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Scolel’te: the tree that grows

Creative Carbon Scotland

This post comes from Creative Carbon Scotland

We’re often asked about carbon offsetting to deal with those carbon emissions you just can’t avoid – essential travel, energy for heating and lighting. There are a number of questions about the validity of offsetting which I’ll deal with in another blog, but if you do choose to offset, which scheme should you choose? The schemes offered by airlines and other commercial outfits are sometimes of dubious quality and often much of what you are paying goes to a middleman rather than actually reduces the carbon in the world’s atmosphere. The project described below offers both carbon reduction and also social benefits and I know it’s of top quality. I offset all my domestic travel, gas and electricity once a year when I do  my tax return rather than try to do it month by month. So you could use our tools such as claimexpenses.com to gather the data, then offset at the end of the year.

Offsetting should only be used for genuinely unavoidable carbon emissions – it’s not a free pass. The first thing to do is avoid doing the things that burn fossil fuels. People often think that travel can’t be avoided, but our guide to Creating and Updating a Travel Policy has tips and advice for reducing unsustainable travel – and making life nicer while reducing time-wasting at the same time. Why not look at it now?

Marco Lara is Carbon Offsets Sales Manager at AMBIO, a Mexican non-profit that coordinates the Scolel’te Programe for Carbon Offsetting, the very first project to neutralise carbon emissions and a great example to illustrate how conservation, high impact investments and improved livelihoods come together. If after you’ve done all you can to reduce your carbon emissions you still have some left, you can buy offsets in his project by contacting Plan Vivo, an Edinburgh-based charity that deals with Scolel’te. Or you can go direct to Ambio, but you’ll need to read Spanish. You can receive a newsletter about the project in English here.

I

It’s 6 a.m., still the early morning. Like clockwork, Manuel goes out to check if everything is right in his land. For weeks now the rain has been absent in his community. Manuel, like thousands of farmers in Mexico, knows perfectly the importance of regular rainfall patterns to achieve the expected yields in his corn, coffee and beans crops. However, this year looks particularly complicated, even more than before.

Manuel lives in Villa Las Rosas, a small village within the Lacandon rainforest, an hour and a half from the impressive archaeological site of Palenque in the Chiapas state in southern Mexico. Villa Las Rosas is one of hundreds of surrounding rural settlements inhabited by Mayan communities, who continue to use the Mayan Tzeltal language. Arriving alone in places like this, lacking fluency in Tzeltal, it’s a real challenge even to ask for directions. For outsiders, miming is a good second language.

Villa Las Rosas is part of the buffer zone of a natural protected area called Naha-Metzabok, a site acknowledged as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention since 2004. This region is key, both for its role in water supply and for the number of species of flora and fauna living here, including spider monkeys, jaguars and orchids.

II

10 years ago, the non-profit cooperative AMBIO, in partnership with the National Commission for Natural Protected Areas of Mexico (CONANP), started strengthening conservation actions in the area through the rolling out of the Scolel’te Program in the region of Naha-Metzabok, including Villa Las Rosas and other neighbouring communities. This strategy for sustainable natural resources management has been conceived as a tool to offset the carbon emissions of companies, organisations and individuals while at the same time diversifying the sources of income in rural households.

The efforts of AMBIO date from long ago when in 1997 the Edinburgh University, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), the Mexico National Institute for Ecology (INE), the International Automobile Federation and dozens of farmers associated with the Scolel’te Program (“the tree that grows” in Tzeltal language), began a unique and pioneering collaboration, focused on maintaining and restoring the natural ecosystems and improving livelihoods through a model that recognised the environmental services provided in tropical areas, such as carbon sequestration to deal with climate change.

To date, the Scolel’te Programme, brings together around 1,200 farmers, distributed across more than 90 communities in the state of Chiapas. This initiative, the longest-standing to neutralize carbon emissions, today covers 7662 hectares, the equivalent of 10,726 football fields. In terms of carbon sequestration, different organisations such as the Absolut Vodka Company or the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) have offset 479,029 tons of CO2 through the Scolel’te Program, which is equivalent to the emissions of 260,200 individual one way flights  between London and Mexico City.

III

Back in Villa Las Rosas, the clock shows 7 a.m. Manuel has a 4-hour drive to San Cristobal de las Casas, where AMBIO headquarters are based. As regional technician for the area of Naha-Metzabok and its buffer zone, Manuel will describe in a follow-up meeting the progress of the working groups and the challenges that arise whenever monitoring in the registered forest areas is required or how to manage payments to the farmers enrolled in the Scolel’te Program.

