Culture and Sustainable development

Mapping and future prospects

SEBA conference, Kaliningrad

Oleg Koefoed, director, Cultura21 Nordic

 

A new role for culture?The economic model has changed

: from patronage to industries

Explosion of number of agents: birth of the creative classes

Dismantling of disciplinary borders: art in culture in neighbourhoodsin cities in projects – in policies?

How can culture lead transformations?

SurvivalKit, Riga

Avatar

Couros / Guimaraes 2012

 

Culture and Sustainable Development

– a flagship project in EUSBSR (2.0)

Culture is part of the sustainability agenda today

1987 Brundtland report: 3 pillars of sustainability – economic, social, environment

Culture as 4th pillar?…culture across borders, shaping standards and behavior

Growing attention from politics // business // cities // regions

But HOW – and what works?

 

EUSBSR strategy – priority area culture

Nordic Council of Ministers led flagship project

Mapping existing stakeholders, activities, interests and opportunities for cooperation

First step --- then:

Develop knowledge: Baltic Sea Region // impact of culture // sustainable development

// economic // social // environmental // cultural

 

Phase 1: Mapping stakeholders, activities, interests and opportunities for cooperation

Result:

“Culture and Sustainable development-8 findings, a number of opportunities and a way forward”

 

Dome of Visions, CPH

- The stakeholders- Their current activities- Their interests in engaging

 

⇒ opportunities for cooperation

Findings and opportunities…

The area of cultural collaboration and sustainability is rich and complex

⇒ Stakeholders engage in many ways, for many reasons

⇒ A snapshot

⇒ Diversity // abundance // fragmentation

Not one identity but a number

⇒ Several vectors: Nordic-Baltic, Nordic-Russian, German-Russian

⇒ Bi-lateral linkages impact on activities of born-baltic institutions

⇒ Complexity can also be an asset = Diversity => innovation

 

Europe 2020 Strategy provides a launch pad for C&S initiatives

⇒ Smart, Sustainable and Inclusive

⇒ Growth and development

Need for cultural stakeholders to engage beyond own sphere and comfort zone

⇒ Culture can catalyse a shift away from sector-based policy making

… if culture values are communicated and tailored to meet also other objectives

 

Some challenges

⇒ Different approaches to culture and to sustainability

⇒ Different approaches to stakeholder engagement and cooperation

⇒ Lack of knowledge on cultural drivers for sustainability ('proof of concepts’, practices and tools).

But BSR have opportunities to pioneer sustainable development through culture

⇒ Urban Development

⇒ Creative Industries

⇒ Social Innovation (the social process of innovation + innovation with social purpose)

 

Seek for solutions through complexity // diversity

⇒ Diverse histories, identities, social systems and approaches to culture and sustainable development

⇒ Use diverse meshworks to increase awareness and cross-fertilize efforts

There is an outspoken need for improved dialogue

⇒ Connect rich but fragmented activities and efforts

⇒ Engage stakeholders at different levels from within and outside the cultural sphere

⇒ Focus on practical and concrete activities

• stories, practices, idea generation, anchoring, innovation

 

 

Opportunities?

Reducing complexity to embrace sustainability

Culture as the transversal vector across sectors

Examples:

– innovation centres / hubs across art, gaming, social leverage

– frontrunners in sectors: business, art, science, urban planning, innovation, etc

– improving cross-fertilization

– transcultural // transdisciplinary // practical engagement

– renewing islands // sectors // regions // industries // communities

x

Summarizing findings..

A myriad of projects

Multitude of approaches/methods

Lack of knowledge of effects

Lack of visibility among agents

Lack of cross-fertilizing

More transdisciplinarity and transversality needed

 

 

Findings and opportunities…

AHEAD: successful projects have a clear and understandable scope

→ Having a clear focus also implies some reduced complexity

→ Action-based and action-inviting increases motivation

→ High strategic ambitions attract attention and support

→ Joint knowledge building must be made an advantage

 

Suggested focal areas

Creative industries

Urban development

Social innovation

THANK YOU!