The partners believe that organising artist residencies/festivals on an island at the periphery of Europe is both a challenge and a privilege.
The remote nature of islands makes them exclusive destinations as they are oftentimes complicated to reach. The implementation of events can be logistically challenging, while at the same time those challenges can help foster a sense of togetherness. Smaller islands, with their clearly defined and manageable areas, act as microcosms where global societal issues are visible as magnified. When it comes to climate change, islands are the first to be affected, and many are already suffering visible effects. Related challenges such as resource shortage (as water supply), economic decline, demographic changes (refugee arrivals, tourist capacities), all of these appear more concentrated in island areas. Islands therefore serve as ideal spaces to initiate conversations around the topics that the project wants to focus on.
Because of an oftentimes experienced lack of cultural infrastructure and artistic offers, small islands and other peripherals can be unique settings where artistic work/interventions feels more tangible and impactful (which often comes together with an increased level of responsibility). They can foster a sense of artistic freedom and experimentation, inspiring fresh ideas while catalysing concrete impact/change.
The project partners believe that islands offer an ideal experimental ground for innovative artistic practices, particularly those addressing sustainability, diversity, and inclusion. The distinct micro-ecosystems of island locations provide a platform for creative work in a compact context. Engaging with an island context in close connection to local communities can transform creative work into more communal, collective or participatory processes, where the impact of each person's contribution becomes directly visible and valuable. The contained nature of an island allows for testing small-scale artistic concepts in a manageable space, which can then be translated to larger contexts.
Working with limited resources in such settings encourages resourcefulness and sustainability, fostering a deeper connection with nature and promoting resource-efficient practices. However, the presence of artists from outside exploring new forms of art on an island risks creating an insular "island within an island," potentially leading to isolation and closed circles. Additionally, artistic and cultural activities that attract international guests can perpetuate the dynamics of touristic growth, which may leave a negative impact on the island's ecosystem and community. Islands are fragile places and therefore demand a context-sensitive approach. By working with limited resources and in close connection with the natural environment, the project aims to promote sustainable practices and meaningful artistic and communal growth, while remaining mindful of the potential negative impacts of for example increased tourism.
The Island Lab invited a group of artists into this unique environment with the aim of helping both artists and local communities flourish. It seeked to activate a heightened level of sensitivity and care for each other and nature and encouraged them to take creative risks together.