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Animation of Public Space through the Arts: Innovation and Sustainability, 28-30 September 2011, Centre for Social Studies (CES), University of Coimbra, Portugal

The Centre for Social Studies (CES), University of Coimbra, Portugal, together with the Utrecht School for the Arts, Utrecht, Netherlands; the Small Cities Community-University Research Alliance at Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada; and the European Network of Cultural Administration Training Centres (ENCACT) thematic area on ‘Urban management and cultural policy of the city’ will organize a second annual symposium on Animation of Public Space through the Arts: Innovation and Sustainability. The leading question of the 2011 symposium is how innovative artistic animation of public spaces can contribute to building more sustainable cities. Community sustainability is viewed as encompassing and intertwining environmental, cultural, social, and economic sustainability and resiliency. The forum will explore and advance arts-based approaches to sustainable city building, public engagement, and animation of public space by bringing together interdisciplinary researchers, students, and practitioners to share experiences and insights.

Among the discussion themes are:

· Animation of public space through artistic practices

· Sustainable use of public space

· Urban-nature interactions

· Community change, public engagement, and social sustainability

· Community transitions and sustainabilities

· Heritage and memory in the context of cultural sustainability

· Creativity and innovation for sustainability

· Sustainability and creative education

In the framework of the symposium there will be a special presentation and event with artists involved in Coimbra’s 1976 “Week of art in the streets” and special art commissions organized by Círculo de Artes Plásticas de Coimbra (CAPC), a Centre for Contemporary Art.

The symposium topics will be also explored in two artistic workshops (Friday, 30th of September 2011):

1. Theatre workshop ‘Animation of Public Space through Innovative Artistic Practices’: Sustainable Lifestyles Project

2. Eco-cultural Mapping workshop ‘Artistic Approaches to Reengagement with Natural Public Spaces’

If you are interested in presenting at the symposium or within one of the workshops, please send us a proposal on your research, artistic project, or other initiative. Please include the following information:

· Full contact information

· Title for presentation or contribution

· Intended delivery context, i.e., at the Symposium, within one of the Workshops, or Other

· Format, if not a presentation

· Key themes addressed

· Abstract about your presentation / project (200 words)

Deadline for submissions: 15 May 2011

Proposals will be reviewed by the Organizing Committee for the Symposium. For additional information, please contact the coordinator of the event, Dr. Nancy Duxbury, Centre for Social Studies (CES), email: duxbury at ces.uc.pt

Arts and Social Justice: The Media Connection, 20-23 October 2011, University of Nicosia, Cyprus

The Department of Communications in conjunction with the Mass Media and Communications Institute at The University of Nicosia will be hosting The 2011 Arts and Social Justice Conference which will be held from 20-23 October 2011 at the University of Nicosia. The title of this year’s conference is Arts and Social Justice: The Media Connection. The ASJ is a well established international conference based on arts, expression and citizen activism and its various mediated forms of representation. ASJ has close ties to the World Social Forum, also held annually at the same time as the Davos Economic Forum and conceived as its counterweight. In 2010, the ASJ conference was held in Durban, South Africa, with such luminaries as Albie Sachs and Rajmohan Ghandi among the plenary speakers and key presentations from William Cleveland, Mike van Graan, and Angelina Kamba.

At the 2011 conference, the organizers expect about 200 – 300 delegates from all over the world – artists, academics, activists. Special emphasis will be put on the media and how they can and do influence societies at large to take on greater responsibilities in making this world a just place to live.

There will be three strands:

1. Arts, Media and Advocacy

2. Media, Culture and Identity

3. Arts, Cultural Diversity and Conflict Resolution

Additional ideas are also welcome from participants regarding panel discussions, poster displays and artistic workshops.

Especially the first strand will give the opportunity to analyze citizen media production and how, as in the recent cases of Tunisia, Egypt and other Arab countries, this has contributed to giving a forceful voice to formerly disenfranchised groups. The organizers have approached a number of important global figures and while the negotiations are still continuing, they hope to have such celebrities as Desmond Tutu, important film directors and artists to be part of the programme.

Please indicate interest of participation by email to Mike Hajimichael <hajimichael [dot] m [at] unic [dot] ac [dot] cy>.

Cultura21′s international network, launched in April 2007, offers the online and offline platform for exchanges and mutual learning among its members.

The activities of Cultura21 at the international level are coordinated by a team representing the different Cultura21 organizations worldwide, and currently constituted of:

– Sacha Kagan (based in Lüneburg, Germany) and Rana Öztürk (based in Berlin, Germany)

– Oleg Koefoed and Kajsa Paludan (both based in Copenhagen, Denmark)

– Hans Dieleman (based in Mexico-City, Mexico)

– Francesca Cozzolino and David Knaute (both based in Paris, France)

Cultura21 is not only an informal network. Its strength and vitality relies upon the activities of several organizations around the world which are sharing the vision and mission of Cultura21

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