Paper short abstract:

Based on the analysis of new interview material, mire art provides meaningful experiences of being part of nature and its ecosystem. I regard mires as sites of dynamic, living heritage that connect time levels. I use the concept of future agency to underline the importance of future consciousness.

Paper long abstract:

Nature-related (participatory) art projects have evoked change by raising the awareness of our fragile natural environment. Abut more actively, a concept for combining art and activism, artivism, refers specifically to contemporary artists with activist aims, broadly related to aspects of cultural sustainability (e.g., agency, dialogue, use of local heritage in art) and the roles of cultural policy.

Based on the analysis of new interview material, mire art provides meaningful experiences of being part of nature and its ecosystem, in the chain of generations. The interviewed artists (30) include e.g. photographers, musicians, visual artists and dancers, who have collaborated with local people, experts, environmentalists and local politicians in their performances. I will explore what are the main components of artists' dialogue with mire(s) and future agency. Through art, cultural meanings and potential futures of mire landscapes are created together. The artists use the mire landscape and space, vertical and horizontal levels in many ways, which emphasize the existing nature and animals.

To understand the cultural meanings of mires, a more nuanced examination is required. I regard mires as sites of dynamic, living heritage that connect time levels and various heritage categories.

I use the concept of 'future agency' in order to underline the importance of the growing future consciousness of both artists and audience/volunteers. Artists emphasize the agency of nature as equal to humans. The future agency embraced by artists refers to a willingness to do something for a sustainable future and reflect values of nature.