Bridging the Gap: Artists and Cultural Professionals Address Environmental Issues in the Southern Mediterranean Region

This study rests on the three following premises 1) the environment as a major concern has not kicked in among the general public in countries East and South of the Mediterranean and whilst it is not considered a priority, it is timidly addressed amongst culture professionals and activists who are aware of its increasing prominence in Western discourse; 2) debates and decisions concerning measures that aim to mitigate climate change are happening elsewhere, motored by political agendas that do not coincide with local priorities and challenges; as such they are perceived as smacking of neo-colonialism. At the same time, they are the remit of institutions that provide funding for cultural activities in the region; and 3) environmental issues threaten international mobility, as it is considered a major contributor to CO2 emissions, adding an extra layer to the burdensome reality in which cultural professionals operate - lack of financial and political support, relative isolation from international exchanges etc.; paradoxically, these issues represent new opportunities for securing financial support, which operators have learned to manoeuvre to accomplish their work and fulfil their own agendas whilst meeting donors’ objectives for environmental preservation. As ‘performers’ they have learned to navigate the system and, through continued experimentation, adjust to its modalities in their favour (Dewey).

Our empirical research revolves around the paraphernalia of solutions put forth by institutions of the European Union to address pressing issues involving the environment and how they are interpreted by cultural professionals in countries east and south of the Mediterranean. It will focus on the issue of mobility, a sine qua non in the professional trajectory of artists and cultural professionals, and how cultural professionals are able to take up the challenge and contribute to the development of a new canon for new practices and an environmentally responsible citizenship.