ECHO Academy: Ecology & Biodiversity
22 April – 26 April’25 @Public Art Lab
Public Presentations 25 April’25, 6:30pm @University of Europe for Applied Science
ECHO Events: Biodiversity in Action
26 May – 28 May @TINCON | republica Berlin
Reverb ECHO Presentation
12 June – 2 July | exhibition @ the Gallery of University of Europe
12 June – 5-8pm | opening | talks | ECHO presentations
The three ECHO campaigns bring biodiversity to life through public art. Each installation invites reflection on urban biodiversity in Berlin:
Re:Moss leads urban rewilding.
Bees of Night highlights the impact of light pollution on moths.
Rooted Together celebrates nature’s abundance through collective experience.
Reverb ECHO Presentation: 12 June – 6–8pm
Talk: Fermenting Textiles: 12 June – 5–6pm
Weaving together traditional craft, anthropology, microbiology, and art
with: Laurence Douny, Regine Hengge, Pauline Agustoni – curated by Art Laboratory Berlin
The ECHO campaigns are part of the ECHO Academy, hosted in five European cities and funded by the EU’s CERV program. In Berlin, the campaigns are presented within the framework of Biodiversity in Action by Susa Pop / Public Art Lab, in collaboration with Prof. Emily Smith, Prof. DR. Stephan Güntzel, Harshini Karunaratne, and students from the MA Communication Design and New Media Design programs at UE.
ECHO Events
From May 26–28, 2025, the ECHO Events will be showcased at TINCON — a youth-focused festival and conference dedicated to digital culture, media, technology, politics, and pop culture.
Rooted together
26 May @TINCON Berlin
We are not separate from nature — we grow within it. Inspired by ancestral growing practices like polyculture, this space invites you to reconnect through care, diversity, and shared presence.
by Gemma Martone, Glenda Rascon, Grace Huh (Hyerim Huh), Hiba Dannane, Johanna Jovel, Nicola Chloe Bisset, Quentin Allen
Bees of the Night
27 May @TINCON Berlin
Step into the world of night pollinators and see Berlin through the eyes of a moth. Bees of the Night is a media installation revealing how light pollution confuses, traps, and disorients moths from the flowers they’re meant to find. In a city that never sleeps, this quiet crisis goes unseen, but it’s glowing all around us.
by Agnesa Lusnjani, Alberto Paniagua, Chaeryung Yoon, Emma De Prà, Godinez, Jagriti Kumar, Karen Natharen
Re:Moss – Re-wilding the Ruins
28 May @TINCON Berlin
Re:Moss opens up a space that invites reflection on the fragile boundaries of decay and regeneration. Through sensory interactions, the installation encourages learning, caring and co-existence with the keystone species – the mosses. You can witness how mosses reclaim space. Visitors are invited to take home their own Grow-It-Yourself (GIY) kit to start a journey of green regeneration.
ECHO Academies & Events:
@ Amsterdam, November’24 – January’25
@ Barcelona, March – May’25
@ Berlin, April – June’25
@ Athens, October – December’25
@ Sofia, December’25 – February’26
ECHO is a dynamic European initiative that engages young people with democracy through art and culture. Led by DE/MO (NL), ECHO unites partners, Bios (GR), Espronceda (ES), Fine Acts (BU), and Public Art Lab (DE) to address five urgencies of our society: AI, climate change, biodiversity, democracy, and migration. Through thematic ECHO Academies in the EU partners’ cities, young creatives learn about these pressing issues and design impactful artistic campaigns that make complex topics accessible and engaging.
Starting in November 2024, DE/MO kicks off its ECHO Academy in Amsterdam, bringing together 15 young artists and thinkers (ages 18-30) – selected through an open call – to explore the future of AI and digitization. During the 5-days ECHO Academy the 15 young creatives collaborate in workshops led by artists and experts, discussing AI’s potential for efficiency and problem-solving alongside its risks—such as surveillance, fake news, and biases in models. In the coming 4 weeks they will create the ECHO Artistic Campaigns which they will launch in the ECHO Events and the Final Reverb Event backed by a dedicated budget, industry training, and real-world impact.
Academy Themes Across Europe
Digitalization and AI
Hosted by DE/MO in Amsterdam, this Academy explores the profound impacts of AI and digitalization, addressing critical questions like: Who controls our data? How do we mitigate AI biases? And how can technology be used to support democratic values?
Climate Change
Espronceda in Barcelona addresses the urgency of climate change, especially the urban heat island effect in cities. This Academy explores local solutions to combat global environmental challenges and the role of cities in promoting sustainable practices.
Ecology and Biodiversity
Public Art Lab in Berlin leads an Academy focused on biodiversity protection and ecological restoration. This Academy invites young artists to explore biodiversity loss, reconnection with nature, and how art can foster environmental awareness and activism.
Migration
Bios in Athens discusses Greece’s role as a migration entry point and the challenges of integration. This Academy addresses questions on how communities can support migrants while balancing societal needs and humanitarian values.
Democracy
Fine Acts in Sofia hosts an Academy on democracy, exploring the current challenges facing democratic systems. This Academy considers how citizens can rebuild trust in institutions and uphold democratic values.
Each ECHO Academy empowers young participants to create art that connects today’s societal issues with the future of democracy in Europe. Through the ECHO project , young artists inspire engagement, community building, and environmental action.
For more information, please visit echoeurope.eu.
The project is co-funded by the CERV-Programm of the European Union.
