The Greenhouse Sessions #22
Collaborating For Sustainability

We are in a climate emergency, with far-reaching consequences. There is urgent need for systems to change at scale yet the impact space works in silos and climate action is not happening fast enough. Socially engaged arts have huge potential for impact in building awareness and mindset shifts but are often underfunded and unable to support artists in creating careers in this field.

How can artists and creatives find opportunities and financial income from elsewhere beyond limited grants? Where may opportunities for artistic practice lie that contribute towards environment sustainability work, and how might the latter impact practice? What can collaboration between artists and social enterprises look like, and what impact may be achieved?

This edition of The Greenhouse Sessions brings together the artists and social enterprise partners of Sustenarts, a pilot project by INSEP (International Network of Socially Engaged Practitioners). The pilot brought together artists and sustainable enterprises to scale impact through a residency engaging three artists and three sustainable start-ups.

• Wendy Zhang is a creator, scientific illustrator and educator who works across a range of mediums, primarily in watercolour. Together with Te0ra, her project, How Tiny Things Can Save Our World, encourages people to learn about microbiology and consider the significance of algae, yeast and bacteria as a sustainable solution for our environment crisis.
• Ng Sze Min is an audio producer, specialising in non-fiction storytelling through podcasts and audio trails. Her project, Atomic Sounds with Seppure uncovers the journey of a molecule before it becomes consumed.
• Fié Neo is an interdisciplinary artist working with public interventions and community engaged theatre. Her project, Insect Protein Pals with start-up, Asia Insect Farm Solutions and future of food experimental hub SLICE explores the acceptance of insect food with the public. This was done through a series of online engagements and an offline cricket Christmas cook off.

The Greenhouse Sessions #22 will facilitate an honest conversation about the collaborations. Hear first-hand from the practitioners, as they share their learnings, challenges and impact of the Sustenarts project. Joining us for the session would also be invited practitioners from the socially-engaged arts, and social enterprise fields who will be responding to the sharing with their own experiences and insights.

Join us in the presentations and discussions to unpack the nuances, challenges and possibilities of socially engaged art in businesses with social impact!

Guest Respondents

• Alecia Neo develops long-term projects that involve collaborations with individuals, communities and networks. Her socially engaged practice unfolds primarily through photography, video, and participatory artworks that address modes of radical hospitality, caregiving, and wellbeing. She is the co-founder of Brack, an art collective and platform for socially engaged art. She also runs Unseen Art Initiatives, a Singapore-based art platform for professional and emerging disabled artists.
• Cui Yin Mok is an in(ter)dependent producer and facilitator. She is interested in the intersections between art, anthropology, and social action, and in working to make good art happen, better. She has produced / managed projects for independent artists as well as organisations including Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, The Substation, Asia Network for Dance, Dance Nucleus, NTU CCA Singapore, Asian Film Archive, DesignSingapore Council, and the National Arts Council. She is an organising member of Producers SG and the Asian Producers Platform, and is also an international associate of Asia-Art-Activism.
• Canadian award-winning impact strategist, Laura Francois is a 3-time social entrepreneur bridging the world of sustainable development and creativity. Laura mentors social innovators at numerous incubators including Fashion for Good Mumbai, The Bridge Fashion Incubator and is a lecturer at institutions like INSEAD and Lasalle College of the Arts. Her work across Asia and Canada has been featured on BBC, Forbes, Netflix, TEDx, Singapore Design Week and more

Date

Tuesday, 22 Mar 2022

7:30pm – 9:30pm

Conducted on Zoom

Registration

Kindly register by 20 Mar, 2359.

The session is free but limited to 30 pax. Please register early, and before the event to avoid disappointment. Kindly note that registering for a ticket is taken as an indication of interest and not a confirmation of your participation. We will be in touch to confirm your attendance.

Please note that if there is more than one participant from the same organisation, we may limit the number of participants per organisation to allow for more diversity in the room.

Contact 

For more info, please visit www.fb.com/thegreenhouseseries or email connect@artswok.org