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Art-Making in the Anthropocene

An RSE-funded Research Workshop, climate cafes, concerts, a residency, and more

Photo: For Berta by Julie Sperling

Art-Making in the Anthropocene began as a Royal Society of Edinburgh-funded Research Workshop (2019-2021, led by Sarah Hopfinger, Stuart MacRae, and Emily Doolittle, RCS), and has gone on to co-organize events such as the Climate Café at the Climate Portals Festival (2021, with the Climate Portals Team at RCS) and the Collective Care concert at the Hunterian (2021, with Dear Green Bothy team at Glasgow University). Stay tuned for details about our upcoming mini-residency focused on outdoor and site-specific performance!

The project has also hosted the Art-Making in the Anthropocene Outdoor Art Residency in 2023 and 2024.


The RSE-funded Art-Making in the Anthropocene Research Workshop is a series of 8 free online talks/discussions which bring together Scottish and international artists, activists, and academics from across disciplines to explore what art-making can be in this time of ecological emergency. The talks took place in 2021, but most are now available online. Art-Making in the Anthropocene was and co-organized by Dr Emily Doolittle, Dr Sarah Hopfinger, and Dr Stuart MacRae at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. 

What is Art-Making in the Anthropocene 

Deborah Dixon (geographer) and Gabriela Lena Frank (composer) 

Creating Inclusive Arts Practices in the Anthropocene 

Holly Mathieson (conductor), Raeesa Lalani (artistic director, actor) and Uchenna Ngwe (oboist, artistic director and researcher) 

Somatic Art-Making Practices in the Anthropocene

Petra Kuppers (performance artist and disability culture activist), Robbie Synge (choreographer and performer) and Julie Cleves (performance, dance and visual artist) 

WATCH THIS TALK

 

Decolonizing Art-Making in the Anthropocene

Shzr Ee Tan (ethnomusicologist) and Dinuk Wijeratne (composer and pianist) 

 

Interdisciplinary Art-Making in the Anthropocene

Lekelia Jenkins (marine sustainability scientist and science dance choreographer) and Lewis Hou (interdisciplinary education specialist, director of Science Ceilidh) 

 

Art-Making With/About the Anthropocene

Sarah Nicolls (pianist), Julie Sperling (mosaic artist) and Frances Wilson (artist) 

 

Environment and Art-Making in the Anthropocene +

Rosemary Lee (choreographer and performer) and Paul Michael Henry (performance artist and dancer) 

 

Past, Present and Future

Margaret Bennett (folklorist and musician) and Mele Broomes (artist and director)