Climate ARTivists Wanted!
Move yourself and others. Win a relevant contribution for your art project that rethinks the impact of art on climate and actively involves as many people as possible.
Art has a powerful impact on how people think. It can hold a mirror up to reality, touch people, and create positive social change. Clima Now is looking for Climate ARTivists (individuals, groups, collaborations) who rethink the impact of art, use it to develop solutions to climate change, and actively involve people from the community in the art project.
What we mean by art in this context, who can submit a project and what is meant by actively involving the population, you can find in the FAQ's.
The registration is closed. Ideas could be submitted until August 1st, 2022.
You have a say! The Public Spotlight Voting starts on September 3, 2022
Thank you to everyone who submitted their project ideas! On September 3, 2022 we will present our «Wall of Fame» here and then you will decide which projects will be invited to the Pitch Night on October 6!
Stay tuned so you don't miss the voting:
The Spotlight process
1. Submit idea
Ideas from the community could be submitted until August 1st, 2022. Now our expert jury selects the projects submitted so far and decides which ideas will advance one round and be published on the Clima Now Spotlight website.
The jury consists of experts from the fields of art, education and science. The ideas selected by the jury will be presented on the «Wall of Fame» from September 3, 2022.
2. Public Voting
Fame to whom fame is due. All ideas pre-selected by the jury will be posted on the Clima Now Spotlight website from September 3, 2022. On our «Wall of Fame» these ideas will get their own place and can be discussed, shared and rated by the public.
The Clima Now community votes publicly: all visitors to the website can cast three votes each until September 17, 2022. They decide which seven ideas will make it to Pitch Night. Fingers crossed!
3. Pitch Night
The seven winners of the public voting will present themselves live at the Pitch Night on October 6, 2022 at the «schwarzescafé» in Zurich. Who will convince the jury? All finalists have four minutes to present their idea in the spotlight.
In the subsequent evaluation by the jury, the projects will be chosen. Those who come through the final round with flying colors have already achieved a lot and will reap fame, funding and support. Are you in? The stage is yours!
The Prize
There is a total of 175,000 Swiss francs in prize money to be awarded to the art projects as part of Clima Now Spotlight 2022, the minimum amount being 15,000 Swiss francs. In addition, an audience prize of 15,000 Swiss francs will be awarded.
The funding is supplemented with a nine-month «Horizon Program» that accompanies the implementation of the projects. This is realized by our partners One Planet Lab and the Impact Hub Zurich.
The Jury 2022
Proven experts from the fields of art, education and science provide Clima Now with their knowledge. They review all submitted ideas and make a preliminary selection. At the Pitch Night, they provide valuable input and select the winning projects.
Lori Spector is Regional Director for Switzerland at auction house Phillips. Prior, she worked as a private art advisor and dealer living between Zurich and New York, specialising in 20th century and contemporary art. Lori spent the early part of her career in the Impressionist and Modern Art Department at Christie’s New York. She then moved to Phillips in 2000 first as a Specialist and later a Senior Director before becoming its Regional Director in 2019. In 2004, Lori established Lori Spector Fine Art, Inc. (LSFA) where she advises international clients and is a member of various museum associations.
Gesa Schneider has been director of the Literaturhaus Zürich since 2013. From 2015 to 2018 she was co-director of the Museum Strauhof. After completing her PhD on Kafka and photography, she was project manager at Heller Enterprises from 2006 to 2013 and lecturer in image theory at F+F Zurich from 2008 to 2013.
She prefers to deal with questions around the representation of the present in word and image - or dreams of alternative life models on distant planets that could be reached via wormholes.
Picture by Ayse Yavas
Hayat Erdoğan is a lecturer, dramaturge and curator. She works as a freelance curator, including at Cabaret Voltaire, and as an author. In 2015, she began doctoral studies in philosophy with Prof. Dr. Robert Pfaller. Since the 2019/20 season, she has been co-director and dramaturg at Theater Neumarkt. Since she is lecturer 2010 at the Zurich University of the Arts. She was a research fellow of the James Joyce Foundation in Zurich and Trieste, worked as an interpreter and translator, led artistic, research projects between London and Hong Kong and was a commission member of, among others, the Theaterförderung Stadt Zürich.
Picture by Flavio Karrer
Dorothea Strauss is a curator and transformation expert. She has been working on the subject of art as an incubator for social change processes since the mid-1990s. After managing various institutions in Germany and Switzerland, such as Haus Konstruktiv in Zurich, she established a department for social and future engagement at the cooperative Mobiliar insurance company. In 2013, she launched the «Art & Sustainability» exhibition series there, among other things.
Born in Spain, Chus Martínez has a background in philosophy and art history. Currently Chus Martínez is the Head of the Art Institute of the FHNW Academy of Arts and Design and curatorial advisor of TBA21 Academy, a Foundation dealing with the intersection between science, contemporary art and advocacy related to the Oceans. Curator at large at The Vuslat Foundation. Previously, she has been the Chief Curator at El Museo Del Barrio, New York. She was dOCUMENTA (13) Head of Department, and and in some cases leading, curator at biennials and exhibitions throughout Europe. Martínez writes critical essays and regularly contributes to international magazines.
Picture by Nici Jost
In 1970, as an exchange student in the USA, Martin Meili took part on the first Earth Day and was already confronted with the problems of climate change and the "point of no return". With his commitment to Clima Now, he wants to ensure that suitable solutions are finally promoted, and proper measures are taken.
Franziska Heidenreich was a member of the executive board of the myclimate foundation and head of carbon offset projects for more than 10 years and now builds programs for bilateral carbon offset for myclimate. Franziska has been active in the green start-up scene for a long time - including as a long-time jury member for Greenstart, the accelerator program from the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund. She holds a bachelor's degree in International Relations, a master's degree in Environmental Science, and a postgraduate degree in Development Policy.
Li Zhenhua has been active in the artistic field since 1996, his practice mainly concerning curation, art creation, and project management. Since 2010 he has been the nominator for the Summer Academy at the Zentrum Paul Klee Bern (Switzerland), as well as for The Prix Pictet (Switzerland). Since 2013, he has curated the film sector of Art Basel Hong Kong. Li is a member, consultant and producer of international art and film projects. He lives in Zurich and Shanghai.
Picture by Jack Zhang
Spotlight Partner
Our strategic partners help to successfully realize the Spotlight art projects. The winners can access this know-how and network and thus realize their project with their support.
Die Löwenbräukunst
The Löwenbräukunst-Areal is a unique art center in the Zurich West district. Where beer was once brewed, there are now museums, galleries, publishing houses, art and cultural foundations, an art escape room and a restaurant. The offer of contemporary art includes exhibition and collection presentations, events and symposia, mediation, promotion and research activities on topics relevant to the times.
One Planet Lab
One Planet Lab designs and shows paths to the world of tomorrow. Towards a future in which we only consume as many resources as our planet can provide. To go this path, people find support at One Planet Lab. Through knowledge and networking, pioneers are helped to implement and develop projects.
Impact Hub Zurich
The Impact Hub Zurich is part of a global innovation network for social entrepreneurs, working towards the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through co-working spaces, events, community and support programs.
With climate and circular economy as two of the main themes for programs and partnerships (e.g. Circular Economy Incubator, Climate Forum, Climathon), Impact Hub connects and inspires engaged citizens and entrepreneurial people from different backgrounds in Zurich and around the world to bring their energy and talent to achieving the climate goals.