Steeptrail Art / Eco Lab event

The labs are 2 day events which are being set up along the east coast of Scotland in 2011 bringing together artists and scientists for creative discussion.

The next art/eco lab will be held in Fife, hosted by Fife Contemporary Art & Craft, on Tuesday 9th and Wednesday 10th August 2011.

The last art eco/lab was hosted by ESW in July.

Events begin with a walk and include presentations and discussion by participants, alternating science and art contributions followed by a chance for dialogue and networking. 

If you would like to take part in the discussions or would like more information about the eco labs and the Steep Trail project contact Irene Kernan or by phone on 0131 551 4490. 

There are limited spaces available so booking is essential.

 The Steep Trail eco/labs will be a physical and metaphorical journey for the participants. They are rooted in the idea that art does something, that it has functionality and purpose and can enact some form of change either through critique, exposing truths or merely through the nature of its existence in that site in the first place.

The labs will be cross disciplinary, involving the already committed - the climatologists, scientists, environmental artists, natural history experts and campaigners - in combination with artists, writers and musicians. There will be selected walks in order to think and experience the natural world directly, Muir-style, as well as films and the more usual think-tank elements of presentations, talks, breakout groups. The relevance of the art/eco lab activities will result in some participants making work, making connections and building networks. For others involved the emphasis need not be on production but on long lasting knowledge and influence. 

Other stages of the project in 2011 and 2012 will involve Scotland/China artist exchanges and an associated exhibition, a seminar looking in depth at the issues discussed during the art/eco labs and a publication about the Steep Trail project.