Disrupting the status quo. Artistically.

Part of programme “The Right To Groningen, Circuits of Commons”, by Libia Castro & Ólafur Ólafsson, Fiona van den Bergh & Sign

This full-day workshop brought together a small and deeply committed group of artists and activists, all eager to explore how artistic practice can meaningfully intersect with activism as something that can be put into action immediately, within their own communities.

We began the day by getting to know each other and mapping our shared and differing needs, hopes, and urgencies. Participants were invited to reflect on the issues that matter most in their lives, the forms of activism they feel drawn to, and the roles they want to take on as artists within those struggles. This created a grounded starting point, rooted in lived experience rather than theory alone.

From there, we introduced the work and methods of Fossil Free Culture NL, situating our practice within a broader history of civil disobedience. We opened up a space to collectively look at other art and activism groups and movements, from the Guerrilla Girls to The Yes Men and beyond, as a way of sharing concrete tactics that combine art and activism. We approached these examples as tools and inspirations that participants could adapt, remix, and critically engage with in their own practices.

Throughout the day, the emphasis remained on exchange, experimentation, and applicability. The conversations were sharp, generous, and grounded in the question of how artistic skills can be mobilised strategically in moments of social and political urgency.

It was refreshing and hopeful to witness how strongly these artists and activists are prepared to step into forms of civil disobedience, collective action, and responsibility. The workshop confirmed that there is a real desire to cross the boundaries of art and activism, and to use creativity to actively reshape the world, rather than merely reflecting on it.