Über Lebenskunst

Initiative for Culture and Sustainability

One of the greatest challenges we face no matter where we live is ensuring a sustainable way of life through global justice and social reform. How can or should we live to avoid destroying our livelihood? How can we learn to change our mindset? And how do we transfer knowledge into action? Is future viability a cultural technique which can be developed and practiced? What might the "art of living" (Lebenskunst) look like in the 21st century?
Über Lebenskunst, a project initiated by the Federal Cultural Foundation in cooperation with the Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW), gathers cultural, scientific, economic, educational, political and civic partners to search for alternative lifestyles for the 21st century. Über Lebenskunst presented a series of events, performances and installations in the city of Berlin and a big festival from 17-21 August 2011 at the HKW Berlin which combined art and daily praxis.

Über Lebenskunst.Initiatives

In April 2010 the two-year project began with a Call for Future requesting project proposals from and for Berlin in cooperation with international partners which combined culture and sustainability and dared to embrace new approaches. The Call for Future was received with an overwhelming response; over 850 applications were submitted by interest groups and individuals from around the world. In August 2010 the jury, comprised of international experts, selected fourteen Über Lebenskunst.Initiatives, which received funding for one year.

Über Lebenskunst.Pantry

In July 2010 the artist collective myvillages.org began setting up a food pantry (Vorratskammer). The goal was to collect enough food produced in and around Berlin to feed all the guests who attended the festival in August 2011. Yet the concept of the pantry went far beyond feeding the masses. The project also focused on the collection and origin of the food, forms of trade and exchange and how they developed through history.

Über Lebenskunst.School

Young people are the architects of the future. To help them design a future worth living in, Über Lebenskunst has launched an educational programme which aims to strengthen their skills and creativity. The programme Über Lebenskunst.School, developed in cooperation with the Institut Futur at the Freie Universität Berlin, is the first to gather artistic strategies based on the concept of "Education for Sustainable Development" (ESD). Eighteen selected artists and cultural professionals from all over Germany will complete a 10-module teacher qualification course that will prepare them for their project work with school children. In cooperation with the partner schools, they will develop cultural and sustainability projects which they already introduced at the festival Über Lebenskunst in August 2011.

Über Lebenskunst.Club

From March to May 2011 the Über Lebenskunst.Club invited German and international activists, scientists, musicians and performers to collaborate on a series of events which investigated and critically reflected on modern artistic and cultural methods for promoting sustainability. At the end of each Club day, the public was invited to an evening event featuring invited guests from the art and cultural scenes who discussed and musically addressed issues of sustainability.

Festival Über Lebenskunst

Artists, scientists and activists converged at a major festival in August 2011 to present their visions of culture and sustainability. The extensive programme included installations in and around the HKW Berlin that addressed such themes as waste and rainwater recycling, and the use of natural light . Various live performances focused on the idea of living consciously and concentrating on the essentials. A film programme and concerts, featuring Bonaparte, a DJ set by Peaches and the avant-garde ensemble zeitkratzer, supplemented the artistic projects on sustainability. The festival programme also included the presentation of the 14 Über Lebenskunst.Initiatives, workshops on mobility and nutrition, a presentation of the educational programme Über Lebenskunst.School and a conference, which brought together discourse and performances from six regions around the world.

The Federal Cultural Foundation has appropriated 3.57 million euros to fund Über Lebenskunst - Initiative for Culture and Sustainability from 2010 to 2012.