SOILSCAPE: Spreading Open and Inclusive Literacy and Soil Culture through Artistic Practices and Education
SOILSCAPE harnesses the power of Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs), artists, and civil society organizations (CSOs) to promote soil preservation across Europe and beyond. Working with experts from the worlds of soil sciences, arts, decision-making, and humanities, this project seeks to cultivate soil literacy and celebrate soils through creative approaches, engaging citizens & professionals on this journey.
SOILSCAPE’s objectives include understanding human-soil relations, building a network of more than 120 relevant actors in 8 countries, onboarding at least 320 individuals from the society, providing financial and technical support to CSOs, CCIs, schools, artists, and institutions, distributing 80 soil literacy certifications to inspiring initiatives, and reaching international scales through UNESCO and Coalition of Action for 4 Soil Health (CA4SH).
To achieve these objectives, SOILSCAPE uses a multilingual and multi-actor approach, focusing on cultivating artistic soil intelligence, promoting context-based soil literacy, enhancing awareness through innovative communication strategies and a soil literacy portal, organizing 2 editions of national soil festivals across Europe, and extending its actions to 30 regions by 2028.
Budget: 5 997 878.75€
Start date: 01/06/2024
End date: 31/05/2028
Duration: 48 months
Link to project website: TBA
The project activities include:
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Analysis of the current social and mental landscape of human-soil relations;
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Identifying innovative solutions to promote soil literacy and transformative engagement;
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Raising awareness on the importance of soils through innovative communication strategies;
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Raise the importance and value of soils in society through third party financial support (FSTP);
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Evaluate impact and ensure sustainability of actions;
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Dissemination of project results and communication.
Expected project results:
- Cultural and creative industries (CCIs), artists and NGOs are mobilized and working together with universities, research institutes, public institutions and citizens to raise soil literacy;
Increased public awareness of the importance of soil and the challenges it faces, as well as the impact of individual decisions on soil; - Developing opportunities to engage in soil conservation creatively are widely available and supported by soil-related art products and innovative methodologies (including but not limited to digital);
Increased capacity of public and private institutions at different levels (e.g. European, national, regional and local) to engage the general public creatively in sustainable soil management.
Partners:
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor REA can be held responsible for them.
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