Open call

RECITAL: Remuer Ciel et Terre : an educational playground

Location of activities and scope

France, National

Executive Summary

The project aims to develop a national communication campaign on soils, relying on the network of French Environmental Education Centers (CPIE) to reach a broad, all-ages audience (children, family, schools groups and agricultural high schools students) to instigate and spread soil awareness. The RECITAL project will provide the CPIE centers with an educational treasure hunt game centered on soil functions. Players will go exploring for six “treasure chests,” each revealing one soil function. Participants take on the role of explorers.

They will be guided by a booklet and an orientation table. The game can be played outdoors (or adapted indoors), individually or in small groups, freely or with a guide. Each soil treasure will be illustrated through an artistic creation while retaining strong scientific and pedagogical content. All tools are based on proven science but enhanced with artistic design to stimulate curiosity, discovery and create a playful, poetic atmosphere. This participatory, artistic, and educational game will be disseminated nationally to raise awareness of soil benefits and the importance of protecting them.

Motivation Statement

Soil is a living environment at the interface of other ecosystems, playing a vital role in sustaining life. It supports terrestrial plant production and regulates climate, groundwater, rivers, and organic matter recycling. It is also a reservoir of biological resources essential to life on earth, reflecting major but often overlooked societal issues that demand awareness and action. For soil scientist Arnaud Vautier, soil is a complex and evolving subject of study, preserved and improved through land management (terraces, drainage) and agricultural or pastoral practices. For artists Manon Thedrez and Zahrane Garczarek, it is a source of inspiration, offering organic forms, textures, and hidden secrets. They explore its unseen dimension, colors, secrets, and material diversity for artistic creation.

The consortium believes raising awareness about soil is crucial to care for the Earth and to recognize biodiversity as a treasure to be preserved for humanity and all life on the planet.

Sub-project objectives

The objective of the RECITAL project is to develop an educational tool based on science and art that will support a nationwide campaign on soil awareness. The project will build on the national CPIE network, with the goal of deploying the tool – a specifically designed treasure hunt game- in at least two CPIEs in two different regions of France during the funded project period. Participation in the game will involve at least 20 school groups and two agricultural high schools per region, as well as the regular audiences of the centers (families and the general public). By the end of the campaign, the public will have experienced the impact of soil on daily life and recognized the importance of protecting it from pollution, erosion, and desertification. They will also be sensitized to the soil’s role in carbon storage and will be better equipped to support initiatives that contribute to its preservation.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

The originality of the project lies in the combination of graphic and visual arts with the scientific field’s need for knowledge transmission. The project contributes to a better understanding of soil. It will build on learning mechanisms rooted in curiosity, visual emotion, field discovery, group dynamics, and the sharing of emotions among learners. It meets current educational expectations by promoting active learning among students. Awareness will be fostered both through the information conveyed during the game and through the memories and emotions sparked by its artistic form.

Expected outcomes

The project aims to shift public perception of soil, showing that it is not merely topsoil but a living system as complex and vital as the ocean. By engaging citizens, it will promote greater environmental stewardship through everyday practices – such as eliminating littering and adopting agroecological techniques in the management of home gardens and community green spaces. For future farmers, the project will foster a deeper understanding of the soil’s agro-environmental value. Through guided visits, they will be encouraged to recognize soil as a resource that must be preserved and to adopt agroecological practices as essential tools for sustainable farming and longterm resilience.

Responsible organisation and contacts

–Manon Thedrez -Self-employed individual, graphic designer. Contact – Manon Thedrez, manon.thedrez@gmail.com, (+33)6 44 78 35 47

– Zahrane Garczarek – Self-employed individual, object designer. Contact – Zahrane Garczarek, zahranegarczarek@gmail.com, (+33)6 71 29 71 33

– Arnaud Vautier – Self-employed individual, soil engineer. Contact – Arnaud Vautier, terrenis.etude@yahoo.fr, (+33)6 49 09 96 96

IMAGINE-SOIL: Communicating Soil Futures with Citizens and Communities

Location of activities and scope

Ulla River basin, Galicia, Spain, Local

Executive Summary

IMAGINE-SOIL is an innovative communication campaign to raise awareness of soil health in the Ulla River basin, a Natura 2000 site threatened by erosion and organic matter loss. The project combines science, digital art, and citizen participation to make soil challenges visible and relatable. A mobile/web app will allow citizens to upload soil photos and generate AI-based visualizations of ecosystem futures, while creative workshops in schools will directly engage around 2.000 students. Outreach through traditional media and social networks is expected to reach more than 150.000 people, generating about 800.000 impressions with repeated exposure. A final festival will showcase citizen contributions, immersive installations, and community art. Expected outcomes include 1.000+ citizen contributions, 5.000 AI visualizations, and a replicable guide “Imagine Your Soil”, leaving a lasting cultural and educational impact while amplifying the EU Soil Mission in Europe.

Motivation Statement

Soil is a dynamic, vital ecosystem, home to countless organisms, from earthworms to microbes, that support plant life. It’s crucial for storing water and nutrients, generating oxygen, filtering water, and acting as a carbon sink to protect the climate.
A core educational goal is to highlight the soil’s fragility: it takes centuries to form but can be quickly destroyed by erosion, overexploitation, or pollution. Proper soil management is essential for our existence.
For us, soil is a central pillar of the Ulla region’s heritage and a foundation for its conservation strategy, a vital resource, the matrix supporting all life, essential for forests; part of Ecological Ethics respecting soil through sustainable use and fighting degradation; and an environmental pedagogy tool used in workshops, inspiring environmental action.
In short, we see soil as a complex, fragile ecosystem demanding knowledge, respect, and direct action for long-term conservation.

Sub-project objectives

1. Building a New Language for Soil (Awareness)
We aim to make soil health a mainstream conversation by reaching over 150.000 people through a high-impact multichannel campaign. By blending creative storytelling with a dedicated digital gallery of “soil futures,” we are creating a universal toolkit that moves soil from a technical topic to a central element of daily life.
2. Digitizing the Invisible (Citizen Engagement)
Through our AI-powered collaborative app, we empower citizens to become active observers. Our goal is to transform real-world soil observations into AI-driven ecosystem visualizations. This process does more than create digital assets; it builds an emotional bridge between the user and the future of their land, making the consequences of soil health tangible and visual.
3. Cultivating the Next Generation (Mobilization)
We are bringing soil science to life in the classroom through intensive, hands-on workshops involving participants across the school system. By using murals, community art, and our “Creative Classroom” methodology, we aren’t just teaching facts, we are measuring a fundamental shift in soil literacy and environmental perception among the youth.
4. A Landmark Celebration of Land (Public Impact)
The project culminates in the high-visibility “Imagine Your Soil” Festival, designed to bring together attendees around immersive art and scientific insights. This isn’t just an event; it is a collective milestone designed to foster a sense of local pride and shared responsibility, proving that soil protection is a cultural value, not just a scientific necessity.
5. Creating a Blueprint for Europe (Replicability)
Beyond the 12-month pilot, we are committed to long-term impact through the “Imagine Your Soil” Methodology Guide. This resource will serve as a permanent roadmap for schools, NGOs, and cultural institutions across the continent, ensuring our model is fully transferable and directly amplifies the visibility of the EU Mission: A Soil Deal for Europe.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

Challenge 1: Visualizing Invisible Ecosystem Threats
The Ulla basin faces “silent” threats like nutrient depletion and mining pollution that are often invisible to the eye, making it difficult for the public to grasp the urgency of soil health. IMAGINE-SOIL addresses this through the AI-powered engine, which converts real-world soil photos into “Alternative Future” visualizations. By contrasting healthy landscapes with data-driven scenarios of degradation, the project makes invisible ecological risks tangible, emotional, and easy to understand for the general public.
Challenge 2: Translating Complex Science into Public Literacy
Technical data on soil chemistry and biodiversity is often too complex to engage schools and non-experts, creating a barrier between scientific research and social action. This is addressed by AMABUL’s “Creative Classroom”, which transforms dry theory into hands-on lived experiences. By using soil as a natural pigment for murals and building small-scale ecosystem models, the project turns abstract science into a sensory, artistic activity that fosters intuitive learning and long-term soil literacy.
Challenge 3: Maximizing Reach Across Diverse and Fragmented Audiences
Reaching a meaningful percentage of the Ulla basin’s population is a significant hurdle, as soil health is often perceived as a “hidden” technical issue by those
outside the scientific community. To overcome this, the project implements a Multichannel Outreach Strategy led by VOGA, designed to achieve a massive impact through social media, press, and digital channels. By adapting the tone from gamified metaphors for schools to practical, traditional advice for rural associations, the campaign breaks through “information silos”. This strategy culminates in the high-visibility “Imagine Your Soil” Festival, bringing together the community to ensure that the project’s message is not only seen but becomes a shared cultural conversation across the entire territory.
Challenge 4: Scaling Local Pilots to European Relevance
There is a risk that a project focused solely on the Ulla basin may be perceived as too localized to benefit the wider EU Soil Mission. The consortium addresses this through “Standardized Replicability,” designing all tools, from the AI app to the workshop packs, as modular blueprints. By documenting the methodology in a Replication Guide, the project ensures that the Ulla model can be easily adapted by other European regions, providing a scalable roadmap for the “A Soil Deal for Europe” mission.
Challenge 5: Ensuring Digital Safety and Universal Inclusion
Using AI and mobile apps across diverse age groups and rural populations raises concerns about data privacy and the “digital divide” for those with less technical experience. The project addresses this through an “Ethics by Design” framework, creating an anonymous, multilingual app that requires minimal data. By prioritizing accessibility features and simple user interfaces, the project ensures that its technology acts as an inclusive social asset that empowers all citizens while strictly adhering to GDPR standards.

Expected outcomes

1. Significant Increase in Soil Literacy
The project will transform soil from an “invisible” technical subject into a relatable cultural narrative. By combining scientific accuracy with communication strategy, the outcome will be a measurable shift in knowledge. At least 70% of participants in workshops and events are expected to demonstrate improved soil literacy, moving beyond abstract concepts to understand soil’s vital role in food security, water quality, and climate action.
2. Enhanced Emotional Connection through Digital Innovation
A key outcome is the shift in how citizens perceives their land. Through the collaborative app, users will generate AI-driven visualizations based on their own soil photos. These “Alternative Futures” will act as a powerful emotional bridge, allowing citizens to witness the potential for both degradation and recovery. This visual engagement turns passive awareness into a personal connection with the Ulla basin’s environmental health.
3. Mobilization of the “Next Generation” and Local Communities
The project will result in a highly engaged network of active knowledge “multipliers”. By involving at least 2.500 students from 20 schools and various rural associations in hands-on workshops, the outcome is the creation of tangible community assets, such as murals, soil-pigment artworks, and local testimonies. This fosters a lasting culture of stewardship and collective pride in protecting the Natura 2000 habitats of the Ulla.
4. Amplified Visibility for the EU Soil Mission
IMAGINE-SOIL will serve as a high-impact local amplifier for the EU Mission “A Soil Deal for Europe”. Through a multichannel campaign reaching 150.000 people and a culminating festival, the project will make European soil priorities visible and relevant at the community level. The outcome is a strengthened legitimacy for the Mission, demonstrating how local actions contribute to continental climate and biodiversity goals.
5. Long-Term Replicability and Methodological Legacy
The project’s impact will extend far beyond its 12-month duration. A primary outcome is the publication of the “Imagine Your Soil” Replication Guide, a step-by-step manual documenting the methodology, narratives, and metrics used. This ensures that the campaign model is fully transferable, providing NGOs, schools, and municipalities across Europe with a proven blueprint to launch their own soil awareness initiatives.

Responsible organisation and contacts

– Tesla Technologies – Tesla is a technology SME and creative studio specializing in the intersection of artificial intelligence, extended reality, and digital art. Serving as the project’s digital backbone, this multidisciplinary team of software engineers, digital artists, and creative coders transforms complex soil science into captivating visual narratives and immersive installations. With a specialized track record in digitizing cultural identity and territorial heritage, Tesla leverages its expertise to develop the AI-driven mobile app and interactive tools that turn citizen science into an inclusive social asset. Their dual role as a tech provider and creative actor ensures that the campaign’s digital infrastructure is not only technically robust and data-driven but also artistically engaging. Contact – Roberto Pérez

–VOGA – VOGA is a self-employed professional specializing in strategic marketing, project management, and multi-channel communication. Acting as the central storyteller for the project, this expert bridge-builder translates complex technical and ecological concepts into inspiring, accessible narratives designed to reach citizens, schools, and decision-makers alike. With a strong focus on community engagement and stakeholder outreach, VOGA coordinates the project’s pulse to ensure that outreach activities are both effective and highly visible. Contact – Maximino Vázquez

– AMABUL – AMABUL is an environmental NGO with deep expertise in soil science, ecological restoration, and environmental education. Serving as the scientific backbone of the project, the organization operates a specialized creative classroom dedicated to science communication and public engagement. Through the development of participatory workshops and artistic activities, AMABUL’s team of scientists and educators ensures the technical accuracy of all soil-related content. Their work focuses on bridging the gap between complex research and the community, delivering hands-on experiences that transform theoretical soil knowledge into tangible, lived experiences for citizens. Contact – Rubén Villasenín

SOIL: Subterranean Organisms Investigation & Learning

Location of activities and scope

Perugia – Umbria – Italy, Local

Executive Summary

The project enhances soil literacy by engaging children, schools, families, and citizens in creative and science-based activities that reveal the hidden biodiversity of soil. From March 2025, it will design a strong visual identity, an interactive website, educational kits, illustrated guides, six macro-videos and urban installations with QR/NFC access. A participatory communication campaign (#SoilHeroes) will invite citizens to share regenerative practices, tracked on a digital map. Between June and December 2025, the project will deliver workshops in schools, training sessions for citizens, and participatory video production, supported by scientists and videomakers. A replicable toolkit and the “Living Soil Festival” will ensure wide dissemination. By 2027, the project will have reached 250+ direct participants and thousands online, producing lasting resources, behavioural change, and an adaptable model to replicate across Europe.

