Send message to Author

Paper short abstract

This interdisciplinary network of European artists, academics, scientists and practitioners is exploring how arts based approaches can inform waste management innovation including better citizen participation; and how place (local context, culture, governance) makes a difference .

Paper long abstract

"smART cities and waste" is an emergent, interdisciplinary, network of European artists, academics, scientists and practitioners. The aim of the network is to develop a forum for knowledge exchange, debate and capacity building across art & humanities and science disciplines and subject areas with a common focus on waste treatment, management and innovation. This will seek to develop responses to the question: how can arts based approaches inform waste management innovation techniques and processes; and secondly, how does place (local context, identity, culture, governance) make a difference to waste generation, waste innovation delivery and uptake? This paper introduces the network's objectives, core methods of engagement/delivery (workshops and "pop ups"), and reflects on progress and emerging issues. Moving beyond established social science led approaches to citizen engagement, we are exploring an arts-led, place- based approach to urban waste innovation. We are strongly informed by the need for "citizen science" (Irwin and Michael 2003) and for facilitating "cross-talk" (Bucchi 2004) between scientists, innovators, policy makers and the public, enabling citizens to be part of techno -scientific innovation and service delivery. We seek to explore how arts-led approaches can enable "local knowledge" (Wynne 1996) to feed back into the innovation process.