Research news

An international project investigating how creative work can help people contribute to lower carbon futures has launched at the University of Sussex.  

Funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, CreaTures brings together partners from both arts and academia across five European states.  

The £3 million programme aims to demonstrate how working collaboratively with creative practitioners can influence societal change and help communities make sustainable transitions. The partners involved will identify and map existing initiatives, support new experimental productions and evaluate how they can lead to sustainable change and lower carbon living. 

Ann Light, Professor of Design & Creative Technology, is leading the work at Sussex as part of the Sussex Sustainability Research Programme. Last week, she hosted all eleven partners on campus for CreaTures’ official launch.  

Prof Light said: “If we believe that only scientists are needed, then we are ignoring great insights into transformation to tackle the urgent work of responding to climate change.

“Arts and design practices can open up participatory spaces that shift values and world views. What we’re hoping to show is that, if we’re systematic about it, the arts can make changes in our societies that lead to more sustainable lifestyles.  

“We’re looking for common processes in existing creative productions, and how we can weave those into future productions to help make change in our communities.” 

Professor Light will be working with colleagues from Aalto University in Finland, RMIT in Spain and Australia, and Utrecht University in the Netherlands.  

Partners from the arts and design sectors include Furtherfield and Superflux in the UK, Hellon in Finland, Kersnikova in Slovenia and Zemos98 in Spain – all of whom bring a long track record of producing creative and transformational engagements with the European public, from immersive experiences to virtual reality and exhibitions.  

Non-profits Open Knowledge Finland and Sniffer, in the UK, will support the global collaboration and knowledge exchange across the disciplines.