[ENG] [中] Fostering Eco-creative Futures in the Performing Arts

Text: Dr Tanja Beer

As a new era of environmental awareness is dawning, performance makers all over the world have been heeding the call of sustainability and exploring its potential for innovation. From bicycle-powered shows, bio-costumes and mycelium sets, to creating body suits that capture kinetic energy, artists are leading the way in demonstrating how the performing arts can be a unique and powerful platform to imagine and inspire new realities. Productions designed on ecological principles and sustainable processes are opening up new approaches and artistic insights. Gone are the days when ‘being green’ was considered ‘boring’ or ‘tedious’. Instead, artists who pursue sustainability are seen as innovators whose work represents an exciting pathway for progressing and expanding performance practice.

The ‘ecological turn’ of the performing arts over the last decade has profoundly changed my own practice. As a performance designer and researcher based in Australia, I have been inspired to move beyond limited understandings of sustainability that are restricted to ideas of recycling and efficiency. Instead, I am keen to investigate a more hopeful paradigm – one where ecological design or ‘ecoscenographic’ practices are capable of generating positive and regenerative benefits. I am interested in how my work can create performance spaces that not only enrich the experiences of our audiences, but also contribute more broadly to environmental and social issues. This has also been the focus of my book Ecoscenography: An Introduction to Ecological Design for Performance (Palgrave Macmillan, 2021) which aims to explore a new paradigm of sustainability (or indeed, ‘thrive-ability’) for the performing arts.

在《Produce》演出的CreateAbility和Born in a Taxi劇團（卡斯爾梅恩州藝術節《The Living Stage》，2013）。攝影：Gisela Beer

CreateAbility and Born in a Taxi in Produce (The Living Stage, Castlemaine State Festival, 2013). Photo: Gisela Beer.

The Living Stage

My most significant project which seeks to embrace ecological potential is The Living Stage – a global initiative that combines stage design, permaculture and community engagement to create recyclable, biodegradable and edible performance spaces. Part theatre, part garden and part food growing demonstration, The Living Stage considers ecological principles and environmental impact as opportunities rather than constraints: ethics that can illuminate, and be integral to aesthetics. At the end of the performances, these ‘living stages’ are returned to the communities that helped grow them. Physical structures become garden beds and community spaces; plants become food; and waste becomes compost. As each living stage evolves out of a direct response to the localities of site, ecology and community, no project is ever the same.

My first living stage was created for the 2013 Castlemaine State Festival in Australia and grew out of reimagining a new kind of theatrical space – one that was more aligned with ecological systems. At the same time, it also sought to make sustainability ‘fun’ and encourage audiences to have a ‘nibble at the stage’. Created by the rural community of Castlemaine under the guidance of local permaculturalists, the original living stage featured an amphitheatre of climbable apple crate garden walls and portable garden beds each cultivating edible plants. It acted as both a venue and inspiration for a number of local performance groups whose brief was to create experimental works that drew on the concept of regeneration, and interacted with the unique design that surrounded them. After the festival, the stage of apple crates and plants was donated to several community garden projects, many of which are still thriving today.

Since making its debut at the Castlemaine State Festival, The Living Stage concept has travelled to Cardiff (UK), Glasgow (UK) and New York (US) as well as other parts of Australia and continues to generate interest and inspire other projects around the world. New creative teams have emerged, taking local ecological ideas to engage communities and create positive legacies. Each project is unique, but all share clear commonalities: the celebration of food growing and biodiversity, active engagement with communities, and a legacy that exceeds the celebration of the project through performance.

The Living Stage has been an important learning curve for reconsidering the way in which I practice that is more aligned with the possibilities of place. However, I’m also aware that not every performance project has the luxury of being situated outdoors, or has an ecological message at the core of its narrative or theme.

Fortunately, many artists are demonstrating that sustainability can work across all kinds of mediums and contexts, including more traditional performing arts settings, some of which I have documented in my book. A key resource has been the Theatre Green Book which has galvanised action on sustainability across the UK, Europe and Australia. This initiative has arguably had the greatest impact on the sector at a global level.

社區工作坊（卡斯爾梅恩州藝術節《The Living Stage》，2013）。攝影：Gisela Beer

Community workshops (The Living Stage, Castlemaine State Festival, 2013). Photo: Gisela Beer.

Fostering Eco-creative Futures

As a designer-researcher, I am interested in exploring eco-creative outcomes that align sustainability goals with the depth of artistic imagination. My role as the co-director of the new Performance and Ecology Research Lab (P+ERL) at Griffith University, Australia has provided an opportunity to investigate new horizons for the performing arts to transition to sustainability. Our recent Australian Research Council funded project, “Culture for Climate: Harnessing Eco-Creativity to Transition Australia’s Performing Arts to Environmental Sustainability” will explore eco-creative sustainability strategies to accelerate meaningful climate action in and through the arts.

