As we welcome 2024, we thank our Board for their invaluable work and support.
Learn more about new board member Phebe Chan below.
What role does the arts play in advancing research and innovation for a more sustainable future?
“We don’t always do this well as a sector, especially given the inseparable connections between sustainability, material, and art. So, there’s this legacy of activism in the sector, and on the other hand, there’s also this ongoing dissonance between appearances and practices. But I am seeing a lot of work happening to make the arts more sustainable. The sector is important in communicating complex issues, inspiring creativity, shaping cultural attitudes, fostering collaboration, and creating a personal connection with sustainability issues.”
How does the arts sector create a more inclusive and interconnected society?
“I’ll cut straight to my personal experience and say that I’ve seen the arts sector bring together people who would never communicate across their cultural, socioeconomic, and geographic bounds. By just showing up however you choose to engage, you’ve already established a commonality; what you do with that is different for everyone!”
If you could create a dream collaboration between living or historical artists for a whimsical and imaginative project, who would be the key players, and what kind of project would you envision?
“Imagine if artist and filmmaker Julian Rosefeldt (b. 1965 Germany), singer-songwriter Shania Twain (b. 1965 Canada), and actress Michelle Yeoh (b. 1962 Malaysia) teamed up for some chaotic, identity-shifting, post-modern historical reimagining. Think part Manifesto, part ‘Don’t Impress Me Much,’ and part Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, respectively. That feels right.”