TippingPoint
February 22 – 24 2012
Introduction
TippingPoint, in partnership with NIReS, will be holding a major national gathering of those concerned with the interface between the arts and culture on one hand, and environmental issues, particularly climate change, on the other.
Our aim is to continue and strengthen the vital process of giving the urgent challenges of climate change and sustainability a cultural and artistic voice. This will be a rare opportunity to step outside day-to-day work and engage with innovative peers from across many disciplines, using presentations, panel discussions, group exercises and creative projects. Our ultimate aim is to help stimulate radical and imaginative thinking in wider society, as we all attempt to comprehend, mitigate and prepare for our inevitably changing environment.
This is the latest in a series of events that have been held by TippingPoint worldwide, and in the UK previously in Oxford. The new location of Newcastle enables the event to draw from the city’s unique and exciting resources in both research and practice in the field (it has now been top of Forum For the Future’s Green Cities index for two years in a row) as well as its diverse arts community.
Why is this needed?
The broad fields of the study of Sustainability and Climate Change have a great deal in common. They both address urgent aspects of the way we have come to live, they have become established as major fields of academic study, frequently cross-disciplinary, and are making major inroads into a range of disciplines in professional life and work, in both the public and private sectors.
However few could deny that their sometimes grave warning are being largely ignored, and that as a result the living world, the world of future generations, may be going to suffer hugely. There are countless reasons for this, but one lies in their expression and communication, lying largely in the hands of the technical experts who have developed the concepts, who may not have the skills to convey them, and who may indeed have framed them in ways that do not lead to widespread understanding and action.
Many individuals and organisations are engaged in the very challenging task of finding an artistic and cultural voice to express these difficult ideas – ultimately of holding up the mirror and exploring issues of human identity. TippingPoint is a key and lively part of this movement, having held many events worldwide at which artists have met and held deep conversations with experts from across the board in the environmental field, leading to innumerable outcomes: networks, new work, commissions, and collaborations.
As we all know, the subject has recently suffered from the cacophony around the domestic and global economy – which threatens to drown it out. But it is still there – and is ever more urgent.
Who will be there?
We are seeking attendance from:
- Artists of all types who have a strong interest in engaging with the subject of sustainability and climate change in their work.S ome may already have done so, but this is not essential.
- Academic researchers and professionals working in many areas relating to sustainability and climate change, and who recognise the need for artistic perspectives and contributions to the subject or their work.
The event itself, consisting of a range of plenary and group interactions, is designed as a whole, immersive experience, including the evenings. Attending selected elements will provide an unsatisfactory experience, and is very strongly discouraged.
Theme
Running through the event will be the concept of ‘positive messages’. This is the first time we have used such an approach; it is a recurrent motif in environmental communications, due to the widely perceived need for a positive vision of the future, to offset frequently downbeat or depressing predictions.
What does this mean for – and is it indeed relevant to – artists?
What outcomes do we expect?
The purpose of the event is to create a context for creative people to explore difficult, urgent and fast changing subjects, so guaranteed outcomes are impossible to predict, other than a continuation of the broadening and deepening of thinking around the subject. What happens will be largely in the hands of those present. However, past experience leads us to expect:
- The inspiration for new artistic projects, individual or team related, including science/arts collaborations
- New work to be commissioned during the event
- Organisational initiatives such as artist in residence schemes
- The creation of enduring, effective relationships and networks between individuals and organisations
Open Application
If you are interested in attending, please complete the Open Application form here.
We request a small contribution of £150 for people attached to institutions and £90 for individuals. This covers attendance at all day/evening events plus food and refreshments. Financial support, potentially extending to travel and accommodation, will be available for those who need it – though funds are limited
More information on the event, and updated details of the programme, attendees and speakers will be available on the TippingPoint Newcastle site.