Grounding Technologies was a six month pilot project from Bristol+Bath Creative R+D that explored how creative technology can be used to support climate action. Those involved in climate action, together with creative technologists, artists, designers and creative practitioners were invited to propose new and distinctive ideas that would bolster climate action in our region. Grounding Technologies funded six projects that investigated how creative technology could be used to support action on climate change. 

The six projects are:

Eyes on Bristol Airport

An experimental project capturing flight and air traffic data to hold Bristol Airport accountable to its climate pledges. #EyesOnBristolAirport

Bristol Airport Action Network, Stephen Clarke, Gideon Jones, Richard Baxter, Jackie Head, Mary Collett, James Collett.

The Apothecary Network

A network of decolonial community apothecaries which center growing, herbology, community, collective care, joy, and connection with nature in radical, anti-racist ways and reclaim green spaces for themselves and their communities. 

Marcus Berdaut, Zoe Palmer, Javie Huxley, Chinonyerem Odimba, Zaina Nesayem

Focus – but where?

A playful online interactive crowdsourced zine/game that explores the intersection between climate change activism and our complex media / information environment, using eye tracking to explore direct climate action and comms. 

Kexin Liu, Kai Charles, Inigo Hartas, Xingzhi Zheng 

Garden Lab Whispers Grow

A project based on an allotment in Knowle West, investigating how new sensor technology can be combined with local, embodied and non-human knowledge to further climate action.

Knowle West Media Centre, Annali Grimes, Martha King, Paul Granjon, Ruth Hennell

Greenbelt 2.0, Rings of Resilience Resistance + Renewal

A project to reimagine the use of Greenbelt around Bristol through co-created mapping and animation using data from communities. 

Maddy Longhurst, Mark Thurstain, Rueben Armstrong, Yew Tree Farm

Where Do We Go When We ____, 

An investigation into how creative technology might support marginalised and neurodiverse communities to navigate nature experiences and climate action.

Emma Blake Morsi, Ruby Spencer, Olamiposi Ayorinde

These six projects build on a rich tradition of activism and thought in the West of England region to address the climate crisis. They bring together expertise from across sectors, locations and communities in vibrant collaborations to create tools for the future. Each project received £15k to experiment and develop innovative responses to the challenge of climate change.

Grounding Technologies was a 6 month programme funded by Arts and Humanities Research Council’s (AHRC) and Department for Media, Culture and Sport (DCMS) as part of its Demonstrator programme. It is also supported by Bristol+Bath Creative R+D, part of AHRC’s Creative Industries Clusters Programme.

Bristol+Bath Creative R+D is a collaboration between UWE Bristol, Bath Spa, University of Bath, University of Bristol and Watershed, which has spent five years working to create a more equitable environment for innovation to raise the bar for the region’s creative industries.