The Role of Art in the NEB-inspired Urban Transition 

Can art be a powerful tool for engaging the public in conversations about advancing our cities? We will try to answer this question with a big “YES.”

This 4-hour thought-provoking event will be divided into two parts:

  • The first part of the event, known as the Mutual Learning Exercise, will be facilitated by filmmaker and artist Madeleine Kate McGowan. During her session “Sensing of Place”, she will share her methods for engaging individuals with the urban environment and fostering a sense of connection and responsibility towards it. Additionally, she will illustrate her approach by leading an immersive city walk. You can learn more about Madeleine below.

  • The second part will be a moderated discussion focused on creating spaces for urban innovation, creativity and art. You will have the opportunity to engage in a discussion with experts from various fields including art, technology, immersive theatre, experiential learning and design thinking. The discussion roundtable will loosely build on the previous part of the programme and will focus primarily on the implementation of the principles discussed for specific projects.

From interactive installations to immersive experiences, discover how creative and innovative approaches can bridge the gap between city officials, experts, politicians, and the general public. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to delve into the importance of art alongside experts and fellow participants.

The event will be held on 11 April from 9:00 to 13:00 at Prague House Brussels, Avenue Palmerston 16, 1000 Brussels.

Register now!

About Madeleine Kate McGowan and her session

Madeleine Kate McGowan is an Irish-Danish artist, who grew up in Benin, Denmark and Italy. Describing herself as a part of a geo-social elite, with the privilege of moving. McGowan is a part of a larger artist community in Copenhagen, becoming aware of how to listen to places, landscapes, other species and each other. McGowan is artistic leader at NXT, creating The Garden Caretaker project as an official Lighthouse Demonstrator, as part of New European Bauhaus. She is co-founder of artist-communities such as Other Story and currently co-creating a large-scale performance installation titled Solastalgia produced by Sort/Hvid Theatre and Metropolis. McGowan is guest-lecturer at Yale and has presented work at places such as ARoS, The Danish National Museum, Danish House in Palestine, British Film Institute, Cinemateket.

Description of the session “Sensing of Place”

We are in a time where it is crucial that we stimulate our relationship to the landscapes of our lives, opening new ways of listening to and engaging with the world and all the living creatures that we are so radically intertwined with. Through out her work with The Garden Caretaker project, as part of the New European Bauhaus, Madeleine Kate McGowan is introducing artistic tools to re-explore our world. In this session McGowan will present her work and share some simple meditations on how to activate a ‘sensing of place’.