Artistic Actions for Sustainability in a University Setting

Abstract

This chapter introduces a case entitled Walk the Space. Webster University in Geneva took the opportunity to invite an artist to work with their studentsto rethink their ideas of what we can do to meet sustainability global challenges. The artistic activities aimed to promote greater ecological consciousness through different forms of participation and awareness activities, helping the participants to discover the connection to the nature that surrounds them. Walk the Space created a platform for sharing ideas about sustainability, both individual and collective. Participants, both staff and students alike, exchanged ideas through dialogues, exercises including walking, memory work, and through developing slogans that were subsequently embroidered and exhibited in the woods surrounding the university. This collaboration provided a space for transformative learning and active engagement, giving the potential for social change. This article gives insights into how artistic actions can strengthen community building and ecological consciousness.