Working with five cultural organisations, Culture for Climate investigates the role of eco-creativity in rethinking performing arts practices for a climate changed future. Eco-creativity builds on the ethos of The Living Stage to respond to the climate crisis imaginatively and with leadership. It reflects broader sustainability and climate justice approaches, promoting a sense of ‘thrive-ability’ to harness the communicative and communal aspects of cultural production. Eco-creativity is necessary to counter the limited eco-efficient lens that has dominated conversations around sustainability over the last century. Instead, we propose that by bringing eco-creativity into climate conversations, we can move beyond merely quantitative and ‘tick-box’ measures to reimagine alternative, thriving futures.

Through my ongoing research and practice, I am keen to demonstrate the potential of reframing sustainability as a creative process which is capable of generating positive and far-reaching rewards. I suggest that no matter what the context, there are always ways for artists to engage with ecological ideas that open up wider perspectives and opportunities. For me, sustainability in the performing arts is not merely a question of reducing our carbon impact; it is also necessary for us to remain relevant and progressive within our art form. Every industry must engage with the reality of ecological consequences, and the performing arts can be a unique and powerful platform to imagine and inspire new realities. As Alison Tickell of Julie’s Bicycle puts it, “creativity is the most sustainable and renewable energy source on the planet. Let’s use it.”

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Dr Tanja Beer

Dr Tanja Beer is an ecological designer and community artist who is passionate about co-creating social spaces that accentuate the interconnectedness of the more-than-human world. She is a Senior Lecturer at the Queensland College of Art and Design and the Co-Director of the Performance and Ecology Research Lab (P+ERL) at Griffith University. Tanja’s extensive career is based on over 20 years of theatre practice in Australia, Europe and the UK. Her concept of Ecoscenography has been featured in numerous programmes, exhibitions, articles and platforms around the world. She is the author of Ecoscenography: An Introduction to Ecological Design for Performance (Palgrave Macmillan, 2021).

促進表演藝術的生態創意未來

文：Tanja Beer博士

譯：Eva Kan

隨著踏入環保意識新時代，世界各地的表演製作者都注意到對永續發展的需求，並正探索其創新的潛力。從踏單車發電的表演、生物服裝、菌絲佈景，到製作可採集動能的連身衣，藝術家正帶頭展示表演藝術如何能作為獨特有力的平台，去想像和啟發新現實。以生態原則和永續過程設計的製作，正開闢新的路徑並帶來新的藝術見解，追求綠色生活亦不再是無聊乏味的事情。相反，人們視追求永續的藝術家為創新者，其作品引領著表演實踐的進步和拓展，使人興奮。

過去十年表演藝術的「生態轉向」深深影響我的藝術實踐。我從事表演設計和研究，以澳洲為基地，我一直有感要突破對永續的片面理解，不局限於回收和節能這些觀念中。我熱衷研究讓人看見更大希望的範例——以生態設計或生態舞台設計產生正面和再生效益。我所關注的是我的作品如何可以創造一些表演空間，不單去豐富觀眾的體驗，更可廣泛為環境和社會問題作出貢獻。這也是我的著作《生態舞台設計：生態表演設計導論》（Ecoscenography: An Introduction to Ecological Design for Performance）（Palgrave Macmillan，2021 ）所帶出的重點，旨在探索表演藝術永續發展（或「茁壯成長能力」）的新範例。

Born in a Taxi劇團演員Penny Baron的排練場景（卡斯爾梅恩州藝術節《The Living Stage》，2013）。攝影：Gisela Beer

On set with Born in a Taxi’s Penny Baron (The Living Stage, Castlemaine State Festival, 2013). Photo: Gisela Beer.

《The Living Stage》

在我設計擁抱生態潛力的專案當中，最重要的一個當屬《The Living Stage》。這是一個結合舞台設計、永續農業和社區參與的全球性計劃，旨在創造可回收、可生物降解及可食用的表演空間。《The Living Stage》兼具劇場、花園和食物種植示範等元素，將生態原則與環境影響視為機會而非限制，創造一套能夠燃亮美學並作為其核心的價值觀。演出到最後，這些「表演空間」會回歸栽培它們的社區：實體結構變為園圃和社區空間、植物變為食物、廢物變為肥料。由於每個舞台是直接因應當地的地點、生態和社區而演變出來，因此每個舞台計劃都不盡相同。