The next day Manuel will return home, making at least one stopover to change from a comfortable van to a cargo truck fitted out as the only public transportation to his village. He’ll travel alongside other farmers of Tzeltal ethnicity, women who have been shopping at the nearest town and students with their backpacks full of illusions.

Upon returning to Villa Las Rosas, Manuel will report on the results of the meeting held in AMBIO and he will begin to coordinate along with a couple of neighbours the journey of a company that will take several years to offset its emissions through Scolel’te Program. By late afternoon, Manuel will be outside his small office, with a hot cup of coffee in hand, watching how the water-laden clouds are finally coming to the community. And with the rain, it will come the sound of the frogs.

The post Scolel’te: the tree that grows appeared first on Creative Carbon Scotland.

———-

Creative Carbon Scotland is a partnership of arts organisations working to put culture at the heart of a sustainable Scotland. We believe cultural and creative organisations have a significant influencing power to help shape a sustainable Scotland for the 21st century.

In 2011 we worked with partners Festivals Edinburgh, the Federation of Scottish Threatre and Scottish Contemporary Art Network to support over thirty arts organisations to operate more sustainably.

We are now building on these achievements and working with over 70 cultural organisations across Scotland in various key areas including carbon management, behavioural change and advocacy for sustainable practice in the arts.

Our work with cultural organisations is the first step towards a wider change. Cultural organisations can influence public behaviour and attitudes about climate change through:

Changing their own behaviour;
Communicating with their audiences;
Engaging the public’s emotions, values and ideas.

Go to Creative Carbon Scotland

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Opportunity for Artists: Climart Commission

Creative Carbon Scotland, Open Calls

This post comes from Creative Carbon Scotland

This commission will run over a period of approximately 12 months and it is envisaged that some of this time will be spent in Norway facilitated by an artist’s fee and, where relevant, support from project partners. The final goal is the creation of a public artwork that embodies aspects of the research, creating a platform to test significance, affect and impact.

About Climart and the research

Communicating the facts of climate change is one of the most serious challenges of our era. Although there has been significant research about the visualization of climate change, research about the contribution of contemporary art has been scarce. The focus of Climart is to examine the underlying psychological mechanisms involved in both the production and reception of visual art and to use these findings in an attempt to unite the natural sciences to the visual arts. Ultimately, the project aims to identify effective communication methodologies that have the capacity to reach greater audiences, initiate discussion and potentially influence attitudes.

About the commission

This is an opportunity to develop new work that responds to an on-going psychological study seeking to uncover what methods of making most effectively communicate the science of climate change. Within this framework there is significant scope to develop the efficacy of art/science collaborations and make a high profile work with strong impact.

We are therefore seeking an artist who is interested in engaging fully with the work being conducted by the Climart project. This means that the commissioned artist will become an active member of the project, both benefitting from and contributing to the discourses of the team. In line with this, the artist will be expected to attend key activities, such as the yearly project symposiums, and negotiate inclusion in other relevant activities.

Artist Criteria

  • A commitment to collaborating with cross-disciplinary partners.
  • An ability to create artwork that reacts and responds to discourse and research information.
  • A track record of project management toward a public outcome.
  • A commitment to oversee the completion of a final artwork, and participate in activities around public engagement, feedback and legacy.
  • An engagement with the issue of climate change.

Aims

  • To test how scientific data is best embodied in an artwork; how can this be translated into affective processing?
  • Stimulate debate about the effects of, and our effect on, climate change
  • Create an artwork that will having a lasting effect on the viewer; provoke discussions about positive change.
  • Engage new audiences with both the thematic and contemporary art and climate change.
  • Attract audiences to the site of the artwork and augment Trondheim’s ambitious art in public spaces programme.

The following are of note:

  • The work will be semi-permanent (approximately one year) and may travel / be re-sited in other locations.
  • A public space in Trondheim will be the first location of the work. It is not necessary for the artist to identify a specific site, as this will be negotiated in partnership, but the commission should be considered for a high-traffic, public space, as opposed to an art gallery or museum.
  • The work can be exterior or interior. If exterior, there should be a realistic approach to the challenges posed by the Norwegian climate.
  • Additional platforms for the work, including on-line sites, mobile apps, etc are encouraged.
  • There is no specification regarding media, although the commission should aim to reflect sustainable methods of making, notably the proposal should not be environmentally damaging.

 Budget

  • Artists fee
  • Production and installation costs
  • Transport/delivery of work
  • Travel and accommodation expenses in relation to time spent in Norway (as negotiated)

TOTAL BUDGET: NK 550,000 (approx. 57.000 Euro)

 Eligibility

Applicants must have previous experience of collaborative working methods and experience in realising public art projects / commissions. A good level of English for communicating with the research team is essential.

