Allianz Foundation Hubs are regional platforms from civil society, climate action and arts & culture. They form a European network working on solutions for the pressing societal questions of our times. To meet these challenges, new ways of exchange and cooperation are needed. And a shared vision.
What is your mission?
“It is our mission to not only highlight the importance of the legacy of land and native cultures regarding a shift of paradigm from Europe´s unsustainable development model in light of the urgent eco-social collapse. We promote and practice new ruralities as a way to question both current dynamics in cultural fields as well as the impact of industrial agribusiness, tourism or certain forms of nature conservation on rural communities. In the end, when we coined the idea of a three words manifesto — art, territory, social change — we set the ground for the activities we carry out, spanning from research to training and producing. The artistic and agroecological produce aims towards financial autonomy, and testing models that can be reproduced in other rural locations as well as bridging existing ones. We believe it is important in this moment to test Social Ecology principles in practice, hands-on, and not to stay in the mere game of symbolic representations and circling lucubrations in which contemporary art can so often fall when taking an interest in environmental matters.”
“It is our mission to not only highlight the importance of the legacy of land and native cultures regarding a shift of paradigm from Europe´s unsustainable development model in light of the urgent eco-social collapse. But we channel energies and resources to sustainin an international pastoralist movement. The aim of it is to make that shepherds, nomads and pastoralists and in general, those practicing sustainable stewardship of the land, have a voice. Through them the cultural field - which is mostly concentrated in cities - and society at large, can understand the impact of industrial agribusiness, tourism or certain forms of nature conservation on rural communities. We would like to generate opportunities as well for artists to connect with the rural context."
What do you do?
“In the frame of this cooperation, we try to make the entity useful to empower the pastoralist movement, so we focus on offering support to it. The programme and actions have been evolving during its 15 years of existence. It started highlighting the place of the rural in contemporary culture and opening a field of inquiry and practice, working with artists in 22 villages across the country. Over the years we have been experimenting with different forms of artistic interventions in rural areas, and shaping pedagogical initiatives. One of them is the Shepherds' School that also offers training for nomadic pastoralist leaders elsewhere to have an impact in decision making processes that affect them, such as the at the UN level. The pastoralist movement gave the mandate to INLAND to act as hub for the cultural understanding and valorisation of nomadic peoples' cultures, and for the social and political structures needed for their advocacy efforts. The nomadic peoples' network is a translocal space of pastoralists that have a key role in their ecosystems and to guarantee food sovereignity. We have a long commitment to support them and follow their demands, from the more vulnerable position they are in in relation to the cultural urban centres."