我第一個「表演空間」是為2013年澳洲卡斯爾梅恩州藝術節（Castlemaine State Festival）所創作，我希望重新想像一種新的劇場空間，此空間能夠與生態系統更配合。同時，也嘗試讓永續這件事變得「有趣」，鼓勵觀眾「在舞台吃一口」。原初的舞台由卡斯爾梅恩鄉村社區及在當地永續農業工作者的指導下創建，它是一個露天劇場，有可攀爬的蘋果箱花園牆，以及一些便攜式園圃種植可食用的植物。這成為當地不少表演團體的表演場地和靈感來源，他們以再生的概念創作實驗性作品，與周遭獨特的環境設計互動。藝術節結束後，我們將這些蘋果箱和植物捐贈予數個社區園圃計劃，不少計劃至今仍在蓬勃發展。

自從在卡斯爾梅恩州藝術節首次亮相後，《The Living Stage》的概念已延展至卡地夫（英國）、格拉斯哥（英國）、紐約（美國）以及澳洲其他地區，並持續在世界各地引起興趣和啟發了其他專案計劃。新的創作團隊出現，運用各地的生態特色，凝聚社區，傳播正面的影響力。每個專案都獨一無二，但有清晰的共通點：慶賀食物種植與生物多樣性、積極凝聚社區，以及透過演出帶來超越這場慶典的影響。

《The Living Stage》是一個重要的學習過程，讓我重新思考我的設計如何更配合地方的可能性。然而，我也意識到，並非每個演出計劃都能設置在戶外，或能以生態訊息作為其敘述或主題核心。

幸運的是，許多藝術家都展示永續可以實行於各種媒介與環境中，包括較傳統的表演藝術場景，我在書中記錄了其中一些。《劇場綠皮書》（Theatre Green Book）是一項關鍵資源，它激發英國、歐洲及澳洲各地採取永續行動。這項倡議可以說影響全球表演藝術界最深。

一個戶外「客廳」，植物從家居物品中長出來（卡地夫「世界劇場設計展」《The Trans-Plantable Living Room》，2013）。攝影：Mike Medaglia

Outdoor ‘living room’ with plants bursting from household objects (The Trans-Plantable Living Room, World Stage Design, Cardiff, 2013). Photo: Mike Medaglia.

促進生態創意未來

作為一名設計師和研究員，我很有興趣探索生態與創意的結合——將永續目標連繫於藝術想像的深度當中。現時我在澳洲格里菲斯大學（Griffith University）新成立的表演及生態研究實驗室（Performance and Ecology Research Lab（P+ERL））擔任聯席總監，藉此我得以在表演藝術轉型永續的研究上開拓新視野。最近我們有一個由澳洲研究委員會（Australian Research Council）資助的專案「以文化應對氣候：運用生態創意促使澳洲的表演藝術轉型至環境永續發展」（Culture for Climate: Harnessing Eco-Creativity to Transition Australia’s Performing Arts to Environmental Sustainability），將探討生態創意永續策略，以加快在藝術和透過藝術實行有意義的氣候行動。

專案與五個文化組織合作，在未來氣候變遷、人們重新思考表演藝術實踐的背景下，探討生態創意的角色。生態創意以《The Living Stage》的精神為基礎，以富想像力、有領導下的方式回應氣候危機。它展現更宏闊面對永續和氣候正義的方法，推廣「茁壯成長能力」的意識，鼓勵好好利用文化製作的溝通交流和群體公用層面。上世紀有關永續的對話大多局限於談論生態效益，現時正有需要以生態創意突破這主流說法。我們建議將生態創意引入氣候討論中，從而超越單純量化和「打勾選框」的措施，重新想像另類繁榮的未來。

透過持續研究與實踐，我很希望展現永續作為創意過程的潛力，因這過程能帶來正面且影響深遠的回報。無論處於任何情境，我認為藝術家總有辦法與生態環境聯繫，開啟更廣闊的視野與機遇。對我而言，表演藝術的永續不只是減碳的問題，而是需要在我們的藝術範疇中保持關聯和持續進步。每個行業都必須面對生態問題的後果，而表演藝術可以成為與眾不同且強大的平台，讓我們想像並啟發新現實。正如Julie’s Bicycle 的 Alison Tickell所說：「創意是地球上最永續和可再生的能源。讓我們好好使用它。」

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Tanja Beer 

Tanja Beer博士是一位生態設計師和社區藝術家，熱衷於共創社會空間，強調非人為中心世界的互聯性。她是昆士蘭藝術與設計學院（Queensland College of Art and Design）的高級講師，也是格里菲斯大學（Griffith University）表演及生態研究實驗室 （Performance and Ecology Research Lab（P+ERL））的聯席總監。她擁有超過20年的劇場工作經驗，足跡遍及澳洲、歐洲和英國。她的生態舞台設計概念曾出現在世界各地多個節目、展覽、文章和平台上，是《生態舞台設計：生態表演設計導論》（Ecoscenography: An Introduction to Ecological Design for Performance）（Palgrave Macmillan，2021）的作者。