To Apply

As the purpose of this commission is to appoint an artist to create a new work in response to on-going research, in the first instance, Climart is seeking ‘expressions of interest’ that demonstrate the artist criteria (outline in ‘About the Commission’ details).

Please submit an ‘Expression of Interest’ in the form of a single PDF in English language by 14th March 2016 adhering to the following format:

  •  Biographical Sketch (200 words)
  • To include, where relevant, how your practice relates to thematic of climate change
  • Your proposed approach to the commission and projected outcomes (300 words)
  • Please outline what methodologies and structures you may use to work with the Climart Project, giving where possible your ideas for potential artworks.
  • Images – up to 5 images (documented works, stills etc) of previous works.
  • CV including links to further reading, imagery, video etc

A shortlist of five proposals will be selected. Each shortlisted artist would be given NK 10,000 to work up a final proposal and to attend interviews, including travel.

 Expressions of interest are to be sent to climart@svt.ntnu.no within 14th March 2016 (23:59 CET).

Important note:

At the stage of “expressions of interest” no questions can be answered. Shortlisted artists will have the opportunity to ask questions until the 4th April 2016. After that date, no direct contact between submitting artists and the jury is allowed before the proposals have been submitted and evaluated by the jury. Questions must be sent in written form (email to climart@svt.ntnu.no,  not telephone) and answers + questions will be circulated to all shortlisted participants, to ensure that all are working with the same information.

MORE INFORMATION: http://www.climart.info/#!artist/cvz9

The post Opportunity for Artists: Climart Commission appeared first on Creative Carbon Scotland.

———-

Creative Carbon Scotland is a partnership of arts organisations working to put culture at the heart of a sustainable Scotland. We believe cultural and creative organisations have a significant influencing power to help shape a sustainable Scotland for the 21st century.

In 2011 we worked with partners Festivals Edinburgh, the Federation of Scottish Threatre and Scottish Contemporary Art Network to support over thirty arts organisations to operate more sustainably.

We are now building on these achievements and working with over 70 cultural organisations across Scotland in various key areas including carbon management, behavioural change and advocacy for sustainable practice in the arts.

Our work with cultural organisations is the first step towards a wider change. Cultural organisations can influence public behaviour and attitudes about climate change through:

Changing their own behaviour;
Communicating with their audiences;
Engaging the public’s emotions, values and ideas.

Go to Creative Carbon Scotland

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Green Arts Initiative Report Now Published!

Creative Carbon Scotland

This post comes from Creative Carbon Scotland

The GAI report showcases the work that Scottish artists and arts organisations have been doing to affect their carbon footprint and environmental sustainability, and highlights their plans for action over 2016.

GAI-Rosette-11 GAI-Rosette-4

In a year where the Green Arts Initiative doubled in its membership, the report highlights what our members have been doing to reduce their environmental impact, and they efforts they have gone to in order to extend environmental sustainability to their artists, audiences and staff members.

GAI-Rosette-8 GAI-Rosette-2

In October 2015 we hosted our first annual conference for GAI members, with over 20 speakers from the green arts community, and carried out a major survey to find out more about our members, and what help them achieve their sustainability goals. We learnt a huge amount the community, and have since planned a programme of resources and events over 2016 to help support our members.

Read the report to find out more!

Read the 2015 Green Arts Initiative Report

 

The Green Arts Initiative is a networked community of Scottish arts organisations committed to reducing their environmental impact, and exploring how the arts can contribute to a more sustainable Scotland. Find out more about the Green Arts Initiative, and become a member, here.

 

The post Green Arts Initiative Report Now Published! appeared first on Creative Carbon Scotland.

———-

Creative Carbon Scotland is a partnership of arts organisations working to put culture at the heart of a sustainable Scotland. We believe cultural and creative organisations have a significant influencing power to help shape a sustainable Scotland for the 21st century.

In 2011 we worked with partners Festivals Edinburgh, the Federation of Scottish Threatre and Scottish Contemporary Art Network to support over thirty arts organisations to operate more sustainably.

We are now building on these achievements and working with over 70 cultural organisations across Scotland in various key areas including carbon management, behavioural change and advocacy for sustainable practice in the arts.

Our work with cultural organisations is the first step towards a wider change. Cultural organisations can influence public behaviour and attitudes about climate change through:

Changing their own behaviour;
Communicating with their audiences;
Engaging the public’s emotions, values and ideas.