Motivation Statement

The partners are united by the deep conviction that soil is the very basis of life—a hidden, vital world sustaining all plants, animals, and people. It acts as both a memory of the past and a critical resource for the future, serving as the ultimate guardian of the planet’s biodiversity and fertility. Thinking about soil requires thinking about balance, care, and responsibility. Every daily action, from composting to planting, directly contributes to its health and protection. Moreover, the soil is a source of wonder and discovery, offering a natural laboratory where adults and children can observe its invisible organisms and learn the fundamental lesson that all life depends on respecting this precious resource.

Sub-project objectives

-Raise awareness of the importance of soil and its biodiversity among children, families, schools, and citizens;

– Promote daily soil protection and regeneration practices, both domestic and community-based, through workshops and participatory activities;

-Provide replicable educational and communication tools to enable the dissemination of best practices across diverse cultural and geographical contexts;

-Engage the online community through social media campaigns and digital content, encouraging active participation and sharing.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

One key challenge is the common perception of soil as inert “dirt” rather than a living ecosystem. The project addresses this by using visual storytelling, macro-videos and hands-on observation activities that make soil biodiversity visible and engaging for children and citizens.

Another challenge is maintaining long-term participation, particularly in online activities. This will be addressed by linking the #SoilHeroes social media campaign with offline experiences such as workshops, urban installations and public events.

Finally, to ensure scientific accuracy, all educational and communication materials will be reviewed by scientific partners and based on reliable scientific sources.

Expected outcomes

Tangible results:
• 6 informative mini-videos on soil life;
• Illustrated teacher manual and replicable toolkit;
• Practical kits for workshops and educational activities;
• Ready-to-use audiovisual materials and teaching materials.

Intangible results:
• Increased awareness and sense of environmental responsibility;
• Active community involvement in soil protection;
• Creation of networks between schools, citizens, and local associations;
• Stimulates creativity and participation through storytelling and narration.

Responsible organisation and contacts

– Studio Naturalistico Hyla – The applicant organisation has extensive experience in environmental education, including the design and delivery of workshops, laboratory activities, and community-based projects. It acts as the scientific and educational lead partner of the project. Contact – Emi Petruzzi. Website. Facebook. Instagram.

– AboutUmbria – The AboutUmbria editorial team is a multidisciplinary group that combines authentic local knowledge with innovative digital marketing expertise. It is responsible for coordinating the project’s communication activities and leading the communication campaign.Contact – Sonia Bagnetti. Website. Facebook. Instagram. YouTube.

Touching Landbodies

Location of activities and scope

Netherlands, National

Executive Summary

Touching Landbodies will be a travelling installation and fieldtrip program centred around anthropogenic soils above Dutch landfills, Technosols. For the first time, maps of all recorded Dutch landfills will be shown, along with 12 sampled soils as an artistic gesture of counter-mapping these hidden spaces forgotten under flora and fauna. Complementary fieldtrips at each location will invite locals to engage closely with landfills, to shift perspectives on the ‘post-natural’ and to evoke intergenerational debate on material circularity and soil. Touching Landbodies offers a rare, situated opportunity to discuss the urgency of land use, waste streams, circularity and soil protection.

Touching Landbodies website.

Motivation Statement

Touching Landbodies reflects on citizens’ relationship with their ‘natural’ surroundings through the lens of landfills as post-natural landscapes.

On landfills, soils applied above the waste package have turned into crucial infrastructure to be controlled and managed. As ‘nature’ re-emerges due to the anthropogenic soil horizon applied above the waste package, their raison d’etre is easily forgotten. Citizens may not only acclimatise but also appreciate the post-natural topography as recreational green spaces within urban centres today. Other landfills vanished within the collective memory as they were redeveloped, and turned into new operational landscapes such as solar parks, or became overgrown patches amongst forests and agricultural fields.

How could we foster understanding of the lack of circularity that creates soils with man-made materials–Technosols–to this day? How could we collectively denaturalise our gaze upon these wastescapes and shift perspectives on the role of soil?

Sub-project objectives

 “Improve soil literacy in society”: Citizens seem to be rarely aware of anthropogenic wastescapes such as landfills in the Netherlands. The primary focus of this project is to re-engage them with the origins of soil pollution and foster discourse on soil – as a non-renewable resource – in the future.
“Reduce soil pollution”: How might the project, through both its arts and scientific approach thus contribute to the discourse on soil protection in the Netherlands?

Challenges and how they will be addressed

For each venue, we aim to reach a diverse audience in age, from younger to older generations (18–60+). Older generations have either visited landfills themselves or recall their creation, while younger generations have primarily dealt with (urban) waste collection or recycling systems and have rarely knowingly set foot on a landfill. Intergenerational discourse is thus highly encouraged. We will address the unique challenge of targeting younger audiences through partnerships and outreach to local organisations and universities (e.g. part of a minor course), and by selecting public venues that attract heterogeneous audiences.

Soil sampling permission for the installation poses another challenge. Former landfills might be situated on private or inaccessible territory. We will try to select sites that are managed by the municipality and organisations such as Staatsbosbeheer (National Forestry Management) service.

Expected outcomes

Travel installation and fieldtrips

Responsible organisation and contacts

–Sigrid Schmeisser – Sigrid Schmeisser is a geodesigner and artistic researcher whose practice is characterised by a site-responsive approach. A focus lies on investigating landfills as post-natural landscapes within the long-term project From Centre to Periphery. She has translated this research into lecture performances (Dutch Design Week 2023 and Soil Horizons, World Soil Museum, Netherlands, 2024), landfill radio performance for the Swiss Architecture Museum, Basel (Architecture Week, 2024), and a group exhibition in TENT, Rotterdam, 2025. Since 2022, she has been researching the history of landfilling specifically within the context of the Netherlands and the so-called NAVOS (Nazorg voormalige stortplaatsen, Aftercare former landfills) project. Further works include the award-winning essay “How to Hide a Mountain” (The Avery Review), artistic publications, documentary photography, and methods of counter-mapping contested landscapes through their materiality. In 2016, Schmeisser founded Peak15 design & research studio, which works with academics to exhibit and publish their research. Contact – Sigrid Schmeisser. Instagram. LinedIn.

–ISRIC – The International Soil Reference and Information Centre (ISRIC) is an independent science-based foundation with a mission to serve the international community as a custodian of global soil information. ISRIC supports the development and use of soil information to address global challenges through capacity strengthening, awareness raising and direct cooperation with users and clients. Their physical soil collection can be accessed in the ISRIC World Soil Museum (WSM) in Wageningen. ISRIC will be represented by Dr. Stephan Mantel, an agronomist and soil scientist by education. He is an educator and lecturer on the soils of the world and has more than 30 years’ working experience in various countries around the globe, with a focus on Southeast Asia and Africa. Most of his work is dedicated to sustainable natural resources management, among which are projects on sustainable forest management in Indonesia, land suitability and land use planning, and regional to global assessments of land degradation and conservation. He is curator of ISRIC’s physical soil collections and head of the WSM. Further, he coordinates the museum’s educational activities, engaging different age groups. Contact – Dr. Stephan Mantel. Instagram. LinedIn.

ART-SOIL URFA

Location of activities and scope

Sanliurfa, Turkiye, Local

Executive Summary

ART-SOIL-URFA, aims to combine Şanlıurfa’s rich soil culture and the importance of soil health with the artistic creativity of gifted students between 9-16. By integrating art and soil science through interdisciplinary workshops, the project seeks to raise awareness about the value of soil. Expected deliverables of the project include; Paints derived from pigments from various soil types in Şanlıurfa, Soil-themed paintings created using these paints, A herbarium collection made from plants, A land art installation centred around soil, A digital archive of all Works, A public street exhibition showcasing the outcomes and A soil-day promotion to create a multiplier effect across a diverse array of audiences.  The target audience includes gifted students—who are expected to play a significant role in the future of society—, students, families, and local residents. This project will use art as a catalyst to enhance soil literacy, draw attention to sustainable practices related to soil and to importance of soil for life.

Motivation Statement

Soil is not merely the ground we walk upon, but a living memory inherited from our ancestors—the foundation of our culture and our very existence. In Şanlıurfa, it is the source of fertility, history, and civilization. The word “soil” evokes the life given by the Euphrates, the ancient wisdom of Göbeklitepe, the stories hidden in every inch of land, and the responsibility we bear to protect it. Through this project, we aim to unite this ancient wisdom with the universal language of art and to rekindle our bond with the soil.

Sub-project objectives

– Enhance soil literacy among gifted students, families, and the wider community by integrating soil science with artistic practices.

– Promote sustainable soil practices through creative, participatory workshops and public exhibitions.

– Foster interdisciplinary learning by combining art, soil science, and community engagement.

– Create a multiplier effect by reaching gifted children aged 9–16 and their families, ensuring long-term awareness and behavioural change.

– Build cultural value around soil by transforming local soils into pigments, artworks, and land art that highlight soil’s ecological and cultural significance.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

– Limited prior exposure to soil science

– Need for age-appropriate, engaging content

– Bridging scientific concepts with artistic methods

– Hands-on, age-appropriate pedagogy; visual and tactile materials will be used to overcome these challenges.

Expected outcomes

Tangible Outputs

– Paints derived from local soil pigments

– Soil-themed artworks and land art installation

– Herbarium collection of plants grown in soil contexts

– Digital archive of works and documentation

– Public street exhibition and soil-day event

Non-Tangible Outputs

– Increased soil awareness and literacy among students, families, and residents

– Strengthened interdisciplinary collaboration between art and science

– Long-term behavioural change toward sustainable soil practices

– Enhanced cultural appreciation of soil as a foundation of life

Responsible organisation and contacts

KARAKOPRU SCIENCE AND ART CENTRE. Contact -ZEKIYE DOGU. Website. Instagram. 

SOIL-XR: Immersive XR Living Labs for Soil Awareness and Education

Location of activities and scope

Italy and Cyprus, Transnational

Executive Summary

SOIL-XR builds on two Living Lab in Sicily and in Cyprus. Both will serve as hubs for participatory soil monitoring, engaging students, young people, and local communities in the collection and interpretation of physical, chemical, and biological data. The goal is to foster a new generation of “soil enthusiasts” with practical scientific skills and a deep awareness of soil’s ecological and cultural value. In parallel, a virtual Living Lab will be co-created through a participatory process with educators and scientists. This immersive augmented reality (AR) platform will allow users to explore soil cycles, pedogenesis, and the effects of climate and human activity. The result will be an inclusive, non-invasive, and replicable educational solution. The project contributes directly to the Mission “A Soil Deal for Europe” by strengthening soil literacy and promoting citizen engagement. 3 youth main targets are involved, such as secondary students, VET and University students. 3 target specific learning processes will be applied during the living lab and workshop activities. While for the AR co-creation tool also technicians, scientists, and older people will be involved having and not soil related skills, to develop a user-friendly product.

Motivation Statement

Soil is not merely a substrate, it is the planet’s living membrane. It accumulates memory, supports biodiversity, regulates water, and stores carbon. It is both ecological infrastructure and cultural archive, yet remains invisible in policy, education, and public awareness. When we say “soil”, we evoke a nexus of biological, social and climate systems, vital, but eroded by neglect. Recognising soil means recognising our interdependence: between generations, between landscapes, between rights and responsibilities. For us, soil is not only what lies beneath our feet, but also what holds us together. Investing in soil literacy means reweaving the contract between people and the planet.

Sub-project objectives

Enhancing two Living Labs operating in Sicily and Cyprus which focus on agro-environmental education, introducing soil science literacy linked with regenerative agriculture for land degradation. In parallel, a third, an Augmented Reality (AR) Living Lab will be co-created through a participatory process involving teachers, students, and scientific stakeholders.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

LLD in Mediterranean climate, and enhance youth awareness about soil sustainability

Expected outcomes

The project will produce the following concrete outcomes: i)1 fully functional AR platform for immersive soil education (augmented reality and immersive Living Lab); ii) 2 operational and soil specific Living Labs ; iii) a minimum of 100 soil samples collected and analysed through citizen science protocols, iv)one digital educational toolkit for schools and informal learning environments; v) one peer-reviewed scientific publication

Responsible organisation and contacts

–BLUEZONA. Contact – GIORGIO LUPO. Website. Facebook. LinkedIn. 

-ECECT – Facebook. LinkedIn. 

Living Soils Project: Creative Communities for Healthy Urban Soils Project

Location of activities and scope

Three Spanish municipalities: Barakaldo, Villalbilla and Navacerrada; National

Executive Summary

The Living Soils Project is a national initiative designed to regenerate degraded urban soils across three Spanish municipalities (Barakaldo, Villalbilla, and Navacerrada) while fostering soil literacy and community engagement. By combining ecological restoration, citizen science, and participatory art, the project turns soil into a cultural and educational resource.

Through the creation of edible micro-forests, inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi, and installation of low-cost sensors, the project will improve soil health indicators by at least +15% in organic carbon and +20% in microbial diversity. At least 700 citizens—with strong representation of women, youth, migrants, and vulnerable groups—will directly participate in workshops, soil monitoring, and creative activities, reaching 1,500 indirect beneficiaries.

Artistic interventions, public festivals, and a traveling exhibition will translate scientific data into multisensory experiences, reinforcing learning and behavioral change.

A standardized national protocol and open dataset will ensure replicability, with at least three European cities testing the methodology.

By the end of 18 months, the project will deliver restored urban soils, inclusive community participation, open knowledge resources, and cultural outputs that together contribute to the EU Soil Mission target of achieving healthy soils by 2030.

Motivation Statement

Soil is the living skin of the planet, a mixture of minerals, water, air and organisms that sustains all life on Earth. When I hear the word soil, I think of an invisible ecosystem that filters water, stores carbon, produces food and connects roots, fungi, bacteria and insects in a network of cooperation.

It is memory: it stores the climatic and cultural history of each place. It is also the future:

its health determines our resilience to climate change and the habitability of our cities.

Soil is not just ‘earth’; it is biodiversity, heritage and a renewable resource if we take care of it, but fragile if we neglect it.

Protecting it means protecting our food, our culture and our daily lives.

