Climate Shelter Summer '24
Science, art and thought for a more livable Madrid.
We present what will undoubtedly be one of the central events of Madrid's cultural life this summer, the Climate Refuge that will take place in the months of July and August in our Ballroom.
During the last half of 2024, our programming will revolve around climate action, solidifying it as a strategic and cross-cutting theme. Through our full creative and multidisciplinary potential, we propose to address different aspects of the climate crisis from the perspectives of art, science, and thought.
In this context, we set ourselves a threefold objective: to be a space that brings together initiatives around climate action; to generate synergies and alliances between companies, projects, collectives and social agents; and to focus not only on reflection and thought, but also on action.
The Climate Shelter is conceived as an open space for the public, available in July and August in the heart of Madrid. It revolves around the idea of socializing and sharing thermal comfort, something our societies generally reserve only for leisure spaces associated with consumption or for those who can afford it. Beyond being a place to be, it will be an opportunity to showcase initiatives and forge alliances among social actors who wish to take action in an area that affects society and who want to make a sustainable future possible.
Within the framework of the climate refuge, cultural activities will be developed aimed at publicizing the climate emergency and promoting sustainable future visions, including meetings, workshops, concerts, performances and activities for families.
Planet C
To develop this proposal, we have positioned ourselves within a conceptual framework we call Planet C. We have adopted the ecological premise "There is no Planet B" to reclaim culture as a tool for rethinking the world and the future. Planet C is Culture and Critique, it is Citizenship, Collectivity, Closeness, Awareness, Commitment, and Community. It is our response to the need for a socio-ecological transition, a transition that cannot occur without being permeated by culture.
We launched Planet C with a concrete action: the Climate Refuge. This sustainable, "natural," and lush installation is a climate refuge linked to artistic creation. It's an open space for the public, available during July and August in the heart of Madrid. This will be a way to socialize and share thermal comfort, something our societies generally reserve only for leisure spaces associated with consumption or for those who can afford it.
Basurama Collective
Basurama is a collective dedicated to cultural and environmental research, creation, and production. Founded in 2001, it has focused its study and work on production processes, the waste they generate, and the creative possibilities that arise from these contemporary situations. In line with its work, the reuse of materials and the circular economy will form the core of our Climate Shelter project.
Plant installation
Given the cultural nature of our institution, the centerpiece of the shelter will be a sustainable art installation that transforms the Ballroom into a public square. We believe that art, as a language, has the potential to permeate all of society, creating an agora that allows us not only to reflect on, but also to address the urgency of climate action.
The central area of the Refuge will be dominated by a plant installation beneath the Ballroom's brand-new dome. Around it, different micro-spaces will be arranged, so the Refuge cannot be fully appreciated at a single glance. Instead, it will be necessary to explore the installation, walk around the elements, and discover every corner of the room. These micro-spaces will be constructed with disused desks and tables from school storage, recycling centers, and secondhand shops; pallet wood from construction sites and industrial parks to form planters; repurposed furniture fitted with wheels and skates to create rocking chairs and mobile chairs; hammocks made from recycled advertising banners…
Adoption and donation campaign
The plant life that will populate the Climate Refuge will also maintain a sustainable spirit through adoption and donation campaigns to ensure that the plants have a second life. There will also be a plant nursery for residents who need someone to care for their plants while they are on vacation.
