Arts and Culture for Sustainable Development

Transformations are processes of fundamental change. As such, they need to be designed. And while values and goals shape their evolution, forms and perceptions also determine their unfolding. Designers and scholars of the humanities - but above all artists - possess specialised expertise in the fields of creativity and aesthetics. In recent years, they have begun to look beyond traditional fields of action such as sustainable product design and cultural education and to apply their expertise in diverse areas, including urban development, science communication, and political activism. What factors shape their engagement? What happens when artistic forms of knowledge and language encounter others? In what areas can and do the exploratory and creative qualities of the arts meaningfully complement those of science? What epistemic and institutional criteria determine the success of practitioners in the arts and culture? And how can artists develop their expertise and practice in the context of transformative collaborations? The research group explores these questions and more by accompanying, co-initiating, networking and supporting exemplary and experimental collaborations between artists and other actors. In the process, the research group engages with current issues and perspectives in sustainability research and policy on the one hand, and the cultural sector and relevant fields within the humanities and social sciences on the other. The group's outputs include spaces for action and dialogue developed by scientists and artists as well as tools for transdisciplinary research and reflections on research practice. The latter are not only intended to advance academic debate but also contribute to public consultation and policy advice processes with the aim of harnessing the creativity and expertise of the arts to support transformative processes to a greater degree.