Sub-project objectives

1. Ecological Restoration – Restore at least 3 ha of urban soil through participatory creation of edible forests and inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi.
2. Citizen Engagement and Inclusion – Reach at least 700 direct participants and 1 500 indirect beneficiaries, ensuring that at least 50 % are women, 30 % are young people or children, and 20 % belong to groups with fewer opportunities.
3. Scientific Monitoring – Collect and analyze comparable indicators—moisture, pH, organic carbon, and microbial diversity—in three pilot cities (Barakaldo, Villalbilla, Navacerrada), with quarterly data submissions to an open repository.
4. Replication Protocol – Produce an open, peer-reviewed national protocol for urban soil regeneration and a freely accessible dataset by the end of the project.
5. Cultural Impact – Deliver a minimum of six public art installations, nine educational workshops, and one traveling exhibition, evaluated by visitor numbers (target: 3000 combined) and qualitative feedback demonstrating increased understanding of soil health.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

The Living Soils Project work plan follows three consecutive phases—Design, Development, and Validation—to ensure methodological consistency, strong citizen participation, and measurable results. Each phase ends with a mandatory report that tracks progress and authorizes payments, with interim milestones for scientific and social monitoring.

Expected outcomes

Tangible outputs include restored soil areas, edible micro-forests, a standardized monitoring dataset, and a publicly available replication guide. Non-tangible results encompass stronger community cohesion, improved public understanding of soil’s role in climate resilience and food security, and a durable culture of collaboration between artists, scientists, and local residents. Collectively, these outcomes will contribute to the EU Soil Mission goal of healthy soils by 2030 and provide a scalable model for other European cities.

Responsible organisation and contacts

Sdl Investigacion Y Divulgacion Del Medio Ambiente Sl – Founded in 2000, our team is comprised of professionals passionate about their work, with extensive and varied experience in the fields of singular trees, urban trees, and green infrastructure. We help institutions, municipalities, companies, professionals, and organizations improve the urban environment and tree management. Contact – Susana Domínguez Lerena. Website. Facebook. Instagram. X. YouTube

SENS : Sensory Exploration of Nexus in Soils

Location of activities and scope

Reunion Island, France, Local

Executive Summary

The SENS project aims to co-create a sensory workshop that raises awareness among the people of La Réunion about the importance of preserving soil biodiversity and its vital role in human health and ecosystem resilience. By engaging all five senses through creative, hands-on activities, the workshop seeks to transform the perception of soil — often seen as an inert substrate — into that of a living, dynamic ecosystem. Developed in collaboration with members of TROPISM-Réunion, a network of over 100 scientific, technical, and institutional partners involved in soil management strategies, the workshop will be firmly anchored in the local context. It will be tested with school groups and the general public before being consolidated into an open-access toolkit to ensure its long-term replication and adaptation. Ultimately, the aims to deepen public engagement and promote sustainable practices that support soil biodiversity.

Motivation Statement

The following paragraph presents the personal reflections of the four main project members on what soil means to each of them :

Although it constitutes only a thin layer of the Earth’s surface, soil has been fundamental to the emergence and persistence of life beyond the oceans. Far more than a mere surface beneath our feet, soil is a sanctuary teeming with biodiversity — a highly organized and complex realm where often invisible and mysterious forces coexist in delicate balance. Yet, its current state sadly reflects humanity’s lack of awareness and care for this essential foundation of life and well-being. Too often overlooked and misunderstood, soil calls for a collective awakening — one that allows us to rediscover, value, and protect it for generations to come.

Sub-project objectives

Objective 1: Co-create a sensory workshop tailored to the island by engaging local stakeholders ;

Objective 2: Ensure the sustainability of the workshop by training local stakeholders on the tool and developing an educational kit accessible both online and locally.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

Soil biodiversity is particularly threatened on tropical islands. In La Réunion, a key challenge for the conservation of soil biodiversity is raising awareness among citizens who perceive soil merely as a floor. To address this, the project aims to engage non-specialist audiences through tailored awareness-raising workshops designed to transform their perceptions of soil and emphasize its preservation. The project will explore the topic using an immersive, sensory, playful, and creative approach, making learning both accessible and appealing. It plans to co-create a sensory workshop in collaboration with local stakeholders involved in soil management and conservation, ensuring that the tool is adapted to the specific characteristics of the territory. By leveraging this network of actors, the project seeks to ensure long-term sustainability through their training and by providing open access to the tools online and at the conservatory.

Expected outcomes

The project will deliver a co-created and validated sensory workshop (“Five Senses of Soil”) designed to raise awareness about soil biodiversity. It will improve soil literacy among schoolchildren and the general public, strengthen collaboration between local stakeholders, and produce an open-access toolkit enabling the workshop to be replicated and disseminated beyond the project duration.

Responsible organisation and contacts

–CIRAD – CIRAD is the French agricultural research and international cooperation organization working for sustainable development in tropical and Mediterranean regions. Contact – Caroline Brunel

– Conservatoire Botanique National et CPIE Mascarin – The Conservatory’s mission is to study, manage, and conserve the flora and natural habitats of Réunion Island, and to raise public awareness about their protection. Contact – Anaïs Hany and Thibault Rochier.

Regenerar 2026: Thriving Soil and Culture across Generations

Location of activities and scope

Golegã, Portugal, Local

Executive Summary

The project Regenerar 2026 aims to engage citizens in soil protection and regeneration in Golegã and surrounding region, in the core of Portugal. Created to raise soil literacy, foster behavioural change and strengthen community ties around Soil, the project will promote innovative school regenerative market gardens, a university ambassadors’ program, a community network of regenerative farmers, a Guide with evidence-based practices, and a free e-learning platform with courses on soil protection and regeneration; engaging several generations, from schoolchildren to elderly farmers, from the local to the wider community. A central event in April 2026 will bring together science, art, and community action, offering hands-on experiences, participatory opportunities and cultural performances. Expected outcomes include increased soil awareness and literacy, stronger networks of practice, production of accessible resources, and long-term community engagement in soil care and regeneration.

Motivation Statement

For us, at Fundação Mendes Gonçalves, soil is a living foundation that sustains life, nourishes people, and connects ecosystems and communities. It is more than a resource: it is memory, culture, the heritage of those who came before us and the legacy we commit to future generations. Soil embodies resilience, biodiversity, and regeneration, reminding us of the deep purpose that guides our work: care. Care for people, care for nature, and care for the possibilities of tomorrow. To protect and regenerate soil is to nurture healthier food systems, stronger communities, and a more sustainable planet. It is one of the main pillars of the Foundation and its mission: Nurturing Futures, Regenerating Legacies.

Sub-project objectives

The main objective of Regenerar 2026 is to increase soil literacy and awareness by engaging citizens of all ages in creative, participatory, and hands-on experiences. Through school regenerative market gardens, youth-led living labs, a farmer network, and community events, we aim to make soil visible, relatable, and celebrated. We hope to achieve a shift in how soil is perceived and cared for: from an invisible resource to a living system that sustains food, health, and culture. By combining traditional knowledge with scientific evidence, the project promotes behavioural change in schools, farms, and households, while empowering young people as ambassadors of soil regeneration.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

– Low resources and ambition of the project: the project has envisioned a large number of activities to be carried out within a period of six months. However, the project will be able to address this issue in the sense that it will be co-designed and co-implemented with the local stakeholders, and in this way, the burden will not fall on the main project team.
– Interest and availability of the farmer: there is a risk that the farmers may not have the interest and availability to participate in the network of the regenerative farmers. However, the project will be able to address this issue in the sense that it will partner with a local and regional cooperative of producers and farmers, and in this way, it will be able to leverage the trust relations and communication channels with them.
– Engagement of elderly local knowledge holders: some elderly persons, particularly those who practice local agriculture on a small scale, may at first appear reluctant to take part in the activities of the project or share their knowledge with new people. However, the issue will be addressed through the collaboration of the project with other local actors, such as local associations, local cultural groups, and the local authorities, who have good relations with the elderly. Therefore, the activities of the project will take place in familiar environments.

Expected outcomes

Greater community awareness and engagement, stronger intergenerational connections, behavioural shifts towards regenerative practices, and new partnerships linking schools, universities, farmers, and civil society.

Responsible organisation and contacts

Fundação Mendes Gonçalves (FMG) – Fundação Mendes Gonçalves is a Foundation based in the small rural village of Golegã, in centre region of Portugal, with the mission “Nurturing Futures, Regenerating Legacies”.

Our main three pillars of intervention are:
• Educate: caring, through quality education, ensuring that all children have equitable opportunities to grow, learn and flourish;
• Nurture: caring, through healthy nutrition and food security, enabling all individuals to adopt healthy lifestyles and experience well-being;
• Regenerate: caring, through the regeneration of soils and biodiversity, so that the planet and communities have a better future.

The Foundation has a team experienced in community engagement, project management, communication, public policy and impact assessment, complemented by a network of consultants and by its governing bodies: Board of Directors, Executive Board, Board of Trustees and Financial Auditor, who, together bring technical, scientific and strategic expertise and enable the Foundation to strengthen its capacity for intervention.

Contact – Quaiela Costa. Website. LinkedIn. Facebook. Instagram. YouTube.

INFRATERRA: Danser le sol vivant

Location of activities and scope

Château de Kerminy, 29150 Rosporden, Brittany, France

Executive Summary

INFRATERRA – Danser le sol vivant is a participatory art–science project exploring living soil through dance, ecosomatics, and sound art in dialogue with soil ecology.

Developed by n-Kerminy and Compagnie Héliotropion in collaboration with researcher Tony Robinet (MNHN/CNRS), the project combines scientific observation (macrofauna analysis, soil structure tests, microbial sequencing) with low-tech sonification devices and choreographic scores.

During the development phase in Brittany (France), residents, schoolchildren, farmers, and associations participate in workshops that transform soil dynamics into sound and movement. This collective process culminates in a 45-minute choreographic and sound-based participatory performance presented at the SOILSCAPE Festival.

INFRATERRA produces an open-access replicability kit (scores, educational sheets, technical plans), video documentation, and mediation tools to ensure dissemination beyond the festival. By making soil audible, visible, and embodied, the project strengthens soil literacy, fosters behavioral change, and contributes to the European Mission “A Soil Deal for Europe.”

Motivation Statement

Soil is both memory and future. It carries the imprint of agricultural gestures, landscapes, crops, and human imagination accumulated over generations. Yet it remains largely invisible, misunderstood, and degraded.

INFRATERRA is motivated by the urgent need to reconnect citizens with living soil — not only through information, but through embodied experience. By listening to the ground, observing its biodiversity, and translating scientific data into sound and movement, the project transforms soil into a perceptible and relational presence.

Through participatory artistic creation rooted in local agroecological practices, INFRATERRA aims to cultivate wonder, responsibility, and collective care for the living earth.

Sub-project objectives

1. Raise awareness about living soils through sensory experience
Engage local residents, farmers, and schoolchildren through participatory dance and sound workshops.
2. Create an artistic performance for the SOILSCAPE Festival
Develop a 45-minute choreographic and sound-based participatory performance.
3. Combine arts and science to make soil “audible”
Develop low-tech sonification devices and integrate simplified scientific observation protocols (macrofauna, soil structure, humus, microbial analysis).
4. Build long-term local engagement
Establish a community of “soil ambassadors” including residents, teachers, and farmers.
5. Ensure replicability and dissemination
Produce an open-access kit (scores, technical drawings, educational sheets), video documentation, and media dissemination tools.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

1. Translating complex scientific knowledge into accessible experiences
Addressed through collaboration with researcher Tony Robinet (MNHN/CNRS), simplified observation protocols, and validated educational materials.
2. Engaging audiences with little prior concern for soil issues
Addressed through multisensory approaches (dance, sound, touch), low-tech devices, short workshop formats, and storytelling rooted in local practices.
3. Accessibility and inclusion
Free participation, partnerships with social centres, multilingual materials (FR/EN), pictograms, barrier-free pathways, mobile seating, and adapted formats (20/30/45 min).
4. Ensuring scientific credibility
All educational materials reviewed by scientific partners (MNHN and AFES). Transparent sourcing and documentation included in the open-access kit.
5. Ensuring long-term impact
Creation of reusable tools, documentation (video, podcast), and dissemination through networks such as Makery and scientific partners.

Expected outcomes

Quantitative outcumes:

– ≥ 400 local participants during development phase (including 150 schoolchildren)
-≥ 1,500 audience members at the SOILSCAPE Festival performance
-3 functional low-tech sonification prototypes
-6 participatory workshops
-1 open-access digital kit
-1 video
-2 documented reuses of the methodology within 12 months
Qualitative outcomes:
-Increased soil literacy
-Strengthened cooperation between artists, scientists, farmers, and residents
-Shift in perception of soil (from inert medium to living ecosystem)
-Adoption of simple soil-care practices (mulching, composting, limiting compaction, maintaining hedgerows)

Responsible organisation and contacts

-n-Kerminy – n-Kerminy is an artistic research platform initiated by Marina Pirot (dance, performance and ecosomatic practices) and Dominique Leroy (sound art). Their collaborative work explores relationships between artistic creation and living environments through sound, movement, and sensory experience. Their research is developed from the site of the Château de Kerminy in Rosporden (Brittany), which functions as a living laboratory for art, ecology, and agriculture. From this rural site, n-Kerminy develops artistic residencies, participatory projects, and collaborations with scientists, farmers, and communities. By combining cultural production, ecological awareness, and as local as international partnerships, n-Kerminy aims to foster collective learning environments and to explore how art can contribute to the ecological and aesthetic transition, and to the care of living ecosystems.Contact – Marina Pirot; Artist-researcher & Project Coordinator; Email: marina@marinapirot.info; Phone: +33 6 66 65 96 31; Website. Website. 

-Compagnie Héliotropion -Héliotropion is a multidisciplinary company (dance, theatre, music, digital arts). It develops creative and awareness-raising work in France and internationally, with a strong focus on encounters and exchanges — between artistic disciplines as well as between individuals and cultures. In recent years, the company has developed research exploring unconventional performance spaces in order to create new relationships between performers, environments and audiences. Contacts – Clotilde Tiradritti – Choreographer; Email: info@heliotropion.fr; Phone: +33 6 63 89 82 79 & Patrick Matoian – Musician; Email: patrick@matoian.fr; Phone: +33 6 83 30 08 37. Website. Facebook. 

