System Change Hive

‘System change not climate change’ became a prominent slogan in the global youth climate strikes in 2019, yet cultural and media engagement with this term is limited. In response to this gap, System Change HIVE was a creative and collaborative learning and maker space (Brighton, UK) that asked its participants – artists, communicators, researchers and mentors – to work together to explore, imagine and create zero-carbon and socially just visions of the future through art.

Supported by Arts Council funding, the System Change HIVE was a creative project exploring the concept of System Change through a series of discussions and workshops between researchers, emerging artists and experienced creative mentors.

Begun in Brighton UK, in February 2019, the HIVE sought to harness the power of art and imagination to reveal the hidden and constructed narratives and metaphors that limit our societies from seeing better ways. We explored new solutions – how changes in policy, economics, local governance, and culture could spur rapid transformations towards zero-carbon scenarios that prioritise wellbeing. The creative journey also involved input from communications experts leading to a set of learnings and ideas about how to communicate the benefits and feasibility of ‘system change’ to wider audiences.

This ‘imagineering’ to open up multiple visions of the future, as well as the personal journeys of our participants, resulted in an informative, immersive exhibition of visual and digital arts, sound art and a Virtual Reality simulation. This touring exhibition, called 'Hidden Paths', aimed to inspire and inform mainstream audiences about possibilities for, and desirability of rapid paradigm shifts.

'Hidden Paths' touring art exhibition. Opening exhibition was at ONCA, Brighton 16-20 October 2019.

https://onca.org.uk/event/hidden-paths/