The Sciences Po collective project

The Sciences Po collective project

  • 14 November 2022

Since 2010, La Transplanisphère has been conducting Collective Projects with Master’s students at Sciences Po Paris, where Bruno Freyssinet, artistic director, teaches.

"It's a great opportunity to work in an international team of motivated and like-minded people who want to transform the cultural field and move it towards an ecological future"
Thomas Riedlsperger

Within the framework of LeCAKE, a group of students has been working since October 2022 with the Transplanisphere team on the 4 sequences of the first pedagogical chapter, the international referentials. More precisely, they are in charge of the design of the first module, the New European Bahaus, which will serve as a model for all the others. They will then assist the partners in the design of their own model. The following year, a second team will work on Chapter 3, which concerns agile models that drive innovation: fablabs, living labs, hackathons.

"My generation will have a decisive role to play in driving change and tangible results, and I feel a responsibility to play a role in that process."
Kitti Fodor

This collaboration provides an intergenerational, but also a European dimension to the project. Indeed, the five students in the first group come from all over Europe: Anni Tikkala is Finnish, Thomas Riedlsperger is Austrian, Lucy Hensel is German, Giulia Di Fino is Italian and Kitti Fodor is Hungarian. Their backgrounds include political science, law, economics, psychology, international relations and art history.  

"The aspect of sustainability has been largely neglected in the cultural sector so far and I know that the ecological transition is just one of the big challenges the sector has to face."
Lucy Hensel

What they have in common is that they are concerned about the topic of sustainability: Thomas and Lucy highlight their personal awareness and efforts in everyday life, to which Anni adds the need for institutional change. Giulia, who has already worked with field associations, stresses the importance of reconnecting people to the environment. Kitti agrees, urging a global and not just environmental perspective on sustainable development, for which she is certain her generation has an important role to play.

"I think we should rather look at sustainable development as a horizontal concept, which intercepts all areas of our lives."
Anni Tikkala

They each chose to join LeCAKE to continue their involvement on the subject. Lucy and Thomas both note the lack of concern in the cultural sector for sustainable development. The combination of these two elements makes the project unique for both Anni and Kitti, who see art projects as a very innovative way to spread sustainability concepts. The networking aspect is also an important factor of engagement: both Thomas and Giulia are eager to meet other students and professionals concerned with these topics.

"I applied for LeCAKE because the main values embodied by this initiative reflect the ideal career I am aiming for. "
Giulia Di Fino

Indeed, the LeCAKE project also wants to have an impact on future cultural professionals by involving them in the project. The students of this first group each have ambitions for a future in the European and cultural sector in the broadest sense, be it through cultural institutions, political initiatives, international cooperation, project management or mediation. As actors of tomorrow, they will participate thanks to LeCAKE in setting up tools that they can use in their future projects.

"I am simply passionate and enthusiastic about the idea of participating in the development of the future of the European cultural industry and I hope to have a significant impact in a field that is so close to my heart."
Thomas Riedlsperger
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