SOLS EN SCÈNES: Documentary Theatre and Citizen Science & Artistic Workshops on Soils

Location of activities and scope

France

Executive Summary

Sols en Scènes is a documentary theatre creation combined with participatory scientific and artistic workshops on soils.

Objective: to increase soil literacy, engage non-specialist audiences, and inspire scientific vocations.

Approach: staged narratives (artist–pedologist dialogue), collective actions, soil observation and description, and fresco painting with local earth. Participants collect soils from their own environment, which become both scientific objects and artistic materials, ensuring concrete and sensitive appropriation.

Expected results: contribution to the SOILSCAPE Festival France, dissemination in agricultural and architecture schools, outreach to general audiences and educational networks, and the long-term production of a replicability kit.

Benefits: shifts in perception, strengthened knowledge, and appropriation of soil preservation practices.

Motivation Statement

Soils are often perceived as abstract entities. Yet, in their diversity and properties, they are essential to life. Through documentary theatre, participatory soil workshops, and artistic fresco creation, Sols en Scènes aims to reconnect audiences with the living dimension of soils: to sense, listen, and understand them. It highlights their plurality (textures, colors, structures) and the gestures that preserve them.
Our approach is locally anchored: soils used in workshops are collected in situ by pupils and participants. First observed and described scientifically, they are then transformed into artistic material for collective frescoes. This simple act—handling and shaping the soil from one’s own territory—fosters both sensitive and lasting appropriation, countering the image of soil as something distant or abstract.

Sub-project objectives

Through documentary theatre, participatory soil workshops, and artistic fresco creation, Sols en Scènes aims to reconnect audiences with the living dimension of soils: to sense, listen, and understand them. It highlights their plurality (textures, colors, structures) and the gestures that preserve them.

increase soil literacy, engage non-specialist audiences, and inspire scientific vocations.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

The documentary theatre text will grow out of encounters with soil specialists, writing workshops and residency periods in the libraries of Chantepie (35) and Cesson-Sévigné (35), the development of an innovative art-and-science project with students from Institut Agro Rennes-Angers (IRIS-E), and a collection of life stories.

Three one-week residencies (in an agricultural high school, a rural family centre, and a school of architecture and landscape) will enable the finalisation of the staging and the development of workshops (soils and fresco workshops), drawing on and incorporating feedback from the target audience.

During residencies, co-construction of pedagogical and evaluation tools with teachers (quizzes, questionnaires, logbooks).

Expected outcomes

Contribution to the SOILSCAPE Festival France, dissemination in agricultural and architecture schools, outreach to general audiences and educational networks, and the long-term production of a replicability kit.

Responsible organisation and contacts

-Cloarec Marie Laure – Artistic Director and General Coordinator, French theatre company “A vue de Nez”, Phone: 33 645747159

-Genevois-Gomendy Véronique – Independent soil surveyor and cartographer, Phone: 33 683704922

– Flore Angèle -Graphic designer, visual artist and muralist., Phone: 33 670211535, Website

Those Who Live On It, a fiction about soil

Location of activities and scope

Montpellier, France

Executive Summary

Our motive is to spark curiosity in those less familiar with soil by guiding them through a gradual process composed of different medias, very accessible at first —image, video capsule— then growing in complexity —fiction and interviews. At the heart of this journey is a short fiction film that weaves together contemplative imagery, dialogue excerpts from expert interviews and sensory storytelling. The fiction builds an emotional bridge with the audience by showing how soil issues affect their everyday life. Expert voices add technical insights, while sensory / contemplative imagery illustrates this knowledge. Visuals, scenarios and interviews are being shaped in close collaboration with scientists and other professions related to soil, some of whom will appear on-screen. By linking knowledge of living systems to everyday experience, we aim to inspire, empower, and point toward practical solutions. This approach reframes soil from an overlooked element to a vital ally worth protecting.

Motivation Statement

Soil is the foundation of life. Part of our planet’s crust, natural or man-made, where we stand, move, live, evolve, and die. Created from the interaction between the mineral and organic worlds, it is an environment in constant flux on which we depend. We use it to produce our food or building materials, but it regulates the climate, hosts the richest terrestrial biodiversity, it’s the cornerstone of our ecosystems, including the fertility of the oceans, and rivers flow. Our dependence on soil raises questions around exploitation, legitimacy and sustainability. Unfortunately, it is a limited environment that was, and is, degraded by human activities (agriculture, urbanization, industry). To rethink our relationship with the living world, we need to look at it through rational understanding but also with a sensory approach. Our future is at stake; it depends on our connection to soil. Should it be defined through indifference, disgust, economic interest, tradition, sensation or wonder?

Sub-project objectives

Create a fiction short film. The final film should be accessible and serves as an attractive introduction to soil-science. By telling relatable stories we hope to reveal the strong link between soil and modern issues (both social and environmental).

Challenges and how they will be addressed

Our strongest challenge is to be exhaustive about soil while crafting a cohesive entertaining narrative. For this, we rely on our video bibliography database. This compilation of expert’s interviews, academics papers and educational content will be used as reference for the fiction

Expected outcomes

Facilitate education on soil science.

Spark curiosity about how we interact with our environment, thought technical and sensible lexicon.

Initiate talks and actions for soil conservation.

Show tangible solutions for a shared and durable future.

Responsible organisation and contacts

Oeil de Brume – Audiovisual production specialized in science education and filmmaking. Contact – Thomas Lucas-Chauvelon. Instagram. Facebook. LinkedIn. YouTube. 

SOIL DNA: SOil Information and Literacy through contemporary DaNce and Awareness

Location of activities and scope

Sofia, Bulgaria

Executive Summary

This project merges science and the arts to create an innovative, interdisciplinary performance focused on soil awareness. By blending storytelling, music, video, and contemporary dance, it aims to foster emotional, intellectual, and kinetic engagement with soil’s ecological and cultural importance. The project targets youth (14–29), empowering them as soil ambassadors through creative, embodied learning, while also engaging youth workers to ensure long-term impact. The resulting performance and reusable video tool will directly involve at least 50 participants and reach an audience of over 800. The project promotes environmental responsibility, accessibility, and inclusion. As a festival animation, it invites the wider public to connect with soil issues and supports the EU Soil Mission by encouraging sustainable behavioral change and active citizenship.

Motivation Statement

Soil, though not a direct focus of our work at SDA, is deeply connected to everything we do – urban farming, climate action, biodiversity, food, and cultural heritage. It’s a silent foundation beneath our cities and communities yet often overlooked – a blind spot. We are active in cultural policy, innovation, regeneration, citizen science, and social justice, an Sub-project objectives

• Creating an artistic performance, blending scientific knowledge, storytelling, music, video and contemporary dance.
• Enhancing public awareness of soil significance in its natural and cultural context and encourage activism.
• Creating and disseminating a reusable material.

Sub-project objectives

• Creating an artistic performance, blending scientific knowledge, storytelling, music, video and contemporary dance.
• Enhancing public awareness of soil significance in its natural and cultural context and encourage activism.
• Creating and disseminating a reusable material.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

One key challenge is translating complex soil science into accessible, engaging content for young audiences without oversimplifying. We will address this through close collaboration with soil scientists and professional science communicators, ensuring accuracy while using creative, embodied storytelling to enhance understanding.

Another challenge is sustaining youth engagement beyond a one-time performance. To mitigate this, we will develop a replication material and involve youth workers who can embed soil literacy into long-term educational practice.

Reaching diverse and underrepresented groups may also present barriers. Building on SDA’s and Helios’ inclusion expertise, we will ensure accessibility (sign language, inclusive outreach, physical access) and actively involve marginalized communities.

Finally, coordinating interdisciplinary partners requires strong management; this will be ensured through clear timelines, defined roles, and regular coordination meetings.

Expected outcomes

The project will significantly increase soil literacy and awareness by directly engaging 50 young people in workshops and production, providing them with hands-on learning and creative involvement. A wider audience of 800 will experience a powerful performance that combines scientific facts with artistic expression to highlight the importance of soils, the threats they face, and the urgent need for action. The project will embed soil literacy into public consciousness and inspiring communities to adopt more sustainable behaviours, such as composting, reducing soil degradation, and supporting regenerative agriculture. The project will enhance the visibility of the Soil Mission. Finally, the project will encourage artists to venture into science domains with multi-layered interdisciplinary projects.

Responsible organisation and contacts

-Sofia Development Association – Sofia Development Association (SDA) is a non-profit organisation in public benefit, founded by a decision of the Sofia Municipal Council in 2010. It serves as a resource centre for research, analysis, innovation and experimentation and promotes dialogue and cooperation between civil society, business, academic institutions and Sofia Municipality. SDA contributes to urban policy development, strategic planning, public education and outreach and manages local and European projects in areas such as sustainable development, entrepreneurship, culture, digital transformation and environmental solutions. Contact – Sevdalina Voynova. Website. Facebook. SharingSofia. LinkedIn. Instagram. 

–Helios – Sofia – Helios-Sofia a cultural nonprofit association focused on supporting and developing contemporary dance, choreography, and the arts. It functions primarily as an organiser and facilitator of artistic programmes, including a creative laboratory for young choreographers. The association aims to provide knowledge, enhance artistic skills, and strengthen the cultural sector, particularly for free-lance artists and cultural operators, as part of its broader mission to promote cultural activity, artistic education, and creative exchange locally and internationally. Contact – Albena Nacheva. Facebook. LinkedIn. Instagram. 

SoilMe: Connecting Soil Culture and Community

Location of activities and scope

Sofia, Bulgaria

Executive Summary

SoilMe is a cultural and participatory initiative that connects art, science, and community engagement to raise awareness about soil as a vital resource for life. The project will culminate in a public festival in Sofia featuring an exhibition, workshops, lectures, documentary screenings, and interactive experiences such as a Soil Bar, alongside a national teaser campaign and a crowdsourced digital soil map. By translating scientific knowledge into creative and accessible formats, SoilMe aims to increase soil literacy, engage diverse audiences, and foster collaboration between artists, scientists, and local communities. The project contributes to the objectives of the EU Mission “A Soil Deal for Europe” by encouraging greater public understanding, dialogue, and long-term commitment to soil protection and sustainable practices.

Motivation Statement

Soil is one of the most essential yet least visible resources on our planet. Although it sustains more than 95% of global food production and supports biodiversity, water filtration, and climate regulation, it is often overlooked in everyday life. SoilMe is motivated by the need to reconnect people with soil by transforming it from an invisible environmental issue into a tangible cultural and social experience. Through artistic, participatory, and community-based activities, the project seeks to foster awareness, empathy, and collective responsibility for protecting and restoring soil for future generations.

Sub-project objectives

The SoilMe project aims to raise public awareness of soil as a vital ecological and cultural resource by connecting artistic, scientific, and community-based practices. Through exhibitions, workshops, lectures, screenings and participatory activities, it seeks to increase soil literacy and engage diverse audiences in creative and sensory experiences related to soil. The project also aims to strengthen collaboration between artists, scientists, and local communities while creating transferable knowledge and formats that can be replicated in other contexts.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

One of the main challenges is that soil is often perceived as an abstract or distant topic, which can make it difficult to engage audiences who have little prior interest in environmental issues. This will be addressed through creative, multisensory, and participatory formats such as exhibitions, workshops, and the Soil Bar—that translate scientific knowledge into accessible and engaging experiences.

Another challenge is ensuring effective collaboration between artistic, scientific, and community partners. This will be addressed through structured coordination, specific program formats, regular communication between partners, and the active involvement of soil scientists who will support the development of artistic content and ensure scientific accuracy and long lasting relevance.

Expected outcomes

The project is expected to increase public awareness and understanding of soil as a vital ecological resource by engaging diverse audiences through artistic and participatory formats. It will produce tangible outputs including a public exhibition, workshops, lectures, documentary screenings, a crowdsourced digital soil map, and communication materials. In the long term, the project will strengthen collaboration between artists, scientists, and communities while creating transferable knowledge and tools that can inspire similar initiatives and contribute to broader soil literacy and sustainable practices.

Responsible organisation and contacts

–Studio Komplekt Ltd – Artistic/creative industry. Contact – Adriana Andreeva Dimitrova. Website. Facebook. Instagram. LinkedIn.

– Digital Spaces Living Lab – Living Lab. Contact – Dr. Stavri Nikolov. Website. 

–Forest Research Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences – Research Institute. Contact – Prof. Dr. Miglena Zhiyanski

MESH: Multisensory Experience of Soil Health

Location of activities and scope

Fundação Serralves, Porto, Portugal

Executive Summary

This project proposes an immersive artistic installation that makes visible and tangible the hidden life of soils. The installation will feature transparent soil columns, each representing different conditions (healthy and degraded soils), will invite the public to contemplate the multidimensionality of the soil system, its structure, biodiversity, filtration capacity, and resilience. The installation will engage multiple senses: sight, touch, smell, and sound. Designed as an inclusive encounter space, it will promote talks and workshops involving scientists and specialists, linking the installation to real-world challenges such as sustainable agriculture, water management, forest fires, and climate change. By comparing healthy soils with degraded soils affected by fires or unsustainable land use, the installation highlights both the fragility and resilience of soil ecosystems, encouraging a deeper public appreciation of soil as a vital and often overlooked natural resource.

Motivation Statement

This project grows from a fascination with the hidden life beneath our feet and a desire to bring that world closer to public awareness. Soil is one of the most complex and essential ecosystems on Earth, yet it remains largely invisible in everyday experience.

Our motivation is to explore how artistic approaches and sensory experiences can open new ways of understanding ecological systems. Rather than presenting soil only through scientific explanation, the project invites people to encounter it through curiosity, observation, and listening.

By revealing soil processes through visual, tactile, and auditory elements, the installation encourages visitors to slow down and pay attention to the ground beneath them. This shift in perspective can help transform soil from something taken for granted into something recognised as alive, dynamic, and worthy of care.