Go to Creative Carbon Scotland

Powered by WPeMatico

Report on Mull Artists’ Residency 2015 Published

Creative Carbon Scotland

This post comes from Creative Carbon Scotland

In March 2015, we invited twelve artists of different disciplines to join us for our second Arts & Sustainability Artists’ Residency. Stephanie de Roemer and Allison Palenske have produced a report for us reflecting on the events and outcomes of Mull 2015.

The residency was structured around a weekend-long discussion on the extraordinary and ambitious UN Sustainable Development Goals and aimed to:

  • Provide artists with the space and stimuli to consider how environmental sustainability could drive new ways of working;
  • Collectively develop artists’, Creative Carbon Scotland’s and Comar’s to think about how environmental sustainability can be engaged with in different artistic practices on practical and conceptual levels;
  • Nurture and build a creative community of practice which embeds environmental sustainability at its core.

mully.1 copyRead the full Mull Report 2015 here 

More information on the project and its outcomes here.

The twelve artists participating in the Mull 2015 Residency: Alice Cooper, performer/theatre maker;  Hannah Imlach, visual artist; Hector MacInnes, composer/musician; Holly Keasey, socially engaged visual artist; Jean Lanteri Laura, photographer; Kevin Dagg, sculptor; Niroshini Thambar, composer/musician; Rebecca Sharp, writer; Saffy Setohy, choreographer/dancer; Sam Cook, visual artist; Thomas Butler, composer and Vivian Ross Smith, visual artist.

The residency was facilitated by Professor Mike Bonaventura and documented by Stephanie de Roemer. The residency was supported by Comar and funded by Creative Scotland.

The post Report on Mull Artists’ Residency 2015 Published appeared first on Creative Carbon Scotland.

———-

Creative Carbon Scotland is a partnership of arts organisations working to put culture at the heart of a sustainable Scotland. We believe cultural and creative organisations have a significant influencing power to help shape a sustainable Scotland for the 21st century.

In 2011 we worked with partners Festivals Edinburgh, the Federation of Scottish Threatre and Scottish Contemporary Art Network to support over thirty arts organisations to operate more sustainably.

We are now building on these achievements and working with over 70 cultural organisations across Scotland in various key areas including carbon management, behavioural change and advocacy for sustainable practice in the arts.

Our work with cultural organisations is the first step towards a wider change. Cultural organisations can influence public behaviour and attitudes about climate change through:

Changing their own behaviour;
Communicating with their audiences;
Engaging the public’s emotions, values and ideas.

Go to Creative Carbon Scotland

Powered by WPeMatico

Opportunity for Funding

Creative Carbon Scotland, Open Calls

This post comes from Creative Carbon Scotland

The Climate Challenge Fund is now OPEN for applications.

The Scottish Government has made £10.3 million of funding available through the Climate Challenge Fund (CCF).

Community-led organisations are invited to apply for CCF funding to run one year projects with a start date of 1 April 2016 and completion date of 31 March 2017. Grants of up to £150,000 are available per project.

Application deadline: February 19th @ 5pm.

Visit their website for more information and how to apply.

The post Opportunity for Funding appeared first on Creative Carbon Scotland.

———-

Creative Carbon Scotland is a partnership of arts organisations working to put culture at the heart of a sustainable Scotland. We believe cultural and creative organisations have a significant influencing power to help shape a sustainable Scotland for the 21st century.

In 2011 we worked with partners Festivals Edinburgh, the Federation of Scottish Threatre and Scottish Contemporary Art Network to support over thirty arts organisations to operate more sustainably.

We are now building on these achievements and working with over 70 cultural organisations across Scotland in various key areas including carbon management, behavioural change and advocacy for sustainable practice in the arts.

Our work with cultural organisations is the first step towards a wider change. Cultural organisations can influence public behaviour and attitudes about climate change through:

Changing their own behaviour;
Communicating with their audiences;
Engaging the public’s emotions, values and ideas.

Go to Creative Carbon Scotland

Powered by WPeMatico

Opportunity: Travelling Artist Residency

Creative Carbon Scotland, Open Calls

This post comes from Creative Carbon Scotland

This post comes from Access Gallery.

Access Gallery, in partnership with Burrard Arts Foundation, invites submissions for the second year of its Travelling Artist Residency Program, Twenty-Three Days at Sea. Twenty-Three Days at Sea grants selected emergent visual artists passage aboard cargo ships sailing from Vancouver, Canada to Shanghai. Crossing the Pacific Ocean takes approximately twenty-three days, during which time the artist will be considered “in residence” aboard the vessel.

