the sustainable
institution

O

the sustainable institution is an international symposium series, interdisciplinary artist residency and digital toolkit.

Presented by E-WERK Luckenwalde; Rupert, Vilnius and LUMA Arles.

Open call

the sustainable institution artist residency is an opportunity for creative practitioners to produce new solutions in the fight against climate change and mitigate the environmental burden of exhibition making. 

the sustainable institution is calling all creative practitioners including artists, architects, design studios and scientists to develop material or immaterial prototypes for sustainable exhibition making in the fight against climate change. 

We are looking for ideas that will transform the current unsustainable landscape of institutional operations, which could manifest as a pragmatic design solution or experimental action. While not exhaustive, your proposal could be for a performance, activist intervention, manifesto, food concept, furniture design, functional sculpture, biomaterial, waste management solution, de-growth process, curatorial strategy or digital application.

Award

Three creative practitioners will be selected to develop a prototype for sustainable exhibition making with a grant of 20.000 EUR. The grant is intended to provide support towards the research and development of a prototype, an early sample, model or idea of a concept or process towards sustainable exhibition making. Each successful applicant will be mentored by the jury over a six month research and development period, with a studio at their respective institution between March–April 2024.

Jury

  • Jan Boelen (Atelier LUMA, Artistic Director)
  • Kim Kraczon (Director of Materials at Ki Culture, Advisor at Gallery Climate Coalition)
  • Lucia Pietroiusti (Curator)
  • Asad Raza (Artist)
  • Viktorija Šiaulytė (Director, Rupert)
  • Helen Turner (E-WERK Artistic Director)
  • Mae-ling Lokko (Architectural scientist, Designer and Educator)

The jury selection will take place on 3 July 2023. Successful shortlisted applicants will be selected for online interviews with the jury. Applicants will be informed of the results in September 2023. Please refrain from following up your application, as we may not be able to respond.

Applications for the residency open call are currently being reviewed. We will notify successful applicants in September.

Symposia

the sustainable institution symposium programme focuses on sustainable change from an economic, humanitarian and ecological perspective. The symposiums will bring together international artists, curators, space sociologists, political geographers, economists, architectural scientists, anthropologists, political geographers, conservators and design studios to collaboratively create positive sustainable transformation and tangible solutions for the cultural sector.

Symposia Overview

Rupert, Vilnius

EARTH BONDS

20–22 April 2023

LUMA Arles

Bioregional Design Practices

26–27 May 2023

E-WERK Luckenwalde

BURN OUT

1–2 July 2023

Carbon Calculation to date: 3.56 (tCO2e)

In collaboration with Gallery Climate Coalition the sustainable institution is calculating the carbon footprint of the entire project, encompassing the carbon of travel, digital, print, packaging and energy. Stay tuned for more detailed calculations.

the sustainable institution toolkit is an open resource for those working and participating in culture to support systemic-change in collaboration with Gallery Climate Coalition. The toolkit will present new material prototypes, symposium excerpts, performances, actionable guidelines, a collection of established resources and the project’s carbon calculation. This is available online to the public, who can use the tools for their own transformation towards sustainability.