At a time when soil degradation is accelerating globally, fostering this awareness is not only educational but also cultural. The project seeks to cultivate a sense of connection, curiosity, and responsibility towards the environments that sustain life.

Sub-project objectives

The project has four main objectives:
1. Reveal soil complexity through artistic means: to make visible and tangible the functions of soil (filtration, biodiversity, resilience) by transforming scientific processes into sensory experiences.
2. Raise soil literacy and awareness: to increase public understanding of soil threats (erosion, fire, contamination, mismanagement) and solutions (resilience, stewardship, biodiversity).
3. Foster dialogue and community engagement: to create a participatory platform where scientists, farmers, foresters, artists, and citizens can share perspectives on soil stewardship.
4. Promote behavioral change through emotional connection: to encourage shifts in perception, inspiring visitors to value soils as living systems and act as guardians of soil health.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

One of the main challenges addressed by the project is the invisibility of soil processes. Because soil life occurs largely underground and beyond everyday perception, it is often undervalued in public discourse and decision-making.

The project tackles this challenge by translating scientific knowledge into tangible and multisensory experiences. Transparent soil columns, water infiltration demonstrations, and sound-based interpretations of soil processes allow visitors to observe and sense what usually remains hidden.

Another challenge is the gap between scientific knowledge and public engagement. By working collaboratively with scientists, farmers, and forestry experts, the project creates accessible narratives and participatory activities that connect soil processes to everyday issues such as food production, water cycles, wildfire impacts, and land management.

Expected outcomes

Tangible Outputs:
○ Immersive installation: transparent soil columns showing healthy and degraded soil.
○ Multisensory experience: sight, touch, smell, and sound of soil processes.
○ Public engagement: talks, guided visit, live demonstrations.
○ Legacy & outreach: audiovisual archive and website to extend impact.
Intangible Outcomes:
○ Increased curiosity, literacy and empathy towards soil, moving soil from “invisible” to “visible” in public perception.
○ Strengthened connections between communities and their landscapes, especially in fire-affected areas.
○ Expanded dialogue between art and science, bridging emotional and rational ways of understanding soils.
○ Lasting memory of a multisensory encounter, fostering a sense of care and responsibility for soil.

Responsible organisation and contacts

-Madalena Vidigal – Architect and Researcer. Website. Instagram. 

-Joana Albuquerque – Visual Artist and Architect. Instagram.

-Luís Cunha – Scientist on Soil Ecology, Earthworms, Genomics. Website.

GRAIN | the flight of the seeds

Location of activities and scope

Porto, Portugal

Executive Summary

GRAIN is inspired by the connection between earth and sky, by the way seeds can travel long distances led by the wind or birds and by the notion that the animal, vegetal and mineral worlds share the same elements.

GRAIN is an open air performance that combines musical instruments made from natural elements such as earth, rocks and trees with aerial contemporary circus, motion sensors and computer musical processing, turning the performers’ and the audience’s bodies into musical instruments. It uses a universal and interactive language, engaging people from various ages, cultures and geographies.

GRAIN will be created in collaboration with biologists Ruben Heleno and Bernardo Sá Nogueira, and the art mediator Sara Franqueira. With them we will promote a talk about seed dispersal, soil preservation as well as the release of an educational booklet about SOILSCAPE’s themes and GRAIN’s process, connecting science and art.

Motivation Statement

Soil means seed, birth, growth, death, food, plants, breath, skin, water, planet, home.

“There is no opposition between the living and the non-living. Every living being is not only in continuity with the non-living, but it is its extension, its metamorphosis, its most extreme expression. Life is always the reincarnation of the non-living, the bricolage of the mineral, the carnival of the planet’s telluric substance” in Metamorphoses, by Emanuele Coccia.

Sub-project objectives

Creating a beautiful poetic and performative piece inspired by the themes of SOILSCAPE, engaging people of all ages and cultural backgrounds. Documenting the creative process and the outcomes of the collaboration with biologists in a booklet, and sharing these ideas with the audience of the BioBlitz Festival. Organizing a talk with the biologists and the creative team to communicate the importance of soil preservation, the core ideas and themes of GRAIN, and the development process behind the project.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

GRAIN uses music, sound exploration, new circus and theatre in a poetic universal language engaging children and adults, people from different cultures and places. As in our previous projects, the challenge is always to work and communicate on different levels of depth, to be able to maintain interest and connection with audiences of all ages and backgrounds. The educational booklet is also aimed at different kinds of public, as it will be designed like the performance with varying levels of depth and complexity. In this way we hope to extend the whole experience to schools and homes, promoting an intergenerational dialogue about these themes. We hope to attract a wide audience to the talk, using the attention the performance will surely gather at the BioBlitz, thus promoting soil literacy not only with the public already interested in these themes but also people who are not yet informed. The educational booklet will surely catch everyone’s attention, children included. We believe a change in the way we relate with nature has to happen from an early age and as we’ve seen in climate emergency activism it’s often young people who alert and inform the adults into subjects related to ecology and environmentalism.

Expected outcomes

GRAIN combines science and art through collaborative research, resulting in an open-air performance, a public talk, and the publication of an educational booklet addressing the themes of SOILSCAPE, as well as the inspirations and creative methodology behind our process. In doing so, the project aims to contribute to improving soil literacy in society.

By promoting discussions at home and in schools about the Soil Mission priorities, we believe the project can help influence changes in people’s habits and soil awareness, ultimately contributing to the reduction of desertification, the prevention of soil pollution, and the enhancement of sustainable environmental practices.

Responsible organisation and contacts

Fernando Mota / Instrumentária Poética – Fernando Mota is a multifaceted artist, creates experimental musical instruments and sound objects from trees, rocks, water and other natural elements. Through listening, silence and shock, he questions the rhythm of everyday life and the expressive and symbolic possibilities of nature. Director, composer, sound artist and performer, he combines music, theatre, visual arts and poetry to create shows, installations and other artistic objects. Has worked in theatre productions for more than 30 years in different countries and continents. His work transcends geographic, cultural and linguistic boundaries. Collaborates with national and international theater, dance and film companies and promotes works with different groups and communities.

Contact – Alexandra Libânio; producao.fernando.mota@gmail.com; +351933210285; Website. Linktr. Instagram. Facebook.

The Great Succession

Location of activities and scope

Cabeceiras de Basto and Porto, Portugal

Executive Summary

The project will engage 150 young people (5-18 yo) from rural inland in the making of The Great Succession: a performance piece focused on the ecological succession of terrestrial biomes and their soils. A youth orchestra leads a parade of instruments and other objects made from soil-based materials. It takes place on the last day of the Soil Festival in Serralves 2027, where 40k visitors are expected over a week. We take the festival’s target audiences as our own: families who take an interest in nature and would like to learn more about soil. Through continuous daily workshops, festival visitors can increase their soil literacy and become involved in the final performance with their own creative outputs. Beyond the performance itself, there will be an aftermovie, an official recording, and a publication with essays, the score and drawing exercises for future replications.

Motivation Statement

Soil is the basis of most advanced forms of life on earth. We humans are just but one amongst all of them. So it’s not as though it is just there, waiting for us. Soil itself contains much life in it already. It is indeed made by it. So more than the foundation for greater worlds above, soil is both the beginning and the end of most life. But, yes, as the basis of our own lives, for human societies, it also represents the possibility of resilience, sovereignty and abundance. Having enough healthy soil to grow on is the preliminary step for freedom, health and belonging. Perhaps the beauty of all of this, a message of hope, is that soil grows and regenerates, and it sometimes does so faster than most people would dare to believe! That is ecological succession in a nut-shell; the reason why nothing really is lost in the face of degradation. Nature will find a way and, for us, soil and the myriad facets and episodes of the microscopic life-forms it is made of, secures its uncontested role as the main character. A collective one nonetheless.

Sub-project objectives

To capacitate our own team of youth art facilitators in the basics of soil science in order to enable them to pass on this knowledge to any engaged students in the context of artistic practice.

To involve students from 5 to 18 years old, already engaged in regular artistic practices, in activities dedicated to the ecology of soil life, in order to increase their soil literacy and awareness.

To engage audience members at the Soil Festival at Serralves (Porto, Portugal) in 2027 in daily workshops focused on soil literacy and awareness.

To perform “The Great Succession” with around 150 arts and music at Soil Festival in Serralves 2027; with room for participating audiences who, through participating in the week’s workshops, decided to join the final event, too.

To produce a promotional aftermovie, presenting the piece (with footage and recordings from the festival’s final performance as well as rehearsals) in order to open up interest from different audiences on the piece itself and the theme as well.

To produce an official recording of “The Great Succession” and to publish an album both digital and physical with it.

To produce a final publication containing: the score for “The Great Succession”, which will be edited as so to be inclusive of musicians anywhere with different skills and backgrounds; a written piece based on a set of instructions which leads the reader through a discovery of soil live through guided drawing; and an accompanying text on the ecological succession of biomes and their soils, which intersects both the music and the drawing parts, doubling as commentary and instructions.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

Distance (both physical and cultural) between western civilized people of post-industrial contexts and living soil. We are closing the gap, by making young people and families experience it, as they learn and make music and visual art about it.

Expected outcomes

Anyone involved in The Great Succession should become aware that soils are alive and must be protected and regenerated, by taking conscious and concrete (and quite often simple) action on it.

Responsible organisation and contacts

–LANDRA TEQUE – Art and Science Collective. Contact – Sara Rodrigues and Rodrigo Camacho. Website. Instagram. 

– Agroforestry site – Youth Arts Association. Contact – Vitor Rezende

Love for Soil

Location of activities and scope

Finland

Executive Summary

The co-operative Ehta Raha from Humus Campaign, the TOTEM children’s theatre, and the Loiskis children’s music orchestra are collaborating with the aim of introducing worm composting to grades 1-3 in primary school. The Humus Campaign has produced worm composting instructions. TOTEM theatre and Loiskis will create soil related artistic materials. The result is a Worm Box, which includes composting instructions as well as participatory music and theater workshops and artistic exercises.
TOTEM’s community educator, Loiskis’ musicians and coordinator will pilot the Worm Box by touring 20-25 rural schools on the eastern border of Finland. The schools commit to a 4-6 month worm composting trial with 7-9 year old children. Materials will be developed based on the pilot. The finished Worm Box will be distributed to primary school teachers online.
Children will gain experience in composting and concrete climate work. Art inspires soil literacy and civic skills while increasing humus in the soil.

Motivation Statement

Soil hosts a quarter of the biodiversity of the Earth. It plays a key role in the biogeochemical cycle. Today we are aware of ecosystem services delivered by soil (food, carbon sequestration, provision of construction materials, flood regulation, nutrient cycling) as well as the erosion of the arable layer of the soil all over the world.

It can take 1000 years to produce 2 cm of soil and so our soil can be considered as a non-renewable natural resource which should be protected.

Soil awareness includes knowledge of the soils themselves, those who live in it, and how to care for it. Awareness is important as we do not see microbes and other beings living in the soil – they have no voice. Increasing our awareness can help us see and be awed by the beauty of life underground. A deeper connection to nature can give us strength to act.

Sub-project objectives

Develop participatory art workshops as tools to spread worm composting to elementary schools all over Finland.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

In workshops, it is important to take sensory-sensitive children into account and allow everyone to participate in their own way. Getting their hands dirty may be uncomfortable for some children, and this must be taken into consideration. It is important to ensure that the workshops do not feel childish to 9-year-olds.

The busy schedule of teaching staff is taken into account in the production of the material. Artistic and informational materials are readily available and easy to use. Worm composting can be started as a project of 4-6 months with enough time to get to know the worms well.

Expected outcomes

Worm Box (worm composting instructions and soil related participatory music and theatre workshops and artistic exercises) for teachers in elementary schools.

Responsible organisation and contacts

-Osuuskunta Ehta Raha -co-operative. Contact – Marika Lohi, marika.lohi@ehtaraha.fi. Website. Instagram. Facebook. 

-TOTEM-teatterin kannatusyhdistys ry – association. Contact – Päivi Rissanen, info@totemteatteri.com. Website. Facebook. Instagram. 

–Loiskis ry – association. Contact – Oskar Tunderberg, orkesteri@loiskis.fi. Facebook. Instagram. 

Soil is Art

Location of activities and scope

Helsinki, Finland

Executive Summary

The Soil is Art (SIA) project fosters a deeper connection between people and the soil. As the Artistic Ambassador for the Soil Orchestra in Finland, I will publish a book, fascilitate workshops, present a lecture performance, and create an art installation.

An integrated approach combines scientific information with artistic exploration, using scientific understanding and creative engagement to foster care and awareness about soil health among the general adult public. Through these activities, SIA will shift the public’s understanding of soil to knowing that it is a living natural resource essential for planetary and human health.

Motivation Statement

Seeds in dormancy

Microorganisms

Sticking to skin

Decomposition

Looooong time

Carbon sinks

Chemistry

Peatlands

Unknown

Darkness

Speckles

Compost

Farming

Source

Breath

Brown

Depth

Scent

Roots

Food

Wet

Hue

Life

Sub-project objectives

MAIN OBJECTIVE: Improve soil literacy in society.

KEY OBJECTIVES: Use art, culture and science to increase the understanding around soil, which in turn will increase the level of care towards soil, and thus also sustainable practices and climate action. Deepen the relationship of 1,000 people to the soil.

PERSONAL OBJECTIVE: Learn a lot about soil, make art inspired by soil that in turn inspires others and facilitate soil-related dialogues, question making and art making.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

There are three main challenges in this project, and certainly more along the way. The first challenge is that the world of soil is incredibly vast and complex. I will do my best to be methodical and break things down into smaller pieces. Secondly, there is a language barrier, and for example when speaking, the language can be only one language. As much of the material as possible will be bilingual. Lastly, the challenge of reaching a busy audience requires a targeted approach and active networking.

Expected outcomes

● Publish and distribute a small book
● Facilitate four workshops
● Exhibit an art installation at the Soil Festival
● Present a lecture performance at the Soil Festival

Alongside these tangible components are non-tangible outcomes such as:
● A heightened sense of enabled responsibility and care for soil health.
● Many personal experiences of people observing, feeling, knowing, talking and thinking about soil.
● The potential for this project to continue, repeat, be reused and intermingle with other soil projects.
● A lasting source of artistic inspiration.

