Headline: Art-Science Cooperations for Sustainability

Transformations are processes of fundamental change. As such, their scope is not limited to issues of substance. Rather, it extends to matters of design and form, and values and perceptions. Expertise in the broad field of aesthetics can be found among designers, scholars of the humanities and, above all, among artists. This is reflected in their growing involvement in and willingness to initiate projects to foster sustainable development - whether it be in the field of urban development, product design or organisational and process design.

What factors shape their engagement? What happens when artistic and scientific perceptions of sustainability collide? What criteria for success do different stakeholders apply and how can they be reconciled? This research group pursues these and related questions not only by 'studying' existing initiatives, but also by initiating, accompanying, connecting, and supporting ground-breaking collaborations between artists and scientists. In the process, the group seeks to forge connections and foster understanding between current issues and perspectives in sustainability science on the one hand, and the dynamics and interests of the cultural sector on the other.

Collaborative projects initiated in this context will ideally result in new artistic formats and interdisciplinary publications and will help to build transdisciplinary networks and facilitate public dialogues on how the creativity of the arts can better contribute to transformations towards sustainability. In addition to the design aspects mentioned above, a particular focus is placed on artistic work that aims to both heighten our emotional awareness of the existential dimension of the planetary crisis and make it conducive to the pursuit of change.