Eco Art Matters with Cathy Fitzgerald PhD

Eco-social artist, researcher and educator, Dr Cathy Fitzgerald, talks of how her ongoing (since 2008) eco-social art practice, The Hollywood Forest Story, and how it helped her develop ecoliteracy and agency to promote new-to-Ireland permanent forestry from her small forest in rural South County Carlow, Ireland. As her practice developed over the last decade, and with insights from working previously to provide professional developments supports through Arts Offices in the South East of Ireland, Cathy became acutely aware of the absence of arts policy, strategy and educational supports for creative workers to engage effectively with the unfolding eco-social emergencies. In recent years, Cathy reviewed overseas art and sustainbility programmes and cultural policy research (Fitzgerald, 2017) to identify that culture, which includes the arts, is the overlooked 4th Pillar of Sustainability. Cathy's research reveals that Ireland's cultural sector at present, is not activated or supported for its potential to provide locally relevant and inclusive means to help communities across Ireland reflect and envision more life-sustaining ways of living.   ________ Cultural Climates: This seminar emerges from research, teaching and public engagement events in the areas of Irish Studies, Art, Geography and socially-engaged research developed between Dr Nessa Cronin at NUI Galway and Professor Karen E. Till and Professor Gerry Kearns at Maynooth University since 2012. Supported by: Centre for Irish Studies, Moore Institute, and the Research Support Scheme, CASSCS, NUI Galway ahead of the EUGEO International Conference and the Conference of Irish Geographers 2019.

The first Irish signatory to #CultureDeclaresEmergency and eco-social artist, researcher and educator, Dr Cathy Fitzgerald, discusses the new era, the Symbiocene. The Symbiocene is the new epoch in human history, beyond the ecocide of the Anthropocene, in which emergent humanity celebrates and respects all life's diversity and develops new Earth-aligned intellectual and emotional features. Cathy's talk identifies that the Symbiocene can help cultural workers and others frame their work, especially ecological art practices situated in communities that help people envision new ideas, practices and values for a better, more just and beautiful world. Cathy uses the Symbiocene to help deepen understanding of her ongoing eco-social art practice: The Hollywood Forest Story - 'the little wood that could'. See https://hollywoodforest.com/portfolio/ongoing-since-2008-the-hollywood-forest-story/ Cathy was invited by Dr. Nessa Cronin, Irish Studies, National University of Galway and Professors Karen Till and Gerry Kearns, Maynooth University, Ireland to speak for the Art & Geography: Art, Activism and Social Engagement in the Age of the Capitalocene panel at the 7th EU Geo Congress in Galway, recorded 16 May 2019. Cathy wishes to acknowledge Dr Frances Fahy and Dr. Kathy Reilly (EUGEO Conference Co-Chairs and organisers for the bursary that she was awarded that enable her to attend the congress).