Responsible organisation and contacts

Ellenor Rose Nish – Artist. Contact – Ellenor Rose Nish, elle@studiomokii.com, +358453188422. Website. Instagram. 

Urban Soil Literacies

Location of activities and scope

Finland

Executive Summary

“Urban Soil Literacies” explores soil literacy with a multi-species perspective in an urban context through discussions with soil experts, development of soil experiments and participatory workshops with citizens. The work leads to mixed media artworks exhibited at three exhibitions, soil presentations, and a playful guidebook for soil experiments at home.

Motivation Statement

Soil is life. May life nourish, may soil flourish.

Sub-project objectives

“Urban Soil Literacies” explores how soil literacies could be practiced in an urban context with a multi-species perspective. The aim of the project is to recreate “Soil-Soul-Society” connections where being touched by soil also leads to taking societal action for soil. Soil literacies are researched through literature and discussion with soil experts from different disciplines. A collection of soil experiments is developed through artistic and scientific work, and practiced in workshops with urban citizens. With the help of human and more-than-human participants, a series of mixed media artworks are created and exhibited at three exhibitions in Helsinki, Lahti and Kemiönsaari, accompanied by soil presentations. In the end, a playful guidebook is created for soil experiments at home from the experiments of the project.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

One challenge is to keep the scope of the project small enough. Therefore, we will work with one urban location only to properly explore place-based soil literacy and connection in depth. Another challenge is the short availability of exposed soil in Finland, as there may be snow cover from October to April, which means we will be most intensively working during the summer season 2026.

Expected outcomes

The outcomes of the project are:

– Video interview with soil experts

– Three workshops with urban citizens

– Three exhibitions of art works at SOILSCAPE festival, Kulturhus KUBU and Aalto University

– Press release of exhibitions

– Three soil presentations

– Playful guidebook for soil experiments at home

– Supporting the Finnish soil-art-science ecosystem

Responsible organisation and contacts

Cooperative Vinde – Cooperative Vinde is a community of creative professionals founded in 2012. The cooperative financially manages Kulturhus Kubu, a cultural house on Kemiönsaari island in south-west Finland. “Urban Soil Literacies” project is run by a member of the cooperative, artist and producer Ronja Tammenpää with soil scientist Sadia Suchi. Contact – Ronja Tammenpää, ronja.tammenpaa@gmail.com, +358 44 317 0026. Website. Instagram. 

Soil Guardians

Location of activities and scope

Bologna, Italy, Educational Video Game

Executive Summary

Objective & Approach: The project is a cooperative educational experience built in Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN), specifically targeted at children ages 6 to 12.
Gameplay Dynamics: Set in a stylized version of Bologna, players manage extreme weather events by making environmental decisions—like adding rain gardens or shade trees—that visibly shift the environment’s “Vital Signs” meters.
Delivery Formats: It is designed to run as short 10-12 minute missions for festivals, and as a 45-60 minute classroom block accompanied by a teacher playbook and worksheets.

Motivation Statement

“Soil Guardians: Bologna Quest” transforms these often unseen functions into tangible, shared decisions that children can see and discuss.

Expected outcomes

Educational game in Fortnite

Responsible organisation and contacts

Imagination of Things – Creative Studio. Contact – Vitor Freire. Website. Instagram. 

ROOTS: Raising Our Offspring Through Soil

Location of activities and scope

Italy, Performance

Executive Summary

The project proposes a shared residency between artists, scientists, and educators leading to the creation of an artistic performance for the Italian Soil Festival in Bologna (2027). Its main objective is to celebrate the ecological, cultural, and scientific significance of soil, translating
complex knowledge into accessible, engaging, and family-friendly experiences. The primary target group is children (6–14 years old) and their families, empowered as soil ambassadors through participatory workshops. The approach combines artistic creation, scientific dissemination, and school-based activities, ensuring inclusivity and interdisciplinary collaboration. Expected outcomes include a co-created performance, playbill, video documentation, and educational workshops, contributing to soil literacy, cultural awareness,and long-term community engagement.

Motivation Statement

Soil is much more than the ground beneath our feet: it is a living foundation that sustains life, culture, and memory. It feeds us by nurturing 95% of our food, shelters biodiversity, and stores more carbon than forests and the atmosphere combined. Yet it also holds stories, rituals, and the traces of generations before us. For us, soil is both ecological and cultural heritage: it is the invisible common good that connects science with daily life, and tradition with the future. To care for soil is to care for ourselves, for our communities, and for the generations to come.

Sub-project objectives

The project is designed with a dual ambition: to create an artistic performance that celebrates the ecological and cultural significance of soil, and to foster a long-lasting process of education, participation, and community awareness. By combining art, science, and education, the initiative aims not only to raise knowledge but also to transform the way people – especially children and families -perceive and relate to soil.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

The challenge is to create a dynamic, cross-sector system through temporary communities that convey the project’s message. An ecosystem that brings together the worlds of education, art, and science, with the aim of going beyond the concept of leaving no environmental footprint, which is no longer sufficient. Instead, it is necessary to leave strong and positive marks that can drive a rapid change.

Expected outcomes

The outcomes extend beyond a single performance:
• A co-created artistic show at the Italian Soil Festival, reflecting cycles of life, interdependence, and cultural memory of soil.
• Empowered children and youth as protagonists on stage, multiplying awareness in schools and families.
• Increased soil literacy through workshops, exhibitions, and participatory science.
• Stronger community bonds via the involvement of teachers, parents, associations, and volunteers.
• Cultural anchors such as the mural Soil is Life, the traveling exhibition The Hidden World of Soil, and Edu-LARP Missione Medea, continuing beyond the project.
• European dissemination through guidelines and impact reports to inspire similar initiatives.

Responsible organisation and contacts

-Fondazione Tones on The Stones ETS – Cultural institution based in Ossola (Piedmont, Italy) that has been active since 2007. It transforms former quarries and natural landscapes into spaces for artistic creation, cultural innovation, and community engagement. Since 2020, it manages Tones Teatro Natura, the first permanent open-air stone theatre in Europe, dedicated to connecting arts, science, and environment. The Foundation combines performing arts, education, and environmental sustainability. Its programming explores new ways of living in harmony with nature, fostering inclusivity, interdisciplinarity, and social innovation. Contact – Maddalena Calderoni, Marianna Peverini. Website. Facebook. Instagram. 

–Associazione culturale DRAGOLAGO – Founded in 2017, Cultural Association Dragolago is based in the Lake Orta area (Piedmont, Italy). It is dedicated to enhancing the region’s natural and cultural heritage through creative, educational, and participatory projects. The association defines itself as a “generator of educational and cultural opportunities” rooted in the principle of biophilia – love for life and nature. Mission Dragolago promotes environmental awareness, cultural heritage, and civic education by engaging children, families, and local communities through artistic and nature-based activities. Its projects combine creativity, experimentation, and reconnection with nature, often in collaboration with schools and local institutions. Contact – Chiara Vendettuoli. Website. Facebook. Instagram. 

SEFE: Soil Explorers: Family Edition

Location of activities and scope

Lecce, Italy, Workshop Lab Tools

Executive Summary

SEFE is an eco-friendly toolkit that helps children (6–12) and parents discover the value of soil through shared learning. It includes 20-page awareness guidebook, 4 hands-on materials (pH strips, biodegradable pots, seeds, soil samples), a reflection journal, and 14 storytelling cards linking soil to culture, food, and biodiversity. The project will engage 30 pilot families, test the toolkit in 2 workshops (online and in-person), and distribute 100 SEFE Toolkits (30 for piloting + 70 for dissemination distributed at the SOILSCAPE Festival, complemented by digital resources). Outcomes include strengthened soil literacy, adoption of sustainable practices, and a replicable model for wider use. Deliverables include SEFE Toolkit, 60 evaluation forms, 1 downloadable toolkit guide, 14 storytelling cards, 1 tutorial video, 4 PR, and a bilingual online blog (IT/EN) for sharing soil stories, with a showcase at the SOILSCAPE Festival 2027 aiming to reach a minimum 2,000 people via all actions.

Motivation Statement

The project is implemented by the Fondazione per la Gestione dell’Orto Botanico Universitario in collaboration with Innostart Srl, an innovative start-up specialized in cultural innovation, sustainability, and participatory design.

For Innostart, soil represents both a challenge and an opportunity: the challenge to confront the pressures of unsustainable consumption, and the opportunity to innovate responsibly by transforming waste into sustainable materials that can return value back to the earth. Soil is a resource, an inspiration, and a teacher in the quest for circular solutions that respect nature.

For the Botanical Garden of Salento, soil is the substrate in which we all grow, a living classroom and archive of biodiversity, a dynamic space where children, families, and citizens can explore hidden ecosystems, discover the balance between plants and microbes, and reflect on the fragile connections that sustain life.

Together, when we hear the word “soil,” we think of roots — natural, cultural, and human. Soil is memory, nourishment, and future potential. It is the common ground where innovation and ecology meet, and where communities are invited to imagine, create, and co-shape a more sustainable future.

Sub-project objectives

SEFE aims to empower families with children aged 6–12 to build soil literacy through playful, visually artistic and participatory learning. The project will engage 30 families through two pilot workshops (one online and one in-person) and distribute to them 30 SEFE Toolkits, each designed to provide at least 8–10 hours of hands-on soil exploration at home.

Families will act as multipliers: children influence parents’ habits, while parents bring new practices into their households and communities.

By starting with 30 well-supported families, SEFE ensures the toolkit is credible, replicable, and ready for scaling in schools, community centers, and across other European contexts after the pilot phase.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

SEFE aims to reach at least 2,000 people in total, including ~100 direct participants from 30 pilot families, ~900 visitors through the SOILSCAPE Festival demonstration, ≥800 unique visitors on the online blog and social media pages of SEFE project, and ≥200 toolkit downloads. In addition to tangible optputs, the project will collect at least 60 evaluation forms with an expected ≥80% completion rate, aiming for 70% of participants to demonstrate improved knowledge of soil functions and 60% of families to report adopting at least one new soil-care practice at home (e.g., composting, soil-friendly planting).

Expected outcomes

Tangible outputs will include: 100 SEFE Toolkits (30 for the pilot families and 70 for dissemination purposes in SOILSCARE Festival), 1 awareness and capacity-building guidebook, 4 hands-on learning materials, a reflection journal, 14 storytelling cards, 1 tutorial video, 4 press release articles, a Facebook and LinkedIn project page, participation in one interview with the SOILSCAPE consortium a bilingual (IT/EN) online blog hub for sharing experiences, and a public showcase at the SOILSCAPE Festival 2027. Non-tangible outcomes will include: stronger intergenerational dialogue, increased environmental responsibility at the household level, and fresh cultural narratives that position soil as a shared ecological and social resource.

Responsible organisation and contacts

Fondazione per la Gestione dell’Orto Botanico Universitario -The Foundation for the Management of the University Botanical Garden manages the 13-hectare Salento Botanical Garden. Its objectives include social, educational, study, research, and education in the environmental field and the protection, conservation, and enhancement of plant biodiversity. It pursues these goals by offering collections of natural environments and plants to convey culture and environmental awareness, encouraging new generations and promoting local biodiversity. It was established with the timely goal of preserving (reconstructed) natural environments, demonstrating and teaching how these environments should appear in the absence of human disturbance. It also preserves important collections of agricultural biodiversity. It houses collections with three specific purposes: 1) conservation and enhancement of agricultural biodiversity; 2) characteristics of local natural environments; and 3) cross-cutting themes, such as a sensory garden.

Contact – Gian Pietro Di Sansebastiano. Website. Facebook. Instagram

SASCHA UND DER ERDGEIST Sasha and the Soil Spirit

Location of activities and scope

Kassel Festival, Germany, Performance

Executive Summary

Our objective is to deliver an interactive multilingual theatre experience where art and soil science meld, and all are able to engage. Our target audiences are the families, students and theatre goers of Kassel and its hinterland. We will animate our part of the Kassel Soil Festival up to 9 times in three days with an experience that includes: 1) mastering participatory elements 2) co-creating a mythic emotional show about soil (linking soil health to profound human needs for spiritual meaning and community/family bonds) 3) learning the soil science with others and pledging together to take action. We expect over 1000 people to share in this experience, increase their soil literacy, and pledge to action at the local, city and state level, sharing their knowledge with 4000 family and friends. This year-long process will complete in 2027 with a filmed, documented and replicable product that can be repeated in classrooms and theatres across Europe, aiming to start in Berlin.

Website of Sasha and the Soil Spirit.

Motivation Statement

Healthy soil to us means healthy life on earth. We have seen the degradation of earth’s soils in the countries we live in. Our understanding of ‘soil’ began with a visceral fear of erosion and soil pollution, then noticing development overwhelming the healthy soils of our childhoods, progressing through seeing the  effect of agricultural practices on soil and water, growing with our better understanding of soil’s potential as a carbon sink, the importance of soil’s microscopic life,  and the factors that affect it.  Independently and together we have worked as citizens for a better environment and fought to educate ourselves, aiming to bring this knowledge to our art work across the decades.  This project presents us with an opportunity to delve deeper, and to engage with promulgating the importance of something we have gradually come to place at the centre of our understanding of a healthy environment.

Sub-project objectives

Our project will focus on goals 2, 4, 5, 6, and 8 of A Soil Deal for Europe. Our project objective is to create one three-part interactive and accurate soil-science-performance experience, integrating eight team members, featuring a minimum of three languages, performed for up to 1000 across three days in June 2027 underpinned by eight KPIs.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

Tech-addicted young people today face more challenges to their connection to nature than any generation before them, as they are the first generation to be raised by tech-addicted parents. They face particular social anxiety, and a dulling of their imaginative powers. The unique challenge is to present a work of art that is unplugged enough to take them to ‘imagination gym’, that forges emotional bonds within the room through participation in a meaningful story, and puts them in a frame of mind to imagine a different approach to soil, and positive actions they could personally take. If families or groups of friends attend our production, this presents us with a unique opportunity to link engagement with soil health to those pre-existing social bonds through group participation in the show. We will ensure that our multi-lingual approach to documents and spoken word will be inclusive for minorities.

