Composing Futures: Creative Impact on Eco-Social Transformation

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Composing Futures: Creative Impact on Eco-Social Transformation

Forum & Co-Creation Labs
6–7 November 2026
University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna
in the framework of Wien Modern

How can artistic practice contribute to eco-social transformation? Composing Futures brings together artists, cultural workers, researchers, policymakers, and audiences for two days of exchange, experimentation, and collaboration.

Through artistic contributions, discussions, workshops, and co-creation labs, the forum explores cultural labour, environmental sustainability, participation, and alternative ways of organising and sustaining cultural practice.

Moderation: Julia Herzog & Dominik Förtsch

Friday, 6 November

09:00–09:30 | Networking Coffee & Registration

09:30–09:40 | Opening Artistic Contribution Belma Bešlić-Gál: Pod zemljom (excerpt)

09:40–10:10 | Welcome & Official Opening

Gerda Müller, Vice-Rector, mdw
Sabine Reiter, mica – music austria
Aleksandra Bajde, Internationale Gesellschaft für Neue Musik – Sektion Österreich / Culture and Sustainability Lab

10:10–10:15 | Collective Breathing Exercise Marie Helle

10:15–10:45 | Artistic Provocation Ricardo Tovar Mateus

10:45–11:00 | Coffee Break

11:00–12:00 | Dialogue Session What Cultural Futures Do We Need for Eco-Social Transformation?

Moderation: Manuel Rivera

Contributors:

Eva-Maria Bauer, City of Vienna – Culture
Belma Bešlić-Gál, Zvjezdane Staze
Simon Zöchbauer, SOIL

12:00–12:30 | Audience Dialogue & Collective Reflection

12:30–14:00 | Lunch Break

14:00–14:15 | Artistic Intervention Samu Gryllus: Sound Painting

14:15–15:15 | Good Practice Inputs

Artists and cultural practitioners share approaches to sustainability, collaboration, and eco-social change.

Gwendolenn Sharp, GreenBeat Nexus
Maria Rylander, Knutpunkt
Emma Axberg, one eARTh
Sara Stevanović
Michael Hrustelj

15:15–15:30 | Coffee Break

15:30–17:00 | Parallel Workshops

Participants choose one of three parallel workshops.

Workshop 1 | Environmental Sustainability & Regenerative Cultural Practice Gwendolenn Sharp, The Green Room / GreenBeat Nexus
Workshop 2 | Art, Social Transformation, Participation & Collective Imagination Julia Herzog & Tereza Sýkorová, arts of change
Workshop 3 | Economics, Value Systems, Cultural Labour & Alternative Futures Sven Hartberger, Gemeinwohl-Ökonomie

17:00–17:30 | Sharing Insights, Future Collaborations & Networking Facilitated by: Manuel Rivera

19:00 | Concert: SOIL – Songs from the Underground Separate registration required.

Saturday, 7 November

09:30–09:45 | Welcome Back & Introduction to the Co-Creation Labs

09:45–11:15 | Co-Creation Labs I Participants choose one of two parallel labs.

Lab 1 | Counter-Promise Scores Ricardo Tovar Mateus

Lab 2 | Audience Development Matic Gajšek

11:15–11:30 | Coffee Break

11:30–12:15 | World Café

12:15–13:45 | Lunch Break

13:45–14:00 | Re-Gathering & Introduction to the Afternoon Labs

14:00–15:30 | Co-Creation Labs II
Participants choose one of two parallel labs.

Lab 3 | Listening as Method: Curating Listening Orsolya Kaincz

Lab 4 | Creative Entrepreneurship as Agency Marie-Theres Zirm

15:30–15:45 | Coffee Break

15:45–16:30 | Sharing Lab Outcomes & Future Initiatives

16:30–17:00 | Closing Reflections & Outlook

Facilitated by: Julia Herzog

Programme subject to change.

Registration

Participation in the forum is free of charge. Voluntary contributions (pay as you wish) are welcome. Registration includes snacks, coffee, and soup for lunch. Additional lunch options can be purchased at the mdw Mensa on Friday or at nearby cafés and restaurants. Separate registration is required for the SOIL concert.

Please register by 1 November 2026: Register here