Mediterranean as the Climate Hotspot

ongoing

The Mediterranean is a climate hotspot. This is a statement that, today, no one challenges. It is a complex issue that, with its political, social and environmental components, does not allow for one single solution. We believe that, alongside other actions that must be undertaken to mitigate the risk the situation entails, citizen engagement and regenerative practices are key in enabling the societal change that is necessary to address this “hot” issue. MATCH (Mediterranean as the Climate Hotspot) aims at fostering social awareness and engagement through arts practices in community gardens by demonstrating alternative practices which contribute to mitigation, embracing different lifestyles which are more supportive, self-sufficient and community-based, developing a new set of ethics and disseminating knowledge of adaptation specific to the Mediterranean climate and cultures. MATCH will enable the development, co-creation and presentation of new artworks and cultural initiatives to empower community actions on climate change, through transnational artistic residencies involving artists and creative professionals. Through a capacity building programme, it will offer opportunities for shared learning on artistic community actions that respond proactively to the climate emergency. It will also implement targeted activities to raise the awareness of both stakeholders and the public as to how socially-engaged arts practices can empower communities and will showcase the results of the artist’s work in local exhibitions. Finally, a feedback learning process will lead to the design of a (policy) framework focusing on climate change, culture and the arts. Over 30-months, MATCH will be carried out in Cyprus, Greece, France, Italy, Spain and Turkey but will benefit the wider Mediterranean setting the basis for a transnational network of artists, cultural and creative professionals to reflect on the relations between climate change, culture and the arts.