ECHO Academy Berlin: Ecology & Biodiversity in Focus
22–26 April 2025 at Public Art Lab
This April, Public Art Lab will host the Berlin edition of the ECHO Academy, a five-day program empowering young creatives to tackle urgent societal issues through art and culture. ECHO—a European initiative led by DE/MO (NL) with partners from Germany, Greece, Spain, and Bulgaria—focuses on themes such as AI, climate change, biodiversity, democracy, and migration. In Berlin, our spotlight is on ecology and biodiversity, exploring how artistic practices can raise awareness and inspire action around the restoration and protection of our natural world.
In collaboration with the University of Europe for Applied Sciences, we are bringing together 20 visionary students—artists, designers, and researchers—who will dive deep into ecological challenges and develop campaign concepts that reconnect people with nature.
Each day of the Academy is shaped by a leading voice in the field, offering diverse perspectives on ecology and creative activism:
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Isaac Yuen, a biologist and writer known for his nature essays and environmental storytelling, will guide participants in exploring ecological narratives.
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Michaela Vieser, author and cultural historian, will offer tools from nature writing to frame biodiversity loss in personal and poetic ways.
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Lorenz Kuschnig from Floating University will present participatory artistic strategies that foster ecological awareness through experimental urban learning.
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Media artists Marco Barotti and Riccardo Torresi will invite participants into their studios to explore how sound, movement, and technology can be harnessed to create emotionally powerful environmental artworks.
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On the final day, Emiko Inagaki, an interdisciplinary artist and researcher, will lead a reflective walking tour to process the week’s insights and open up new perspectives on ecological presence and artistic responsibility.
We warmly invite the public to join us on 25 April at 18:30 at the University of Europe for Applied Sciences, where participants will present their artistic campaign ideas developed throughout the Academy. Come and experience how creativity can contribute to a more biodiverse and ecologically mindful future.
For more information, please visit echoeurope.eu.
The project is co-funded by the CERV-Programm of the European Union.