There are many hundreds of residency programs worldwide. Twenty-Three Days at Sea follows the “aberrant” turn in artist residencies, in that it imposes specific conditions and constraints (the strictures of the port; the solitude of the freighter cabin; the expanse of the open sea) that will, in turn shape artists’ ideas and work. It offers the opportunity to integrate critical and creative practices into a new set of parameters, and the potential of challenging established routines, activities and assumptions. At its base, Twenty-Three Days at Sea asks artists to question what constitutes creative space, and to consider how time is experienced over the highly charged, yet largely invisible, spatial trajectory of a trans-Pacific shipping route. It offers a profoundly generative time and space—in the unconventional studio space of the cargo ship cabin—for focused research and the creation of provocative new ideas and work. For the 2016-17 year, successful candidates will sail on separate freighters between the months of June and September, 2016.

The aim of this residency program is to generate a new work or body of work (which, depending upon the artists’ practices, may take place aboard the vessel or in the months following) in response to the sea voyage, which will then be exhibited before audiences at Access Gallery in the following months. For the extent of the residency voyage, artists will also be requested to keep a daily “log.” Subsequently published by Access, these logbooks will accumulate as an ongoing collection of bookworks, chronicling diverse responses to a shared experience of being at sea.

Applicants are encouraged to propose projects that consider issues resonant with sea travel and with the ubiquitous but, for most of us, largely invisible world of the global shipping industry. These may include, but are by no means limited to, matters of trans-Pacific connectivity, traffic and trade; maritime histories and culture; and, significantly, notions of time and space, since crossing a great expanse of water is experienced far differently on an ocean vessel than by more conventional air travel.

Submission guidelines:

  • one page cv
  • artist statement (maximum 250 words)
  • a residency proposal (maximum 250 words) accompanied by a maximum of 5 images (if applicable)
  • maximum 10 images (or hyperlinked videos) of relevant previous work
  • please format your proposal into a single pdf (under 20 mb)

Submit to: submissions@accessgallery.ca 

Deadline:February 15, 2016

http://accessgallery.ca/submissions/

The post Opportunity: Travelling Artist Residency appeared first on Creative Carbon Scotland.

———-

Creative Carbon Scotland is a partnership of arts organisations working to put culture at the heart of a sustainable Scotland. We believe cultural and creative organisations have a significant influencing power to help shape a sustainable Scotland for the 21st century.

In 2011 we worked with partners Festivals Edinburgh, the Federation of Scottish Threatre and Scottish Contemporary Art Network to support over thirty arts organisations to operate more sustainably.

We are now building on these achievements and working with over 70 cultural organisations across Scotland in various key areas including carbon management, behavioural change and advocacy for sustainable practice in the arts.

Our work with cultural organisations is the first step towards a wider change. Cultural organisations can influence public behaviour and attitudes about climate change through:

Changing their own behaviour;
Communicating with their audiences;
Engaging the public’s emotions, values and ideas.

Go to Creative Carbon Scotland

Powered by WPeMatico

Opportunity: Terra Vivente Artist’s Residency

Creative Carbon Scotland, Open Calls

This post comes from Creative Carbon Scotland

Post from Terra Vivente

Terra Vivente is a summer-only residency that provides unique accommodation for artists in the medieval quarter of a small hilltown in Campania, Italy. Artists spend three or six weeks in the town of Guardia Sanframondi, Italy. The deadline to apply is February 28, 2016

A maximum of four artists come together to share a work space and living space. The mandate of the studio is to foster interaction between guest artists and the community. Preference is also given to artists whose work embraces environmental sustainability and/or community interaction.

New for the summer of 2016: There are now three options for places to stay. In addition to the four rustic but contemporary rooms in two apartments, with attached studio, there is a house adjacent to this for non-studio based work, and Terra Vivente is partnering with Eco and Arte, a rural artist residency not far from Guardia Sanframondi.

Opportunities for 2016

Please be sure to read through the website to have a clear picture of what the residency is about and where it is located, and send a complete application by February 28.

Six week residency, July 17 – August 28, 1050 Euros*

Perfect for those wishing a lengthier stay, to build a body of work and have time to explore the nearby villages and daytrips to Naples. At the end of the stay, a group exhibition will be held in one of the exhibition spaces, and there will be an open house in the studio halfway through to give the community the opportunity to see what has been happening in the studio. There will also be opportunities to participate in other events. There are many festivals in nearby communities throughout the summer. You can choose to stay in Guardia at the Terra Vivente location or in the rural location of Eco and Arte, a few kilometres outside San Pietro Infine.

