From the 17-19th of June 2024, we were in Malmö for Bautopia 4, a 3-day meetup for hubs across the globe, organised by the European Creative Hubs Network with the support of STPLN.
Focusing on creative hubs and their current topics of interest and challenges, this year we delved into new transformative practices for our communities – “towards a Metamorphosis we all aspire to”.
After the warm welcoming on the first day with networking activities to get to know the. other hub members, on the second day we had a enlightening workshop on the Social Impact Canvas – a research-based intuitive tool for creative change makers, presented by Pille Pruulmann Vengerfeldt of the University of Malmö. We then explored the city ‘differently’ thanks to a special tour by FERAL – a design studio and research platform in Malmö. Walking round the city we looked at how nonhuman species and elements can tell us about the development and future of the City. Later that day, we were invited to join for some drinks at the City Council, where we were all very kindly welcomed (in a really beautiful venue) by Janne Grönholm, Mayor of Culture of the City of Malmö, and while we we had conversations there was an artistic performance by performers of Nya Rörelsen. The performance, ‘Statues or To-Stand?’ is a work that enters the Culture of Memory to renegotiate the ways in which a monument can represent human life.
On the final day there was an incredible sound performance from Loud Numbers Sonification Studio (Duncan Geere), with audios based on the statistics from recent wildfires in Sweden. Then, the conversation followed with four interesting projects that contributed with their thought-provoking ideas (Nicklas Johansson, City of Malmö – Noise zones/Cultural Sound Zones; Bertil Björk, STPLN & Duncan Geere, Loud Numbers Sonification Studio – CCI4Change; Elisabeth Bechara, Friche La Belle de Mai – Future DiverCities; Tiffany Fukuma, Trans Europe Halles – RTL- Rebuilding to Last).
We got to know many wonderful initiatives reflecting on the built environment, practices which attempt to bridge different disciplines and use cross-innovativation as a drive for change, and the impact of creators and artists in shaping the places we live in.
“Our contemporary society faces great challenges: green transition, dialogue between groups and peoples, revitalization of democracy, social justice. And many problems are urgent and require the involvement of all sectors of society – the cultural and creative industries are not exempt.
But what is expected of us? And how do we best participate?” (Bertil Björk – STPLN)
Thank you to ECHN, STPLN and all those we had the pleasure to meet in Malmö!
Event organised by the European Creative Hubs Network, with support of STPLN, and co-funded by the European Union.
Photos by Futuro Berg, Courtesy of ECHN.