Expected outcomes

KPI 1 To produce a script combining an effective story with well-researched soil science facts pertaining to goals 2, 4, 5, 6 and 8 of A Soil Deal for Europe.
KP2 To integrate all the elements of puppet, raw/found object puppetry, music and multi-lingual participatory performance into a production, fitting seamlessly with and highlighting soil science
KP3 A coherent pre-show audience participation plan and
KP4 A science driven post-show action, supported by
KP5 A multilingual press release, playbill, podcast, captured on
KP6 A high-quality two-camera recording of pre-and-post-performance, shaped into video output
KP7 A plan for onward activity beginning in Berlin, elsewhere in German theatres, and in schools across the country, based on a video and teaching package.
This will result in approx 1000 members of the public being aware of the importance of soil to their wellbeing and survival, and passing this knowledge (as well as actions to take) on to 4000 people.

Responsible organisation and contacts

-Compagnie L’instant même France – French Theater company working on multilingual creation and engagement of audiences through linguistic diversity. Contact – Anne Bérélowitch , Artistic director.

-Instant MIX Theater Lab Europe– European partners for this project are artists and organizations from Berlin, Belfast, Paris, and Novi-Sad

Give Soil a Voice – a musical journey under the surface of Lippe (GSV Lippe)

Location of activities and scope

County of Lippe, Germany, Hidden World of Soil Film

Executive Summary

Main Topic/Objective: Soil & Climate Change

Content:

– Viewers are immersed in different soils around the world (rainforest, steppe,

permafrost, desert, farmland in Central Europe).

– A calm, personal narrative voice guides viewers through the changes in the soil in

time-lapse: drying out, erosion, loss of humus, salinization.

– Visuals: Animated soil profiles, drone footage, animated timelines, measurement data in augmented reality style.

– Sound: Amplified original sounds of the soil – inspired by the “orchestra” concept. Setting data and recordings to music in the sense of a musical score of the ground

Target Audience:

– Teenagers and young adults who are interested in environmental issues

– People who are motivated by meaning and values,

– Film and culture lovers

– Generally environmentally and sustainability conscious individuals, such as customers from the climate experience world.

Approach and expected outcome: Bringing to life how soils are changing due to climate change – emotionally & globally. In a documentary-narrative short film (approx. 8–12 minutes). Creating a sustainable, experience-oriented short film that changes the way we view the topic of soil.

Motivation Statement

Soil is essential for life, climate stability and sustainable development. Without healthy soil, life as we know it wouldn’t exist. As a consortium we would like to take the opportunity to give soil a voice and show how it’s connected with life on earth, e. g. food production, water filtration, climate regulation, it’s function as a home to billions of organisms, it’s support of roads, buildings and other infrastructure and more importantly the foundation for plant growth. As climate change is moving forward it is important to display how the different soils of the earth are connected to one another and how they react. How they feel and are connected to our lives and essentially emotionally expressing themselves as well. Caring about our soil is caring about our future.

Sub-project objectives

An 8–12 minute documentary short that brings the global and emotional reality of soil under climate change to life.

• Reframe soil as a living, dynamic foundation of life.

• Make the invisible visible by letting soil “speak” through story, landscape, and sound.

• Amplify diverse community perspectives on how soil shapes culture, identity, and survival.

• Bridge science, art, agriculture, and climate action into one cohesive narrative.

• Combine soil data and immersive soundscapes to create new ways of seeing and hearing the ground beneath us.

A sustainable, experience-driven film designed to change how we think about soil.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

The project addresses distinct yet overlapping audiences, which is overall a challenge but each group with specific challenges.
• Young People: Climate fatigue, short attention spans, and distrust of institutions.
Approach: Authentic, social-media-native storytelling, young voices, and clear, shareable actions.
• Values-Driven Audiences: Sensitivity to inauthentic or overly technical messaging.
Approach: Emotionally rich, transparent storytelling with space for reflection and dialogue.
• Film & Culture Enthusiasts: Skepticism toward heavy-handed activism and high artistic expectations.
Approach: Strong cinematic quality, artistic integrity, and curated screenings with discussion.
• Environmentally Engaged Individuals: Eco-anxiety and demand for depth over surface solutions.
Approach: Nuanced, systems-aware narratives that inspire meaningful, credible action.
Across all groups, the project balances emotion, information, art, and action.

Expected outcomes

Bringing to life how soils are changing due to climate change – emotionally & globally. In a documentary-narrative short film (approx. 8–12 minutes). Creating a sustainable, experience-oriented short film that changes the way we view the topic of soil.

Responsible organisation and contacts

-County of Lippe – Municipal administrative association. Contact – Dorothea Streich, Project coordination. Website. Facebook. Instagram. 

-RealTV group GmbH & Co.KG – SME/Artistic/creative industry. Contact – Matthias Wolk, Creative Director. Website. Instagram. LinkedIn. Facebook. YouTube

The Near and the Elsewhere: Reading the Soil’s Unstable Archive

Location of activities and scope

Germany, Visual Arts Exhibition

Executive Summary

The Near and the Elsewhere: Reading the Soil’s Unstable Archive will be a multimedia installation for the German SOILSCAPE Festival in Kassel, created in collaboration with the renowned sound art duo Merzouga (Eva Pöpplein & Janko Hanushevsky) and accompanied by the GD NRW as scientific advisor. During several immersive visits at the Geological Survey of North Rhine-Westphalia, we engage with their scientific processes —analysis of soil profiles, soil-mapping, and geological interpretation—and transform them in our artistic practice. The immersive installation we plan to create based on the raw material and experiences collected will circle around some large-scale soil profiles from historically charged sites, reimagined as “analogue scans” of subterranean memory. Our concept alludes to Pierre Huyghe’s Untilled (Documenta 13). Different audio tracks will be interwoven into Merzouga’s sound and video compositions combining field recordings, environmental noises, music, and scientific dialogues. The result is a layered installation that merges scientific perspectives with contemporary artistic meanings of soil, making the abstract science of pedology sensorial, emotional, and accessible to wider audiences.

Motivation Statement

For us, soil is not just land, but a dynamic archive. It stores not only geological and biological, but also cultural and social traces. Our artistic work for Soilscape explores the “vertical dimension” of human existence – the often-forgotten profound relationship with the ground beneath our feet. In an era of digital and capitalist horizontality, we aim to make this connection tangible again through artistic and scientific collaboration, asking: What stories does the soil tell if we listen to it?

Sub-project objectives

“The Near and the Elsewhere: Reading the Soil’s Unstable Archive” (NEA) is the title of the immersive installation REICHRICHTER will create for the German Soil Festival in collaboration with the sound artist duo Merzouga.

The idea behind the installation is to transform public perception of soil from a passive, two-dimensional surface into a dynamic, three-dimensional, and culturally rich archive. We aim to bridge the gap between abstract soil science and public consciousness by creating a profound aesthetic and emotional experience that makes the soil’s vitality, vulnerability, and deep timescale tangibly accessible.

We will create a novel way for art-science collaboration with our scientific advisor, the GD NRW, who will accompany the entire creative process and ensure that our methods and creations correctly represent scientific practice and the current state of scientific knowledge.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

In our everyday lives, soil is often reduced to a mere horizontal surface – paved over, built upon, and invisible. This alienation from the vertical dimension is a symptom of modernity. While the dynamics of the Earth have always been normal, humanity now expects a certain firmness of a landscape. This separation from the soil (through asphalt, sealing, and digital presence) leads to an unconscious uprooting. Soil awareness is critical because sustainable management of this finite resource requires a new, profound understanding of its dynamics and cultural significance. It is crucial to overcome this alienation and secure public welfare (Daseinsvorsorge), as policymakers need planning security regarding soil. Our project addresses this by making the soil tangible as a dynamic system and an irreplaceable cultural archive.

Expected outcomes

NEA will synthesize fieldwork and cultural inquiry into an immersive multimedia installation built of large-scale, artistic soil varnish profiles and a multi-channel sound composition.

The sensory experience is inspired by the idea that soil is a “humic reservoir of culture” – an archive that preserves (pre-) historical, social, and artistic traces – and at the same time a site of constant transformation.

These days, soil is reduced to a mere horizontal surface, paved over, built upon and invisible. Humans are alienated from the dynamic change processes of the Earth, instead expecting only firm and stable ground.

The artistic methodology will set probes into this ground, physical and intellectual, and move transgressively from the soil into the digital sphere and back into the concrete when the artwork materializes. Soil will again become tangible as a dynamic system and irreplaceable basis for human life. Beyond a mere flat landscape, a vertical perspective opens up to connect to the fragile, living materiality of the soil.

Responsible organisation and contacts

–REICHRICHTER – As the artistic directors, REICHRICHTER provides the overarching conceptual frame for the installation, notably their ongoing investigation into the “vertical dimension“ of human existence.For their practice, they created a unique script for artistic research. The results are an important part of the raw material from which their complex, multi-component installations emerge. Since herhis debut in 2012, heshe is engaged in an artistic debate about these basic conditions of our lives considering “wohnen︎” (German for ︎living, home︎ shelter, habits︎) as an active force in shaping this relation. Contact – hallo@reichrichter.de. Website.

-Merzouga– Merzouga, the award-winning duo of sound-artists Eva Pöpplein and Janko Hanushevsky, will contribute their expertise in sound-composition and field recordings-related artistic work to create the sonic dimension for the installation. Their profound professional background in audio-engineering and contemporary electro-acoustic sound-composition, combined with a proven track record of creating immersive auditory experiences for institutions like Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Alte Pinakothek München, and Humboldt Forum Berlin is central to building the installation’s emotional and atmospheric depth. Contact – mail@merzougamusic.com Website.

-Geological Survey of North Rhine-Westphalia (GD NRW, scientific advisory) – The GD NRW is the state institution for geosciences. Our activities cover a wide range of geoscientific topics. We explore the earth’s subsurface and soils, collect geodata and make them freely available through online services and web portals. We assess geohazards, monitor earthquake activity and operate the statewide earthquake alarm system. Our data on the deep geological subsurface form the basis for promoting climate-friendly geothermal energy and addressing the challenges of the post-mining era. We explore our natural resources and monitor their extraction to ensure a sustainable and reliable supply. North Rhine-Westphalia is rich in groundwater, healing springs, and mineral waters. Exploration and protection of this precious water depend on our expertise and data. We provide advice and geodata for the construction of buildings, roads, bridges, dams, tunnels, railways, and landfill sites. We work to protect and improve access to outstanding geoscience sites such as caves, rocks, and unique landscapes. Agriculture and forestry rely on our soil maps, as does climate-responsive land management. Geodata are essential – for a safe and thriving North Rhine-Westphalia! Contact – Dr. Bettina Dölling, Tel.: 02151 897-598; E-Mail: oeffentlichkeitsarbeit@gd.nrw.de. Website. Facebook. Instagram. LinkedIn. 

Warsaw Soilcentrism: Urban Soil Encounters

Location of activities and scope

Warsaw, Poland, Workshop

Executive Summary

The project envisions a series of free, open interdisciplinary workshops held at the Cooperative Farm MOST in Warsaw. We will invite artists, gardeners, biologists, soil scientists, musicians, storytellers, body-workers, and non-human inhabitants of the soil to co-create the experience. The workshops will be participatory and inclusive, aimed at a broad audience and open to individual exploration and sensory engagement with the soil. We will employ storytelling, podcasts, scientific experiments, ceramics, somatic movement, and singing, interweaving artistic activities with knowledge about soil, organic matter cycles, regenerative farming, composting, and more. The culminating event will be a communal feast featuring the farm’s harvest, accompanied by a presentation of the workshop outcomes. An additional result will be an educational publication titled “Soil Education Handbook.” This project aims to enhance ecological knowledge and sensitivity, foster an emotional bond with the soil, raise awareness of its crucial role in life and climate, and encourage individual action to protect soil life.

Motivation Statement

Soil is a vibrant microcosm, the living fabric of the Earth, a world both intimate and concealed beneath our feet. Its well-being underpins life on our Planet and ourselves. Understanding soil’s structure and life cycles grounds us with rootedness and belonging. Formed over millennia from decomposed organic matter, soil remains a complex, biodiverse ecosystem vital for nourishing plants and sustaining harvests. Yet, soils worldwide face degradation from urbanization and unsustainable practices.

At MOST farm in Warsaw on 3.6 hectares of former allotments, we embody a retrofuturistic vision redefining urban life by integrating soil and food cultivation into the city fabric. Operating as a cooperative and living lab, we explore soil’s role as a living system, innovating agroecological and circular economy practices. This place fuels our growing commitment to soil health, sustainability, and urban resilience, a true partnership with nature that inspires lasting change.

Sub-project objectives

The project Warsaw Soilcentrism: Urban Soil Encounters envisions a series of free, open interdisciplinary workshops held at the Cooperative Farm MOST in Warsaw. Through activities such as  storytelling, podcasts, scientific experiments, ceramics, somatic movement and singing, we aim to raise awareness of soil degradation, organic matter cycles, and the dependence of soil quality on organic content, emphasizing emotional engagement to view soil as a vital, dynamic ecosystem essential for ecological balance and human survival.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

In Poland, the topic of soil remains largely overlooked, with agricultural practices that are harmful to the soil leading to infertility, wind and water erosion, loss of the humus layer, and declining biodiversity. Soil degradation leads to biodiversity loss and reduced yields. Consumers, mainly urban residents, often unknowingly contribute to these negative changes through their lifestyle and consumption choices. Moreover, people are cut off from nature; they do not see themselves as part of the ecosystem.

By meeting artists and experts, and through the experience of engaging with the soil during the workshops, we hope to restore this lost connection. Understanding that soil is a living biostructure hosting billions of microorganisms, which maintain fertility, regulate water cycles, and store carbon (CO2), is key to protecting and restoring this precious resource. Direct contact with soil has a positive influence on our well-being and mental health, as does building relationships within the proposed workshop model.