Three week residency, July 17 – August 6 or August 7 – August 28, 625 Euros*

Ideal for the artist who has time constraints or wishes to fit a residency into lengthier travel plans. Three weeks is plenty of time to get to know the town of Guardia Sanframondi and nearby villages, to gather information, explore and engage. You can choose to stay in Guardia at the Terra Vivente location or in the rural location of Eco and Arte, a few kilometres outside San Pietro Infine.

Six week residency/retreat for artists or writers not requiring studio space,

July 17 – August 28, fee depends on number of occupants

This is an opportunity ideal for a couple or small family (with children old enough to manage steep stairs) in a two-bedroom house adjacent to the Terra Vivente building. It has access to the Terra Vivente garden but not the studio. The house has a small dining room, kitchen, and cantina. This location will not have wifi but there is free wifi in the cafes that are just a few minutes’ walk away. This venue is suitable for someone whose work is not studio-based, such as photography, video, or writing.

Download application form here:   terra vivente application form 2016.doc

Send all materials to Helena Wadsley, residency organiser by February 28th

The post Opportunity: Artist’s Residency appeared first on Creative Carbon Scotland.

———-

Creative Carbon Scotland is a partnership of arts organisations working to put culture at the heart of a sustainable Scotland. We believe cultural and creative organisations have a significant influencing power to help shape a sustainable Scotland for the 21st century.

In 2011 we worked with partners Festivals Edinburgh, the Federation of Scottish Threatre and Scottish Contemporary Art Network to support over thirty arts organisations to operate more sustainably.

We are now building on these achievements and working with over 70 cultural organisations across Scotland in various key areas including carbon management, behavioural change and advocacy for sustainable practice in the arts.

Our work with cultural organisations is the first step towards a wider change. Cultural organisations can influence public behaviour and attitudes about climate change through:

Changing their own behaviour;
Communicating with their audiences;
Engaging the public’s emotions, values and ideas.

Go to Creative Carbon Scotland

Powered by WPeMatico

Opportunity: Artists’ Development Programme

Creative Carbon Scotland, Open Calls

This post comes from Creative Carbon Scotland

The EIB Institute’s Artists’ Development Programme 2016, targeting one emerging visual artist (less than 35 years old) from the European Union focusing on “The imprint of man- representing the anthropocene”, is now open for applications until 21 February.

The programme provides an opportunity for the selected artist to develop his/her practice at the highest level during a month-long residency in Luxembourg in June 2016 by creating a new (body of) work(s). During this time, he/she will be mentored by internationally acclaimed British artist Darren Almond. Applicants should be fluent in English.

A jury, consisting of members of the EIB Institute Arts Committee, external arts professionals and the mentor, will evaluate the applications and select the artist in residence. It bases its selection on his/her motivations, quality of the work, and the applicant’s potential to use the residency to maximum benefit. The selected candidate will be informed via email by the beginning of April 2016.

The EIB Institute will take over the artist’s travel costs to and from Luxembourg. This includes a stopover to visit the mentor, Darren Almond, in London and experiencing the latter’s creative studio(s). The artist will also receive a stipend (EUR 100 per day). At the end of the residency, the participant will receive a success fee of EUR 1,500 each, provided he/she has produced an artwork.

Candidates should send the following documents to Ms. Delphine Munro (arts@eib.org) :

  • CV (in English)
  • Scanned copy of their passport or identity card evidencing nationality in one of the 28 Member States
  • A paper detailing the project that would be produced during the residency, in line with the proposed theme (maximum 600 words, in English)
  • Portfolio of visual documentation of several works best characterizing the art of the applicant (in PDF, four A4 pages maximum)
  • Names and contacts of two professional referees, familiar with the art of the applicant
  • A brief reference in the body of the email to how the applicant found out about the programme

Application deadline: Feb. 21st @ midnight

Taken from: http://institute.eib.org/2016/01/apply-for-artists-development-programme-2016-the-anthropocene/

The post Opportunity: Artists’ Development Programme appeared first on Creative Carbon Scotland.

———-

Creative Carbon Scotland is a partnership of arts organisations working to put culture at the heart of a sustainable Scotland. We believe cultural and creative organisations have a significant influencing power to help shape a sustainable Scotland for the 21st century.

In 2011 we worked with partners Festivals Edinburgh, the Federation of Scottish Threatre and Scottish Contemporary Art Network to support over thirty arts organisations to operate more sustainably.

We are now building on these achievements and working with over 70 cultural organisations across Scotland in various key areas including carbon management, behavioural change and advocacy for sustainable practice in the arts.

