From 2–4 November 2025, Nicosia became a meeting point for artists, researchers, environmental advocates, and cultural practitioners from across the Mediterranean as the MATCH Capacity Building Workshop unfolded in the award-winning Gardens of the Future. Part of MATCH (Mediterranean as the Climate Hotspot)– a cross-regional programme exploring how art can help communities respond to the accelerating climate crisis- the workshop brought together an extraordinary mix of experts working at the intersections of ecology, culture, and civic participation.
MATCH addresses the Mediterranean’s growing climate vulnerabilities by fostering local resilience and shared environmental responsibility. Through a series of transnational artistic residencies, the programme engages communities in five cities, encouraging sustainable, place-based practices.
In Cyprus, the initiative builds on D6:EU’s long trajectory of linking cultural practice with environmental transformation, following projects such as Emergency, Influence and Practice (2022) and CONTESTED DESIRES: Constructive Dialogues (2024–26 | Creative Europe).
The host space, Gardens of the Future, epitomises MATCH’s ethos. Once abandoned in the aftermath of 1974, this urban oasis has been regenerated through community stewardship and municipal support. Today, it serves as a living laboratory for sustainable practices and a meeting point for cross-disciplinary collaboration.
Day One (2 November): The programme opened on 2 November with an evening welcome, including a guided tour of the Gardens and a relaxed dinner that gave participants space to reconnect and set the tone for the days ahead.
Day Two (3 November) focused on shared learning across the MATCH network. D6:EU presented reflections from MATCH Athens, followed by outcomes from the first artistic residency by Garance Maurer and Annalisa Zegna. A dynamic panel brought together NTUA, DDRC, and resident artists to discuss challenges, community engagement, and the evolving role of artists within climate-centred urban research.
The afternoon shifted toward policy and planning. Presentations ranged from climate crisis histories and global responsibility (NTUA), to participatory environmental frameworks (AKTI), New European Bauhaus and Creative Europe updates, and municipal perspectives on water management and CARDIMED. Breakout conversations on Space for Culture invited participants to imagine how cultural actors can shape adaptation strategies. The day concluded with a rooftop visit to the Cyprus Energy Agency, a Nicosia history walk, and a communal dinner at Rustem Bookshop.
Day Three (4 November) brought partners and artists into closer dialogue. A morning of meetings and warm-up activities was followed by the CRIA Workshop and an introduction to the forthcoming MATCH Final Statement by Mapa das Ideias. The afternoon spotlighted Cyprus-specific perspectives, including the screening of There Is No Other Cyprus, introduced by PRIO’s Mete Hatay, and presentations on local activism—from environmental advocacy (Volt Cyprus) to sustainable festival practices (Urban Gorillas). The workshop concluded with presentations by Cyprus-based MATCH artists Christina Zambulaki and Caterina Miralles, whose practices examine food ecologies, spatial storytelling, and lived environments.
Over the course of three days, MATCH Nicosia demonstrated how cultural practice can activate communities, influence policy, and cultivate long-term ecological awareness. By knitting together artists, activists, municipal planners, academics, and grassroots initiatives, MATCH builds a framework for shared resilience—one that recognises the Mediterranean not only as a climate hotspot, but as a landscape of creativity, solidarity, and collective responsibility.
As the MATCH residencies continue across the region, Nicosia’s workshop stands as a compelling reminder: transforming our climate future requires both local action and transnational imagination.
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Her residency with D6:EU at the Gardens of the future, part of MATCH, will run through November 2025.
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