Green Art Lab Alliance (GALA): final meeting and ideas for the future | Glasgow, UK

As part of the media partnership with the Green Art Lab Alliance (GALA), ASEF culture360 participated in the final general meeting organised by the network in Glasgow, United Kingdom on 12-14 March 2015. GALA brought together 19 artistic and cultural partners from across Europe to explore the concept of sustainability in practical, ethical and artistic ways. Co-financed by the EU Culture programme 2007-2013, the GALA network has developed in 2 years (April 2013-May 2015) a number of activities aimed at exploring what environmental sustainability means for the visual arts and design and what the arts can do to promote sustainability. Together with designers, artists and scientists, the GALA partners investigated the challenges and opportunities that environmental sustainability implies for artists and art institutions. In this final general meeting, all 19 partner organisations including the three media partners of the project, Trans Europe Halles, ASEF culture360 and Imagine2020 gathered to share the results of the 2 years collaboration and discuss the way ahead for the GALA network. Hosted by Creative Carbon Scotland in Glasgow, the GALA meeting also presented the Glasgow’s Green: Imagining a Sustainable City on 14 March. Organised by Creative Carbon Scotland and Glasgow Arts at Tramway, the programme was opened to the public and included several free artist-led workshops and activities exploring how the arts can contribute to a more environmental sustainability city. Workshop themes included food, textiles, urban ecologies, public space, architecture, circular economy and manufacturing.