Workshop series on the role of art institutions in socio-ecological transformation processes.

Against the backdrop of multiple social and ecological crises, the workshop series TOWARDS PERMACULTURAL INSTITUTIONS: CURATING TRANSFORMATION took reflections on the application of permacultural principles in the cultural sector as the starting point for a three-part workshop series. The focus was on the question of what role art institutions can play in urgent transformation processes towards an ecologically just and decolonial society and what options they have for action.

As a reaction to the precarious effects of hyper-capitalist modes of production and relationships, permaculture as a practice and philosophy is arousing increasing interest in the cultural sector when it comes to thinking about new approaches to institutional processes, program work and spatial practice.
What potential do principles and ethical concepts offer for cultural institutions? Which aspects can be transferred to the cultural sector and translated into context-specific actions?

The term permaculture is made up of the words “permanent” and “(agri-)culture” and brings different types of knowledge and practices together. Permaculture combines methods from organic cultivation as well as principles for designing social processes that aim for holism, regeneration, horizontality and reciprocity. The design of permaculture processes and systems is based on a cycle of observation, experimentation and adaptation. It is built on three ethical principles: 1) Earth Care: Care for the planet and all more-than-humans. 2) People Care: Care for people and equitable access to all the basics of life. 3) Fair Share: Fair distribution of limited resources.

The workshops aimed to transfer the content into your own institutional practice and offered the opportunity to analyze the institutional/individual status quo, outline visions and strategies and identify first steps for action.

Following the summer seminar Towards Permacultural Institutions: Exercises in Collective Thinking, organised by the Stiftung Künstlerdorf Schöppingen in cooperation with CCA Temporary Gallery, the Curating Transformation series creates space to critically question permaculture and think about a translation of its ethics, principles and methods into the art field. What could a permacultural (= socially and ecologically just) art institution look like?

Curated by Aneta Rostkowska and Nada Rosa Schroer



Based on the ethical principles of permaculture, TOWARDS PERMACULTURAL INSTITUTIONS – CURATING TRANSFORMATION covered three specific topics:

Friday, 20th Oct 2023, 2 – 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, 21h Oct 2023, 10:30 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Lecture: Friday, October 20th, 7:30 p.m., Antonia Alampi

In the spirit of People Care, the workshop on the topic of “Allyship” deepens the question of ways to support local environmental groups and climate justice activists and asks about ways to build solidarity and reciprocal relationships between actors and communities in the so-called Global South and North.

Friday, Nov 3, 2023, 2 p.m. – 8:30 p.m
Saturday, Nov 4, 2023, 10:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m
Lecture: Friday, Nov 3, 2023, 7:30 p.m.

In the spirit of Fair Share, the “Degrowth” workshop looks critically and constructively at the approaches of the post-growth movement, especially education for sustainable development, and questions central strategies regarding their transferability to the cultural sector.

Friday, Dec 1, 2023, 2 p.m. – 8:30 p.m
Saturday, Dec 2, 10:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m
Lecture: Friday, Dec 2, 2023, 7:30 p.m., Lucia Pietroiuisti

In the spirit of Earth Care, the “Grounding” workshop is dedicated to curatorial and institutional practices that aim at ecological regeneration and asks about the interaction between ecology, pedagogy and physical-mental care.

The Temporary Gallery – centre for contemporary art is a non-profit institution for contemporary art in Cologne. Founded in 2009 as an art association, it was directed by art historian and curator Regina Barunke from 2012-2018. In January 2019, Aneta Rostkowska took over as director of the gallery. In solo and group exhibitions, the Temporary Gallery presents young or rediscovered, often international positions. Since 2014, the Temporary Gallery has been institutionally supported by the City of Cologne as a centre for contemporary art.
More info about the Temporary Gallery – centre for contemporary art


The workshop series is a cooperation between Büro medienwerk.nrw and the Temporary Gallery – centre for contemporary art, Cologne.