A collective initiative called Hard Art has emerged out of concerns about climate change and the erosion of democracy. Led by musician and climate activist Brian Eno, the group was founded in late 2022 and aims to foster interdisciplinary collaboration between artists, scientists, designers, activists and others to create cultural disruption for meaningful change. Notable participants include visual artists Jeremy Deller, Cornelia Parker, and Gavin Turk, as well as writer Jay Griffiths, actor and director Andrea Arnold, designer Es Devlin, writer Jon Ronson, filmmaker Asif Kapadia, and rapper Louis VI. They recognise the collective genius of a community, emphasising collaboration and shared innovation over individual genius, in line with Eno’s concept of scenius. Through this approach, they seek to develop holistic solutions to complex problems and inspire positive change.
As their first project, Hard Art published The WORK We Need to Do, a manifesto addressing the urgency of the current crisis and its pervasive impact on society. They also curated The Fête of Britain, a multi-day event in Manchester that explored intersecting issues such as the cost of living crisis and climate collapse, while discussing strategies for collective action and resilience. Through workshops, assemblies and performances, participants discussed the use of history, art and culture to empower communities in the face of contemporary challenges.
All videos and photography courtesy of HARD ART
