Our Circular Cultures programme – delivered in collaboration with Onassis Stegi – returns for a 5th consecutive year, aiming to promote sustainable design and circularity, foster critical dialogue, and develop the skills and knowledge of creative leaders.
The 5th edition of the programme will be a two-day hybrid conference in Athens, featuring UK, EU and other international speakers sharing case studies and hosting masterclasses and workshops.
This year, Circular Cultures aims to trigger a new way of thinking about architecture, design, crafts and technology both within urban and rural environments and through a local and global perspective. Over the course of two days, we will explore the intersections between rural, urban, local and global systems with a focus on a range of more connected and decolonial circular solutions, as well as examine different typologies for sustainable place-making: the community, the island, the forest, the place of worship, the residency, the city, the supermarket and more.
We will also look at:
- the power of interdisciplinary design and dialogue towards climate action and climate justice
- the role and integration of local materials and craftsmanship in social, economic and environmental sustainability
- strengthening rural-urban connections to tackle local and global challenges
- showcasing the role of small towns in tackling local challenges through design and architecture, and addressing the intangible nature of materiality in relation to the social fabric.
Speakers
Confirmed speakers include:
- Kee Hong Low, Creative Director, Factory International (UK)
- Daniel Fernández Pascual and Alon Schwabe, Cooking Sections, Climavore (UK)
- George Kafka, Future Observatory Curator, the Design Museum (UK)
- Alice Sharp, Artistic Director, Invisible Dust (UK)
- Andu Masebo, Product Designer (UK)
- Alexia Holt, Acting Director/Senior Director of Programmes, Cove Park (UK)
- Natasha Ginwala, Artistic Director, Colomboscope (Sri Lanka)
- Anupama Kundoo, Architect, Professor at FH Potsdam (Germany / India)
- Linda Di Pietro, Chief Cultural Officer, BASE Milano (Italy)
- Paola Palavidi, Artist, Hypercomf (Greece)
- Panos Kostoulas, Architect, Co-Founder Boulouki (Greece)
Workshops
- Anupama Kundoo – The Architecture of Co-existence: Human Resources in the context of Natural Resources (in person)
- Alice Sharp, Invisible Dust – Art, science and climate change from the rural, urban to the global (in person)
- George Kafka, Future Observatory Curator, the Design Museum – Museum as Catalyst: Cultural institutions in the climate emergency (online)
Programme
Conference
| When | Monday 20 March 2023, 14.00–19.00 |
| Where | National Gallery Auditorium Onassis Foundation 50 Vasileos Konstantinou Street 116 34 Athens |
| Register now |
Workshops
| When | Tuesday 21 March 2023, 10.00–15.00 |
| Where | Galaxy Space 2 Galaxia Street 117 45 Athens |
| Register now |
Download the full conference programme and workshop descriptions in the ‘Documents’ section below.
Participation in the conference and workshops is free following online registration.
Curated by:
- Μaria Papaioannou, Head of Arts, British Council Greece
- Prodromos Tsiavos, Head of Digital Policy and Development, Onassis Foundation
- Parvinder Marwaha, Design Programme Manager, Architecture, Design, Fashion, EU Europe and South Asia, British Council
About Circular Cultures
Circular Cultures is the British Council’s sustainable design and creative economies programme in EU Europe, which aims to promote greater awareness around sustainable design, circularity and making cultures. It aims to embed a more critical dialogue around design and circularity, develop the skills and knowledge of creative leaders, and create new EU networks around sustainability and circularity.
In Greece, Circular Cultures is organised in collaboration with Onassis Stegi and is an integral part of the broader collaboration between the British Council and the Onassis Foundation aimed at the development of an ongoing and action-oriented public space for ethical crafts, circular design, materials and fashion sustainability.
Circular Cultures is part of the British Council global programme Making Matters, which aims to foster a global dialogue around the topic of circular design. The multi-disciplinary programme explores how principles of the circular economy can be a catalyst for creativity, collaboration and regenerative thinking within architecture, design and fashion practice.
View previous editions of Circular Cultures.
Information
For further information, please contact Maria Papaioannou:
| Maria.Papaioannou@britishcouncil.gr | |
| Telephone | 210 369 2336 |
Circular Cultures: Periphery at the Centre is co-produced with Onassis Stegi in collaboration with the British Embassy in Athens.
Interpretation and Greek Sign Language will be provided at the conference.
