Institutional activism
Cultural institutions occupy a place at the interface between the public, artists, scientists, suppliers and contractors, as well as business, authorities, and politics. Such numerous interconnections can be problematic in everyday practice. Occasionally, the necessity to listen to and reconcile different needs, perspectives and interests presents real challenges, as does the need to resist pressure. However, this complicated knot of connections of a cultural institution and its involvement in the politics of everyday life, gives us great potential in the case of the climate and ecological crisis. Being ‘in between’ is an extremely convenient position to implement pro-ecological activities on many levels and use various methods to shape the discourse, as well as influence the attitudes of others with your own attitudes.
It is also worth emphasising that striving to create a coherent ecological institution is an activist program – it is striving for a real change in the relationship with the environment and in social and economic relations. The ‘neutrality’ that cultural institutions so often hide behind is not the need of tomorrow. The climate and environmental crisis requires disclosure of the problem, mapping it, learning and implementing institutional policies so that grassroots micro-activities are supported by larger strategies and efforts, and create a broad movement for global change.