Published: 30 May 2022
Mona Kastell's Glimpsing Air Pockets. Artist Christina Liddell dancing amongst the plants during a dress rehearsal at Dance Base, Edinburgh. Credit: Mona Kastell.
A leader in the fast-emerging field of ecological design in the performing arts, Scotland-based designer, Mona Kastell has been nominated for best Ecoscenographic Set Design Award at World Stage Design 2022 for her outstanding ecoscenographic work on Christina Liddell’s immersive multi-sensory dance theatre production Glimpsing Air Pockets which premiered at Dance Base during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2019.
Dedicated to placing ecological thinking at the heart of creative practice Mona is working with ecologically-minded theatre designers developing Ecostage - a go-to online resource designed to offer practical support and exchange of knowledge for creatives adapting in response to the ongoing climate crisis and calls for greater sustainability in performing arts.
Ecostage launched at COP26 People’s Summit for Climate Justice in November 2021 alongside many other activists working towards system change. At its core is a pledge: a public act of commitment that not only provides individuals with a personal framework for a greener practice but also helps create the necessary collective momentum for sector-wide transformation.
Ecostage’s sister organisations include Green Arts Initiative, Creative Carbon Scotland and SiPA (Sustainability in Production Alliance) among others.
World Stage Design (WSD) is the first and only designer-based exhibition to showcase and celebrate performance design from individual designers. The 5th WSD exhibition will be held in Calgary, Canada from 6 to 16 August 2022 and will welcome several hundred artists, designers, technicians, and architects from around the world who practice, study and create performing arts events.
Creative Scotland funding will enable Mona to lead workshops and exhibit work alongside international peers and, in doing this, promote Scotland and its part in developing sustainable design thinking within the industry.
Mona Kastell is one of 58 creative practitioners, organisations and projects receiving a total of over £920,000 in the latest round of Creative Scotland’s Open Fund.
At a glance:
Paul Burns, Interim Deputy Director of Arts & Engagement at Creative Scotland said: “Thanks to the generosity of National Lottery players, who raise over £30 million for good causes across the UK every week, this month’s round of Open Fund awards include a number of projects that aim to build sustainability and international cultural exchange – something that Scotland has a long history of. The wide range of projects receiving awards showcases the diversity of our creative sectors, which continue to make an impact not only in Scotland, but also globally on the world’s stage.”
Creative Scotland is the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries across all parts of Scotland distributing funding provided by the Scottish Government and The National Lottery. Further information at creativescotland.com. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Learn more about the value of art and creativity in Scotland and join in at www.ourcreativevoice.scot
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