- Posted on November 13th, 2019
Creative Climate Cities programme
From London to Lagos, Toronto to Tapei: 14 extraordinary cities tackling Climate through Culture
In partnership with World Cities Culture Forum, Julie’s Bicycle has launched a new report celebrating 14 cities across the world becoming smarter and more sustainable with culture as their driver. The report celebrates good practice, highlighting creative climate initiatives across four thematic areas: policy and strategy; resource and support; partnerships and innovation; and creative programmes and campaigns.
Smart Cities, Sustainable Cities
“The cultural life of cities connects citizens to one another, and to their values, offering a platform to influence and lead public engagement on climate and the environment. Culture is not merely a reflection of the world around us, but a provocation – a challenge to our norms and ideals; it provides the inspiration and space to rethink and rehearse new ways of co-existing – with each other and with the world.” Lucy Latham, Policy and Cities Lead for Julie’s Bicycle
Lucy Latham explores ‘Smart Cities as Sustainable Cities’ in recent blog adapted from a presentation for Mayor Of London’s Climate Action Week in collaboration with Energy Connectors LTD.
Our ROCK Programme
The EU Horizon 2020 ROCK (Regeneration and Optimisation of Cultural heritage in creative and Knowledge cities) programme brings together 32 partners from 13 countries. Its ambition is to support historic city centres to become labs that demonstrate the role for cultural heritage as a unique and powerful engine of regeneration, sustainable development, and economic growth. In partnership with ROCK, Julie’s Bicycle is working on a series of webinars and podcasts exploring innovations, discoveries and policy initiatives at the intersection of environmental sustainability and cultural heritage.
ROCK Webinars: Cultural Heritage Leading Urban Futures
This ROCK Collaboration Regeneration Webinar Programme shares case studies and insights from ROCK partner cities Bologna, Lisbon and Skopje on governance, cultural policy, circular economy, citizen engagement, adaptive reuse, new technologies, and urban biodiversity. Each webinar demonstrates the opportunities for historic cities and cultural heritage professionals in contributing to new and sustainable (environmental, social and economic) urban processes. Participants hear from a range of speakers, and have the opportunity to ask the experts questions and share ideas with their fellow listeners.
See all our latest ROCK webinars here.
ROCK Green Heritage Futures Podcast series: Engaging with the past to navigate the future
Our ROCK funded Green Heritage Futures podcast programme showcases leading cultural heritage projects which are driving sustainable urban regeneration across Europe and explores the key role cultural heritage has to play in addressing climate change
“We as an industry, or as a sector, have a unique perspective of time.” David Harkin, Historic Environment Scotland
Cultural heritage might seem like something relegated to the distant past. Climate crisis, on the other hand, might seem like an event of the distant future. So why talk about the two of them together?
Launched in March 2019, our Green Heritage Podcast series looks at the importance of protecting cultural heritage in the face of climate change, and explores how strategies on climate change must both learn from human history and look forward to consider tomorrow’s heritage, if they are to be successful.
In this podcast series we explore how historic sites and our cultural heritage can shape climate adaptation in the present and future; and examine the unique and vital role of culture in understanding and coming to terms with central issues around climate change. It also asks a key question: What do we want our future heritage to look like in the face of the climate crisis?
“There’s a fundamental collectivity built into art that we don’t see in other areas of human endeavour.” Miranda Massie, Founder and Director of the Climate Museum
Listen to the first four Green Heritage podcasts to hear experts in the field: David Harkin, Climate Change Scientist at Historic Environment Scotland on “What historic sites can tell us about climate change”, Miranda Massie, Founder and Director of the Climate Museum on “The unique power of museums in the fight against climate change”, Henry McGhie, founder of Curating Tomorrow on “Curating a Sustainable Future”, and Krystyna Swiderska, Principal Researcher at the International Institute for Environment and Development, on the concept of “Indigenous biocultural heritage”
C-Change: Arts & Culture Leading Climate Action in Cities
Other areas of work in this field: Julie’s Bicycle are also collaborating with URBACT on relevant programmes, including on C-Change – developing responses for arts and culture leading climate action in cities. Read Claire Buckley’s comment piece asking ‘what on earth do arts and culture have to do with climate change?’, linking to MAST’s (Manchester Arts Sustainability Team) modelling of successful sustainability initiatives at governance and policy level.
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