsLanguages: mainly EnglishProject Result 2: Virtual Think Tank: The Art for Climate Forum, located on the project's website, serves as the Virtual Think Tank. It's designed to continue supporting dialogue for at least two years after the project concludes. This platform offers participants a dedicated space to: Showcase Creations, since participants can display their creative projects and ideas; Networking and collaboration for implementing their ideas; Fosters learning and capacity building among locally rooted organizations and individuals.The Virtual Think Tank is a lasting resource, extending the impact of the project by providing a platform for ongoing engagement, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing in the realm of art and climate awareness.Materials: website forumLanguage: English set-up. Potential use in all languages.Other outcomes:Interviews with five (5) experts. These video-intereviews are available at the GreenArtivism Youtube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/@greenartivism9179), and the GreenArtivism Instagram Account (https://www.instagram.com/greenartivism/).Orestis Matsas interview: Orestis is a local activist in Cyprus and he will talk about What is the European Green Deal and How are we facing the climate changes in different places across Europe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kGN_Uq95X8Language: Greek. Subtitles: EnglishSusana Cámara interview: Susana is an artist from Spain. She will explain the project “Somos Agua” that is undergoing in the Biosphere Reserve Omaña and Luna Valleys in León (Spain). The project combines art, ethnography and climate change awareness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03797-Th3DcLanguage: Spanish. Subtitles: EnglishRebeka Kovadid Lukman interview: Rebeka is a teacher in the field of environmental sciences in Maribor (Slovenia). She talks about the European Green Deal and How are we facing the climate changes in different places across Europe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8sruDtlIKwLanguage: Slovenian. Subtitles: EnglishNatalia Castro interview. Natalia is the Manager of the Biosphere Reserve Valles de Omaña y Luna, in León (Spain). She introduces what the Biosphere Reserves are and how climate change is affecting the Omaña and Luna territory and their inhabitants: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seTVzTPFNZYLanguage: Spanish. Subtitles: EnglishBeatriz Rodríguez-Labajos interview: Beatriz is a resercher at the University Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona (Spain). In this video she talks about actions taken in Quintero Bay, an environmental sacrifice zone in Chile.Language: English"