Über Lebenskunst: Initiative for Culture and Sustainability

Kulturstiftung des Bundes, 01 March 2011,Germany

One of the greatest challenges we face no matter where we live is ensuring a sustainable way of life through global justice and social reform. How can or should we live to avoid destroying our livelihood? How can we learn to change our mindset? And how do we transfer knowledge into action? Is future viability a cultural technique which can be developed and practiced? What might the "art of living" (Lebenskunst) look like in the 21st century?
Über Lebenskunst, a project initiated by the Federal Cultural Foundation in cooperation with the Haus der Kulturen der Welt, gathers cultural, scientific, economic, educational, political and civic partners to search for alternative lifestyles for the 21st century.

Über Lebenskunst.Initiatives

In April 2010 the two-year project began with a Call for Future requesting project proposals from and for Berlin in cooperation with international partners which combined culture and sustainability and dared to embrace new approaches. The Call for Future was received with an overwhelming response; over 850 applications were submitted by interest groups and individuals from around the world. In August 2010 the jury, comprised of international experts, selected fourteen Über Lebenskunst.Initiatives, which will receive funding for one year.
Über Lebenskunst is not limited to Berlin, however. Together with German and international partners, scientists and artists, numerous projects are being developed which present the thematic discourse as reflected in practical artistic expression – in the fine arts, literature, performances and music. The results of all the projects will be presented at the major Überlebenskunst.Festival at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt in August 2011.

Über Lebenskunst.Pantry

In July 2010 the artist collective myvillages.org began setting up a food pantry (Vorratskammer). The goal is to collect enough food produced in and around Berlin to feed all the guests who attend the festival in August 2011. Yet the concept of the pantry goes far beyond feeding the masses. The project also focuses on the collection and origin of the food, forms of trade and exchange and how they developed through history.

Über Lebenskunst.School

Young people are the architects of the future. To help them design a future worth living in, Über Lebenskunst has launched an educational programme which aims to strengthen their skills and creativity. The programme Über Lebenskunst.School, developed in cooperation with the Institut Futur at the Freie Universität Berlin, is the first to gather artistic strategies based on the concept of "Education for Sustainable Development" (ESD). Eighteen selected artists and cultural professionals from all over Germany will complete a 10-module teacher qualification course that will prepare them for their project work with school children. In cooperation with the partner schools, they will develop cultural and sustainability projects which will be presented at the Über Lebenskunst.Festival.

Über Lebenskunst.Club

The Über Lebenskunst.Club is scheduled to begin in spring 2011. German and international projects, activists, scientists, musicians and performers will come together to collaborate on a series of events which investigate and critically reflect on modern artistic and cultural methods for promoting sustainability. At the end of each Club day, the public is invited to an evening event featuring invited guests from the art and cultural scenes who will discuss and musically address issues of sustainability.

The Federal Cultural Foundation has appropriated 3.57 million euros to fund Über Lebenskunst - Initiative for Culture and Sustainability from 2010 to 2012.

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