Our work with cultural organisations is the first step towards a wider change. Cultural organisations can influence public behaviour and attitudes about climate change through:

Changing their own behaviour;
Communicating with their audiences;
Engaging the public’s emotions, values and ideas.

Go to Creative Carbon Scotland

Powered by WPeMatico

Throwing Light on Your Lighting Choices

Creative Carbon Scotland

This post comes from Creative Carbon Scotland

Fiona MacLennan writes: I recently attended a seminar, arranged by Green Business Fife and NJS Lighting Solutions, on the use of LED lighting – Making the Right Choice. We had excellent contributions from a range of speakers, which included designers, manufacturers and suppliers as well as a case study of a recent lighting replacement project at Diageo presented by the project manager at the plant.

Resource Efficient Scotland also provided information on their SME loans scheme which provides interest free loans to allow SMEs to make efficiency improvements which include more efficient lighting.

Lighting is a major user of energy and producer of emissions for many in the arts and culture whether for theatres, galleries or museums – even for touring companies. We use lighting on stage, in the auditorium, cafes, in display spaces and it has to be fit for purpose and we can’t do without it. LED lighting is often seen as the answer to all our lighting problems.

  • It uses a fraction of the energy of traditional technologies for the same light output such as halogen lighting.
  • With lower energy use we should see lower costs and emissions.
  • It comes in an array of colours so doesn’t need colour filtering.
  • It can be easily controlled and can be switched on and off instantly unlike other low energy technologies like compact fluorescent bulbs.
  • It is now available in a huge range of shapes and sizes both to replace traditional bulbs or for whole new types of fittings and effects.
  • The expected lifetime of most bulbs is more than 10 years.
  • New legislation means that most high energy use bulbs such as Mercury and Sodium will be phased out within the next 2-5 years so replacement bulbs will be unobtainable

With all those advantages it seems like we should all be changing to LED lighting or should we? The answer is ‘probably’ but as with all new technologies it’s worth taking some time to understand what you want it to do and analysing the costs and benefits. We learned yesterday about the importance of choosing the right colour to suit the location. The way that the human eye works means that the colour of lighting can have major effects on our mood, how efficiently we work and how safe we feel.

LED lights come in such a dazzling array of colours, shapes and sizes that it can make choosing the correct type difficult. Added to that is the range of manufacturing quality. The cheaper fittings often disappoint because of poor illumination and early failure. So how do we avoid costly mistakes?

  • For large schemes think about appointing a designer who can guide you through the technology choices. Moving to LED lights can save 40 -50% in energy costs but using the best controls can save a further 20-30%. Controls are now available to maintain a constant illumination level in spaces with daylight avoiding wasteful use of artificial light when the sun is shining. Software controlled lights can be programmed to come on as you approach corridors and stairwells. The list is endless.
  • For small schemes it’s worth spending a small amount on trialling bulbs and fittings to find out what you like.
  • Think about replacing old fittings as well as bulbs if they are in inaccessible spaces to avoid having to arrange access at heights when the fittings fail (as they often do after 10-15 years).
  • Remember LED lighting is not maintenance free. Keeping the light fittings dust free can extend the lifetime of the lamps by years. So factor regular cleaning into your costs.
  • Consider paying a bit more for better quality. Make sure that any equipment you buy is certified and from a knowledgeable supplier. LED lights are made up of several components all of which can fail if they are of poor quality. Ask your supplier to guarantee the whole light fitting before agreeing the purchase.

The good news is that when done properly, LED lighting can save you up to 70% of your lighting costs and produce great results, providing a much improved experience in spaces as diverse as car parks to cafes. Tessa Ward of Diageo explained the benefits of their new warehouse lighting which had previously been supplied by traditional SON (Sodium) fittings. Users are no longer bathed in a permanent orange glow and can now distinguish between colours of blue, green and white labels (everything looked orange before!), see into previously dark corners and are happier with their new brighter surroundings. Added to that, they hope to reduce costs, saving tens of thousands of pounds on electricity bills and reducing their maintenance efforts significantly too.

For more information on the event and the contributors contact Fiona MacLennan.

Want to learn more about LED lighting and discuss the risks and opportunities with Fiona? We will be at the Federation Scottish Theatre’s Technical Winter School on the 2nd of Feb having a lunchtime discussion on LED Lighting. More info here. 

Image credit: Museum of Technology by Pirhan (Creative Commons)

The post Throwing Light on Your Lighting Choices appeared first on Creative Carbon Scotland.

