Background to Culture|Futures

Culture|Futures is the brainchild of the Danish Cultural Institute and Arup, having been first presented at the Poznan COP 14 in December 2008. Its success has since led to ongoing activities in London, Brussels and Copenhagen in the run up to COP 15.

Currently, there are many international and national organizations involved in Culture|Futures. These include the organizations mentioned and the International Federation for Arts Councils and Cultural Agencies (IFACCA), European Union Network of Institutes of Culture (EUNIC), Asia Europe Foundation (ASEF), Cultura21, British Council, Goethe Institute, Italian Cultural Institute, European Cultural Foundation, Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA)(UK), Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP)(USA) as well as many others.

International convening and coordination of Culture|Futures has been done by Olaf Gerlach-Hansen, Danish Cultural Institute in cooperation with all the collaborating organizations.

The guiding vision/story of Culture|Futures, the Ecological Age, is a concept widely promoted by Peter Head, Director at Arup. His high-profile Brunel Lecture on ‘Entering the Ecological Age: The Engineer’s Role’ has been peer reviewed by numerous international organizations and NGOs. It defines an Ecological Age by 2050 as an 80% reduction of carbon emissions compared to 1990 levels, the lowering of the global ecological footprint to 1,44 gha/person, and furthermore an improved Human Development Index. The lecture has traveled around the world and been informed by realities in each location. It has sent a powerful message that we will not be able to achieve an Ecological Age without widespread cultural and behavioural change. He, and other enlightened policymakers and key decision-makers, are looking to the cultural sector to affect this profound cultural transformation which is critical to creating public support and demand for the massive, unprecedented changes needed to deliver a low emission and resource efficient planet by 2050.

 

 

 

 

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