*Subject:* Event: Int. Workshop "Curating climate. Museums as ‘contact 
zones’ of climate research, education and activism

*WHEN:* October 28-29^th 2019

*WHERE:* Klimahuset / University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

*WHO:* People working in the museum and heritage sector, researchers, 
artists, activists and policy makers.

**

*PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:*

How do we narrate climatic change in a museum environment and initiate 
dialogue across its stakeholders? How can museums become ‘contact zones’ 
where science and education, activism and entertainment, debate and 
tourism interact productively?

Various cultural institutions have recently taken up the challenges of 
communicating climate change and engaging with their communities. They 
range from established museums to new, emerging and experimental spaces. 
All attempt to promote debate and tell the stories we desperately need 
to connect scientific results to human lifeworlds. Climate change is a 
complex phenomenon that crosses the register of nature and culture. Its 
ecological, cultural and technological impacts connect the global and 
the local. The importance of addressing climate breakdown in a global 
perspective reflecting the different challenges facing different regions 
makes museums revisit their collections, exhibition designs and expert 
networks as well as develop their cross-societal appeal. Under these 
challenging terms, they could provide a readymade infrastructure for 
climate change communication and co-creation as spaces for the 
intersection of climate research, dissemination and activism.

This workshop will explore the emerging, dynamic and transgressive field 
of the ‘climate museum’. It will trace a unique and highly 
interdisciplinary space of encounter that connects the sciences and the 
humanities, academic and public spheres, research and action. What are 
the competences museums need to develop in order to engage with the 
multiscalar and complex phenomenon? Do we need new institutions or are 
established museums capable of rethinking their approaches and use their 
resources to foster understanding and action to engage with the global 
environmental crisis? Should the focus be on the sustainable development 
goals, the Agenda 2030, climate change or even the Anthropocene? The 
workshop will initiate cross-sectoral collaboration within and beyond 
the museum sphere. It is aimed at people working in the museum and 
heritage sector, researchers, artists, activists and policy makers. It 
will engage a wide variety of approaches in museum theory and practice 
for competence building. It strives to make museums key actors in 
promoting understanding and action to climate change. Confirmed key 
speakers are: Henry McGhie (Manchester) and Molly Fannon (Washington).

We invite contributions to areas such as:

  * Exhibiting/Narrating climate change
  * Collecting climate
  * Anthropocenic museum practices
  * Bridging science, activism and education
  * Aesthetic, didactic, and material strategies
  * Contact and conflict zones of climate/museums
  * Co-creation in multi-stakeholder environments
  * Curating for societal change
  * Climate - a challenge for new or old museums?

Organisers: Prof Brita Brenna (University of Oslo), Prof Dominik Collet 
(Oslo School of Environmental Humanities), Torkjell Leira (Klimahuset 
Oslo), Morien Rees (ICOM group sustainability and museums), Bergsveinn 
Thorsson (University of Oslo)

**

*HOW TO APPLY:*

  The international workshop will take place in Oslo new Klimahuset and 
is free of charge. Subject to pending funding agreements, travel grants 
might be available for some applicants. Please send your one-page 
summary of your presentation and short CV by 15th August 2019 to: 
[log in to unmask]


*APPLICATION DEADLINE:*

August 15^th 2019

Please share widely among your professional networks.


-- 


Prof. Dr. Dominik Collet
Department of Archaeology, Conservation and History
University of Oslo


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