———-

Creative Carbon Scotland is a partnership of arts organisations working to put culture at the heart of a sustainable Scotland. We believe cultural and creative organisations have a significant influencing power to help shape a sustainable Scotland for the 21st century.

In 2011 we worked with partners Festivals Edinburgh, the Federation of Scottish Threatre and Scottish Contemporary Art Network to support over thirty arts organisations to operate more sustainably.

We are now building on these achievements and working with over 70 cultural organisations across Scotland in various key areas including carbon management, behavioural change and advocacy for sustainable practice in the arts.

Our work with cultural organisations is the first step towards a wider change. Cultural organisations can influence public behaviour and attitudes about climate change through:

Changing their own behaviour;
Communicating with their audiences;
Engaging the public’s emotions, values and ideas.

Go to Creative Carbon Scotland

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Sustainable Art Inspires at the Churchill Theatre

Creative Carbon Scotland

This post comes from Creative Carbon Scotland

The work they produced was exhibited at the Churchill Theatre and their learning was captured in a film we bring you below.

robot-eco-art-3-e1452790086955

Lorna MacDonald with John-Paul Valentine and Roxy the Robot at Church Hill Theatre

I had no idea of the fantastic artwork, inspiring stories and creative learning that would come from our project, The Lifecycle of Stuff, for which I worked in partnership with Gemma Lawrence of Creative Carbon Scotland.

The six schools involved were

  • Canal View Primary
  • Gylemuir Primary
  • James Gillespie’s High School
  • Liberton High School
  • Pilrig Park Special School
  • St Peter’s RC Primary

The six schools all engaged in different learning journeys, but they all tackled issues that affect each of us today: our relationship with waste and how we deal with ‘stuff’ in our lives. The potentially complex concepts of linear and circular economies were dealt with in a way that was meaningful to the young people.

The short film The Story of Stuff was shown to the pupils to provide a context for their work.

Each class collected items that would otherwise have gone to landfill and used them to create sculptures, learning skills and techniques within art and design. Importantly, all the pupils had the choice to make something original, rather than having a product prescribed. The process of playing with the materials and coming up with ideas was at least as important as making something wonderful in the end.

A hanging chandelier created by some of the students out of intercepted waste.

 

One teacher from James Gillespie’s High School commented that the artist, Kathy Beckett, inspired their students, not only with her understanding of the issues and of the process of creating artwork, but by demonstrating her personal commitment to making conscious choices in her actions. The students felt she was a role model as an artist and as an eco-warrior.

At Pilrig Park Special School, the art and design teacher commented:

The class gained confidence as well as learning new skills. One particular pupil, who is normally extremely shy and will not talk to many people, actually spoke independently about her art work in front of the class. This was very encouraging to witness.

The teacher felt that, for herself

Roxy the Robot

it was invaluable to gain knowledge of various new techniques and processes which I can use within my department in the future. It was also refreshing to work alongside an artist… share ideas and discuss possibilities.

Pilrig Park pupils said:

It made me feel happy to see our artwork hanging up in a place where anybody can go and see it!

Thank you Kathy for teaching us…it made me think about where our rubbish goes to.

A teacher from St Peter’s RC Primary commented on the pupils’ learning

Pupils were challenged to extend their thinking to include examples of linear and circular movement of resources and appliances in their everyday lives.

I really liked how… it was really left to the pupils to create and explore their ideas. I think this was incredibly valuable for the learner… something I’d love to be able to replicate in the future. It taught me a little about letting go and going with the creative process.

The whole project has really highlighted to me about the value of the creative process and not just the finished artwork, something I could definitely work on.

Watch the short film below to get a flavour of the work within each school and think: what will you do?

View the original post here.

For more information on Bright Futures and the work provided by the City of Edinburgh Council visit their website.

The post Sustainable Art Inspires at the Churchill Theatre appeared first on Creative Carbon Scotland.

———-

Creative Carbon Scotland is a partnership of arts organisations working to put culture at the heart of a sustainable Scotland. We believe cultural and creative organisations have a significant influencing power to help shape a sustainable Scotland for the 21st century.

In 2011 we worked with partners Festivals Edinburgh, the Federation of Scottish Threatre and Scottish Contemporary Art Network to support over thirty arts organisations to operate more sustainably.

We are now building on these achievements and working with over 70 cultural organisations across Scotland in various key areas including carbon management, behavioural change and advocacy for sustainable practice in the arts.

Our work with cultural organisations is the first step towards a wider change. Cultural organisations can influence public behaviour and attitudes about climate change through:

Changing their own behaviour;
Communicating with their audiences;
Engaging the public’s emotions, values and ideas.

Go to Creative Carbon Scotland

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