Think and Consult

Sense of belonging
Sense of community
Sensory experience of landscape and environment

Mindful experience of landscape and territory

Tackling a self-sustainable, regenerative future, artEC/Oindustry identifies several human criteria as key factors for wellbeing: sense of belonging / sense of community / sensory experience of landscape and environment / mindful experience of landscape and territory. Tapping the knowledge from different scientific fields and the notion of experiencing, imagining and visionising, thus the creative aspects of our humankind, the think tank challenges the arts as generator of those primary needs of humanity. Do the arts stimulate the participant into actions of self-reflection, seeing, sensing, listening and understanding? Can the arts thus turn into a communication platform between the stakeholders that will lead to a self-sustainable and responsible future?  

A meaningful relationship is challenged through human criteria that seem to lack or are in disagreement within the users of mining stressed areas. Transparency and trust are lost or at stake. Each region and setting demands a different set of mapping tools and sensitivity in approach. The dislocation of fly-in fly-out (FIFO) workers, for example, from their urbanised surroundings and the lacking integration into local communities correspond with increasing alcohol consumption and violence. Loneliness is listed as one of the future research goals on long distance commuting work. Reports suggest a close collaboration between accommodation providers and local communities to counteract social isolation issues. An enhanced “us-them” mentality of workers and locals prevent integrated social cohesion. Activities that would bridge these paradigms seem to lack.

Mining sites within an urban context, on the other hand, challenge different intrinsic, instrumental and institutional values of the arts and environment. Based on a global professional background and drawing from experiences worldwide, the think-tank creates a unique place-based approach to the arts, the community, environment and economical complexities.