A new ‘creative engine room’ to generate art that responds to urgent environmental challenges including climate change has been launched, hosted by the School of Media. The ‘System Change HIVE’ brings together emerging artists from the Sussex area and University arts and media students, with experts in sustainable development, post-growth economics and climate communication.

The pilot project will be “an important landmark for interdisciplinary work exploring how art and research can combine to open up new pathways to zero-carbon economies and the pursuit of well-being”, according to Professor Julie Doyle, Director of the University’s Centre for Spatial, Environmental and Cultural Politics, and co-investigator on the project.

“The HIVE aims to produce visual and sonic art, including immersive digital art, to help imagine how social and environmental systems could change for the better.”

As part of the project, participants will be supported to use Virtual Reality software under the mentorship of technology start-up businesses resident at FuseBox, the home of Digital Catapult Centre Brighton, itself a knowledge transfer legacy between the University of Brighton and Wired Sussex, and there will be a touring exhibition starting in 2019.

The System Change HIVE project will begin in February 2019. Find out more about the project.