Short Abstract:

We will meet for a walking tour of artist-led exhibition and studio spaces in the city, after which artists and anthropologists will gather for a dialogue on creative and collaborative practice in art and anthropology and reflect on the relationship between art, commons and social transformation.

Long Abstract:

#This lab is fully booked#

There are no remaining places.

Belfast has a vibrant arts and cultural scene. This is in no small part due to the initiative of artists. Responding to a lack of facilities and precarious working conditions, artists in the city have developed a bottom-up and DIY approach to culture which has led to a flourishing of artist-led studios and exhibition spaces. These practices of self-organisation or commoning go back decades. They have been critical to the development of contemporary art and culture in Northern Ireland and have won the city international recognition.

Northern Ireland's history of conflict continues to shape everyday life. With this year's EASA themes of Transformation, Hope and the Commons, it seems appropriate to explore the role of art and artists in instigating playful, provocative and critical reimaginings that reconfigure identity and social relations, employing creativity as a means for reflections and interventions that engage with the challenges of contemporary life.

This lab will visit artist-led exhibition and studio spaces in the city, after which artists and anthropologists will gather for a dialogue on creative and collaborative practice in art and anthropology and reflect on the relationship between art, commons and social transformation.

The activity will run beyond the time allocated.