Activities
Capacity Buildings
Covering topics such as environmental impact assessment in the arts, legal frameworks for climate action, community greening, climate migration, and environmental communication, the CBWs aim to strengthen the role of culture in addressing the climate crisis.
Capacity Building Workshops
Capacity Building Workshop
ATHENS
Athens (Greece), 3-5 October, 2025
The Capacity Building Event in Athens (CBEA) marks the introduction to the MATCH program and offers the first opportunity for participating artists and partners to meet.
This gathering will explore the intersections between the climate crisis and culture. Western civilization has long been shaped by colonialism, capitalism, consumerism, and their relentless exploitation of human and natural resources.
Approaching Athens as a palimpsest, we will trace layers of history, memory, and meaning, reflecting on the city’s evolution through time. Within this context, we will revisit the legacy of the Duncans, whose vision inspired the founding of the Duncan Center.
Raymond Duncan, however, posed a radical challenge to the dominant culture of his era. His project—conceived as a community hub for sustainable living and self-sufficiency—anticipated contemporary debates around planetary limits and economic alternatives such as the doughnut economy, circular economy, and degrowth, well before these concepts were formally articulated.
The workshop will also build on the Duncan Dance Research Center’s earlier initiatives, including MOVING GROUND and PLANT, reaffirming its commitment to exploring the vital relationship between culture, sustainability, and social imagination. Finally, participants will engage with the ongoing CRIA (Cultural Climate Change Response Impact Assessment Tool) research, which will accompany the MATCH program and extend beyond its duration.
CAPACITY BUILDING WORKSHOP #1– MATCH: Mediterranean as a Climate Hotspot
Athens, Greece – 3-5 October, 2025
The MATCH project launched with its first Capacity Building Workshop in Athens from October 3 – 5, 2025. This inaugural gathering brought together for the first time the five project partners and ten resident artists, marking the start of their collaborative journey to create work in community gardens and cultural institutions and to advance our explorations of culture as a powerful domain to address climate change across five Mediterranean cities.
The workshop began on Friday evening with a welcoming reception at the Museum of Modern Greek Culture, setting the stage for a dynamic weekend. Saturday immersed participants in the unique landscape and culture of Athens with a Geopoetic tour led by Anna Tzakou, journeying from Mount Hymettus to the Duncan Dance Research Center (DDRC). At the DDRC, Aris Spentsas and Penelope Iliaskou provided a reflective introduction to the center, its communal garden, and the pioneering legacy of Raymond and Isadora Duncan, followed by a presentation of the innovative MOVING GROUND project. The program also included presentations by the ten resident artists and two expert panels:
- Focusing on Athens as a Mediterranean Climate Hotspot: Featuring Deputy Mayor Nikos Chrysogelos, landscape architect Simon Rackham, and engineer/theater director George Sachinis, moderated by Nicholas Anastasopoulos.
- Artistic Response to Climate Change: With curator Maria Thalia Carras and researcher Eleni Katrini, moderated by Christina Katsari.
The day concluded with a convivial dinner at a local tavern.
On Sunday, architect Jean Marc Huygen led a walk through Filopappou Hill, followed by a presentation back at the DDRC on the CRIA tool by NTUA fellows Eva Lavranou and Chaido Kaproulia. The workshop drew to a close in the communal garden with a thoughtfully prepared lunch by Dora Zoumba, a closing note, and farewell drinks.
The event left everyone inspired by the shared experiences and collaborative spirit, while also launching the Athens residency of artists Annalisa Zegna and Garance Maurer.
What an inspiring occasion to launch MATCH!
We eagerly anticipate the next Capacity Building Workshop in Nicosia, from November 2-4.
Capacity Building Workshops
Capacity Building Workshop MARSEILLE
Marseille (France), 21-23 January, 2026
The Capacity Building Workshop (CBW) in Marseille marks the next chapter of the MATCH programme, hosted by Friche la Belle de Mai – a pioneering cultural ecosystem and former tobacco factory that has become a leading European model for urban and social transformation. Following the exchanges in Nicosia, this workshop dives into the heart of Marseille’s creative landscape to explore the intersections of artistic practice, ecological redirection, and civic engagement.
The Marseille CBW focuses on Territories in Transition, inviting partners, artists, and researchers to engage with local initiatives such as the LaboFriche, the Couvent Levat, and the Mucem’s Migration Garden. Through a series of site visits and panels, featuring experts from the “Marseille 2030 Climate Objective” and local collectives, participants will examine how cultural venues can lead the way in environmental responsibility and urban resilience.
A central highlight is the dialogue between residents and practitioners and a preview of upcoming artistic projects at La Friche. By bridging Mediterranean perspectives with local field experiences from urban gardening to collective walking practices, the Marseille gathering reaffirms the role of art and culture as vital catalysts for ecological transition and community-led change.
CAPACITY BUILDING WORKSHOP #3– MATCH: Mediterranean as a Climate Hotspot
Marseille (France), 21-23 January, 2026
The Marseille Capacity Building Workshop recently turned the city into a living laboratory for “Territories in Transition.” Bringing together European artists, cultural actors, and local partners, the gathering explored how cultural venues and artists act as vital catalysts for ecological resilience and community-led change.
The program bridged Mediterranean perspectives with hands-on local experiences:
Urban Biodiversity in Action: Participants joined the SAFI collective for a “sensitive walk” through the Belle de Mai neighborhood, discovering the spontaneous biodiversity of the urban landscape.
Green Havens: Site visits took the group from the community-led “Jardins des Rails” at La Friche to the creative ecosystem of Couvent Levat.
Artistic Previews: The two artists in residence throughout February, Lizzie Reid & Swaati Devichi, presented the initial directions for their upcoming work. This was followed by a deep dive into the Mucem’s “Ferdinandera, l’île éphémère” exhibition and its Migration Garden.
Through panels featuring local experts, the dialogue emphasized a clear message: the ecological transition isn’t just technical: it’s cultural. From collective walking to urban gardening, the Marseille gathering reaffirmed that art is the bridge between policy and people.
Capacity Building Workshops
Capacity Building Workshop
NICOSIA
Nicosia (Cyprus), 2-4 November, 2025
The Capacity Building Workshop (CBW) in Nicosia marks the next stage of the MATCH programme, bringing artists, partners, and local practitioners together in the Gardens of the Future — a 2022 New European Bauhaus Prize winner that has transformed an abandoned cluster of houses in the heart of Old Nicosia into a vibrant community and cultural space. Following the Athens gathering, this workshop continues MATCH’s exploration of how cultural and artistic practices can engage with climate responsibility, social imagination, and urban transformation. Participating artists, partners, and researchers will come together to share learning, strengthen collaboration, and situate their work within wider environmental and civic frameworks.
A highlight of the Nicosia CBW is its public programme, From Global Responsibilities to Municipal Planning, which will be held on November 3 at the Gardens of the Future. It invites artists, policymakers, and the wider community to explore how culture can shape municipal approaches to climate action. Bringing together perspectives from the New European Bauhaus, Creative Europe, and the Municipality of Nicosia, the discussion bridges global frameworks with local realities, reaffirming the role of cultural practice as a catalyst for dialogue, sustainability, and community-led change.
CAPACITY BUILDING WORKSHOP #2– MATCH: Mediterranean as a Climate Hotspot
Nicosia, Cyprus – 2-4 November, 2025
The MATCH Capacity Building Workshop in Nicosia brought together artists, researchers, and cultural practitioners from across the Mediterranean to explore how art and community practice can contribute to climate resilience. Hosted at the award-winning Gardens of the Future (an urban regeneration project and New European Bauhaus Prize laureate) the three-day programme combined artistic exchange, academic dialogue, and community engagement.
The workshop opened with a welcome evening led by Clymene Christoforou, Matt Denhamm and Argyro Toumazou (D6:EU), and Peggy Spinelli (GoF). It introduced participants to the Gardens’ history and ethos. The following day, sessions focused on Reflections from Athens, where artists Garance Maurer and Annalisa Zegna shared insights from the first residency. Discussions moderated by Nicholas Anastasopoulos (NTUA) and Penelope Iliaskou (DDRC) examined how artistic practice can act as a pollinating force for environmental awareness.
The public programme, From Global Responsibilities to Municipal Planning, included presentations by experts such as Xenia Loizidou (AKTI), Nikos Georgoudis (OERCP, NEB), Margarita Ioannou (OEPCR, Creative Europe Desk), and Georgios Georgiou (Nicosia Municipality), linking global frameworks with local action.
Day three focused on collaborative reflection and advocacy through a CRIA workshop led by NTUA, followed by the introduction of the MATCH Statement by Mapa das Ideias. The afternoon session, From Cultural Actions to Local Activism, featured Mete Hatay, Efi Xanthou, Michalis Kalopaidis, and Yiorgos Hadjichristou, highlighting Cypriot-led environmental initiatives.
The event concluded with presentations by resident artists Christina Zambulaki and Caterina Miralles, whose upcoming Nicosia residencies will extend MATCH’s commitment to art-led climate dialogue.
Capacity Building Workshops
Capacity Building Workshop BARCELONA
Barcelona (Spain), 18-20 March, 2026
The Capacity Building Workshop (CBW) in Barcelona takes place from March 18 to 20, 2026 and marks the next chapter of the MATCH programme. The gatherings will take place at La Escocesa – an artist-led contemporary visual arts organisation that supports artists and cultural agents, within the framework of its public program everything gardens, which conceives the institution as a relational ecosystem where every decision affects the whole.
The CBW, called Shifting Shores: Climate Justice and restorative practices in the Mediterranean, addresses the climate crisis not only through its environmental impacts, but also through the human displacements it produces and the complex geopolitical situation that it generates. In a context marked by the tightening of borders, the externalization of migration control, and the normalization of death at sea, climate migration cannot be understood as a natural or inevitable phenomenon, but rather as the result of economic, colonial, and geopolitical decisions.
Through presentations, workshops and site visits to urban gardens or the Ramblas of Barcelona, the gathering aims to create a space for critical confrontation and collective construction, contributing to more just, situated, and politically engaged ways of inhabiting the Mediterranean.
In Barcelona, the workshop addressed the climate crisis not only through its environmental impacts, but also through the human displacements it produces and the complex geopolitical situations that it generates under the title, Shifting Shores: Climate Justice and restorative practices in the Mediterranean. The program mixed exchange and information sessions, case studies and visits with sessions dedicated to the presentation of the ongoing MATCH residency and of the previous residency in Marseille.
As with the previous workshops, the aim was to provide a context conducive to learning and fruitful dialogue for all the participants, in particular the MATCH artists.
The programme closed with an open public session that under the title “Beyond borders. Situated knowledges in times of climate collapse” showcased experiences addressing climate change from different angles, from arts to science.
This MATCH Capacity Building Workshop was co-organised with the support of La Escocesa and most of the sessions took place at their premises in the neighbourhood “Poblenou” of Barcelona. Set in a former industrial site -it was a Scottish factory that, from 1852 to 1999, produced chemicals for the textile industry – La Escocesa (the word in Spanish indeed means “Scottish”) is now a centre for artistic creation and residencies, in the framework of the “Creative Factories” programme of the Municipality.