Sensory workshops that utilize touch, sound, and taste break down communication barriers and foster emotional connections to the soil, while practical training supports gardeners in adopting sustainable practices, such as mulching and reducing the use of peat. This approach effectively reaches varied urban groups.

Expected outcomes

● Elevate participant awareness of soil’s biological complexity and its crucial role in sustaining ecosystems.
● Cultivate an emotional and intellectual connection with soil, reinforcing human stewardship as an integral part of soil’s life cycles and planetary health.
● Promote regenerative practices that support soil biodiversity, resilience, and organic matter cycling within urban environments.
● Inspire adoption of sensory, participatory learning to dissolve intellectual barriers and deepen experiential understanding of soil’s dynamic processes.
● Establish an enduring educational venue where knowledge of soil life and cycles converges with artistic and community engagement.
● Foster a holistic sense of environmental responsibility that encompasses soil care, erosion prevention, and the restoration of fertility as shared human obligations.

Responsible organisation and contacts

MOST Cooperative – The MOST Cooperative Farm is an urban farm run by the MOST Cooperative in Warsaw. We operate on the site of former allotment gardens, which have been urban wasteland for the past thirty years. We manage an area of 3.6 hectares, a third of which we have designated as a wildlife zone.

We operate in three areas:
• growing and processing food,
• educational and social activities, and
• incubating innovation.

We practise agroecological farming, organise workshops and actively participate in discussions about the future of cities. We regard urban agriculture as an integral part of a sustainable city. We treat the farm as a legal entity – we refer to it as a ‘natural person’, which, in accordance with our statutes, has its own representative on the Supervisory Board.

We are a diverse collective – academics, gardeners, technologists, parents, designers and educators. We are united by a desire to work towards a fairer future, rooted in a specific place.
Contacts – Julia Krzywicka, Agata Dudek-Wojewoda. Website. Instagram. Facebook. 

Relict Soil / Expedition and Exhibition

Location of activities and scope

Poland, Visual Arts Exhibition

(The subproject will be implemented in Poland, across several regions characterized by diverse geographical and natural conditions. Field activities related to soil collection and artistic-educational workshops are planned in locations such as Roztocze, Silesia, the Tatra Mountains, Pomerania, and Mazovia.)

Executive Summary

“Relict Soil / Expedition and Exhibition” is an interdisciplinary art and education project exploring the relationship between humans and soil as both a natural resource and an artistic medium. The project combines artistic practice, ecological awareness, and community engagement.

Two artists will undertake an expedition across different regions of Poland, including Roztocze, Silesia, the Tatra Mountains, Pomerania, and Mazovia, collecting soil samples that will be transformed into natural pigments used in the creation of artworks. Alongside the fieldwork, artistic and educational workshops will be organized for local communities, allowing participants to learn about soil diversity and create their own artworks using natural materials.

The project will result in a series of original paintings, experimental objects, and comprehensive visual documentation of the process. The final outcome will be an interdisciplinary exhibition presenting the artworks, collected materials, and project documentation, creating a platform for dialogue between art, science, and society while promoting ecological awareness and sustainable artistic practices.

Motivation Statement

The project “Relict Soil / Expedition and Exhibition” is a direct continuation of our long-standing artistic practice, in which the relationship between humans and nature plays a central role. Soil – as a fundamental element of the ecosystem – becomes in this project both a subject of reflection and an artistic medium. By using natural pigments derived from soils collected in different regions of Poland, we aim to reveal their diversity, cultural significance, and their role in shaping the environment and human identity.

Our motivation for implementing this project arises from the need to build greater ecological awareness through artistic activities that combine art, education, and direct engagement with nature. The organization of field expeditions, workshops for local communities, and a final exhibition will create a space for dialogue between artists, scientists, and audiences.

We believe that art can be an effective tool for reflecting on human responsibility toward the environment. The “Relict Soil” project aims not only to create new artworks but also to initiate a shared process of discovering the value of soil as a source of life, memory, and creative inspiration.

Sub-project objectives

The objective of the subproject is to increase public awareness of the importance of soil for the natural environment, culture, and human life by combining artistic, educational, and research activities. The project explores soil both as a creative medium and as a fundamental element of the ecosystem that plays a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity and environmental balance.

An important goal of the project is to develop artistic reflection on the relationship between humans and nature through the use of soil as a primary creative material. During field expeditions in different regions of Poland, artists will collect soil samples with diverse structures, colors, and properties. The collected materials will be used to create natural pigments that will serve as the basis for paintings and artistic objects. The works created within the project will have an experimental and interdisciplinary character, combining painting, installation, and performative as well as process-based artistic practices.

One of the key components of the project will be the creation of a series of several dozen artworks made using soil-based pigments. These will include both large-scale paintings and smaller artistic forms, as well as objects created from materials discovered during the exploration of soil. Some of the works will be subjected to natural processes: selected paintings will be buried in the ground for a specified period of time, allowing nature to directly influence their final appearance and structure. This process will become a form of dialogue between the artist’s actions and the processes occurring in the natural environment.

The project also involves active engagement with local communities through the organization of artistic and educational workshops in the areas where field research is conducted. During the workshops, participants will be able to collect soil samples together with the artists, learn methods of producing natural pigments, and create their own paintings using materials derived from the local environment. These activities will foster a sense of community and support the development of ecological awareness through direct contact with nature and the creative process.

Another important aspect of the project is the documentation of the artistic and expedition process in the form of film and photographic materials, as well as sketches and creative notes. This documentation will become part of the final presentation of the project and an archival record illustrating the creative process and the relationship between art and the natural environment.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

1. Logistics and organization of field expeditions
Challenge: Conducting activities in different regions of Poland may involve organizational difficulties, such as access to locations, weather conditions, or the transportation of materials.
Solution: Detailed planning of the expedition schedule, cooperation with local partners (cultural institutions and community organizations), and maintaining flexibility in planning field activities will help minimize potential difficulties.

2. Diversity of soil quality and properties as an artistic material
Challenge: Soil as a natural material may have varying properties (color, structure, mineral content), which can influence the process of creating pigments and the durability of the artworks.
Solution: The experimental nature of the project involves testing different methods of preparing pigments and documenting their properties. When necessary, natural binders and stabilizing techniques will be used to ensure the durability of the pigments.

3. Engagement of local communities
Challenge: In some locations, it may be difficult to reach potential participants and encourage them to actively engage in the workshops.
Solution: Cooperation with local cultural institutions, schools, and community organizations will help promote the events and reach potential participants. The workshops will be designed as open and accessible activities for different age groups.

4. Influence of natural processes on the artworks
Challenge: Natural factors (moisture, microorganisms, temperature changes) may cause unpredictable transformations in the artworks buried in the soil.
Solution: This process is intentionally incorporated into the concept of the project as a form of dialogue with nature. At the same time, systematic documentation of the changes occurring in the artworks will be carried out, becoming an integral part of the creative process.

5. Documentation and archiving of the creative process
Challenge: The complex creative process, dispersed over time and space, requires coherent and consistent documentation.
Solution: A systematic approach to collecting photographic and video materials, as well as notes from expeditions and workshops, will be implemented. These materials will be archived and used both in the final exhibition and in the promotional activities of the project.

Expected outcomes

The project will result in the creation of a series of original artworks developed using natural pigments derived from soils collected in different regions of Poland. These will include large-scale paintings, smaller artistic forms, and experimental objects created from materials discovered during soil exploration. Together, they will form a coherent artistic collection reflecting the diversity of soils and their cultural and environmental significance.
An important outcome of the project will also be the development and testing of artistic methods for producing and using soil-based pigments. The documented creative process will expand knowledge about the potential of natural materials in contemporary artistic practice and may inspire further projects connecting art, ecology, and environmental research.
The project will also involve local communities through artistic and educational workshops. Participants will gain practical knowledge about natural pigments, soil diversity, and ecological awareness, while creating their own artworks using locally sourced materials.
An additional result will be photographic and video documentation of the artistic process and field expeditions. The project will culminate in an interdisciplinary exhibition presenting the artworks, collected objects, and documentation of the activities, creating a space for dialogue between art, science, and society.
The project is expected to contribute to increasing ecological awareness and promoting environmentally responsible artistic practices developed in collaboration with local communities.

Responsible organisation and contacts

Association of Polish Artists and Designers, Rzeszów District – The Rzeszów District of the Association of Polish Artists and Designers was established two years after World War II, in 1947. It is the largest and longest-standing organisation representing the Podkarpacie community of fine artists and a proven partner of institutions and organisations supporting culture in our region. It brings together artists from Rzeszów and the entire Podkarpacie region. Currently, it brings together over 80 artists, and since 2004, the Rzeszów District of the Association of Polish Artists and Designers has also had legal personality. The Association of Polish Artists and Designers was founded in 1911 in Krakow by artists including Tytus Czyżewski and the Pronaszko brothers. During martial law in 1981, the activities of our ZPAP were suspended, as were those of many other creative associations in Poland. On 14 June 1989, ZPAP was re-registered and its union assets were returned, unfortunately not in their entirety. This over 100-year-old association currently brings together approximately 7,000 visual artists and art conservators, grouped into 22 districts and 2 branches in the largest cities in Poland. It is the oldest artistic association in the world. Contact – Piotr Dawid Woroniec, Sylwester Stabryła. Website. 

Solid Ground. Garden City, Living Soil

Location of activities and scope

Podkowa Leśna, Poland, Stage Performance

Executive Summary

The objective is to raise awareness of soil’s role in sustaining life on Earth and to inspire community action for soil regeneration.

With citizens of Podkowa Leśna and nearby peri-urban areas, we will deliver a process-based, science-informed and permaculture-oriented project, combining performing arts, science, and education.

A theatre performance, preceded by research, interviews and hands-on workshops providing the participants with better understanding of the complexity of soil issues, will be co-createdwith senior actors from a local theatre, young people, ecology, permaculture and soil experts, and artists working with soil. It will engage audiences through clear facts and strong emotional/artistic motifs.

The performance will be presented at the Mazovia SOILSCAPE festival and locally. Outcomes: 2-3 shows with a post-show discussion, a playbill, participation in the podcast, a full-HD recording for reuse, plus 5 short video clips and a simple “what you can do for soil” guide.

Motivation Statement

Soil is life. It supports life. Its unique composition, where organic matter, minerals, gases, water, and organisms work together, enables the growth of plants. However, most of the soil’s life is invisible. In one teaspoon of soil, there are more microorganisms than there are people on the Earth.

Soil is a major component of the Earth’s ecosystem. A habitat. A carbon reservoir. A regulator.

Soil has a strong symbolic notion – it can symbolise life, death, and resurrection. The land of the fathers, a womb and a matrix. It enables growth, provides food, and buries the dead. Soil is vulnerable. It is extremely reactive to human disturbance and climate change. Soil is in danger.

Soil can be built and rebuilt – by organic matter and labour. There is hope, there is a future. Life can be sustained.

Sub-project objectives

The project raises awareness of healthy soil in the garden-city environment through community activities and the creation of a theatre performance inspired by scientific knowledge and local experiences.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

The main challenge is the low public awareness of soil as a living system; the project addresses this by combining expert knowledge, community workshops and artistic work leading to a theatre performance that makes the topic accessible and engaging for a broad audience.

Expected outcomes

The project will result in community workshops, interviews with local residents, an open expert discussion, the creation and presentation of a theatre performance, a short practical guide on what citizens can do to support healthy soil, and a video recording of the performance.

By connecting scientific knowledge, local experiences and artistic practice, the project will help increase public awareness of the importance of healthy soil and encourage a more attentive and responsible relationship with the ground in the garden-city environment.

Responsible organisation and contacts

Centre for Culture and Civic Initiatives (CKiIO) – CKiIO in Podkowa Leśna is a local cultural centre that develops artistic, educational and community projects, supporting cultural life and civic engagement in the garden-city of Podkowa Leśna. Contact – Klara Kopcińska. Website. Facebook. 

SoilChange – Stories of Transformation

Location of activities and scope

Switzerland, Soil-Inspired Film

Executive Summary

SoilChange – Stories of Transformation is a 3-part documentary series showing how Swiss communities, scientists, and farmers are healing damaged soil across three key sectors: city, industry, and agriculture. Through stories of urban desealing (Concrete Breakers), bioremediation of contaminated land (Toxic Legacy), and regenerative farming (Soil Stewards), the films highlight soil’s capacity for renewal. Objectives are to raise soil literacy, shift perceptions of soil as “just dirt,” and inspire concrete actions for soil health. Target audiences include the general public, educators, students, NGOs, and policymakers. The approach combines cinematic storytelling, festival screenings, interactive soil exhibitions, and teacher guides aligned with Lehrplan 21. Expected outcomes are increased awareness, measurable behaviour change, collaborations with research institutions and NGOs, and a replicable communication model supporting the EU Soil Mission.

Motivation Statement

It is late summer in Zurich, and one of my joys is picking ripe tomatoes from my garden and eating them straight from the vine. Watching them grow from a tiny seed in healthy soil is a great source of wonder. A handful of soil contains more living organisms than there are people on Earth, a hidden and vibrant cosmos that has fascinated me for years. When cared for, soil rewards us with abundance and sustains ecosystems, food, and life itself. For more than a decade with the non-profit Acker Schweiz, I have inspired children to value and protect this precious resource. Today, as a multimedia producer, I want to carry this mission to a wider audience through film, inviting people to discover the beauty beneath their feet and to take part in safeguarding it. Healthy soil means a healthy future, and the choices we make now will shape the richness of life tomorrow.

Sub-project objectives

Increase Soil Literacy: Make complex soil science understandable and engaging through storytelling, accessible metaphors, and visual techniques – so that audiences across all backgrounds can discover soil’s essential role in food, water, climate, and biodiversity.

Inspire Action for Soil Health: Move audiences from awareness to concrete action in their communities, gardens, and policies – showing that soil restoration is not only possible, but happening right now in Switzerland.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

Challenge 1 – “Soil as just dirt” perception: Addressed through relatable human stories, accessible metaphors, and everyday contexts such as food, gardens, and city streets.
Challenge 2 – Diverse audiences with varied knowledge levels: Addressed with layered content – accessible storytelling for newcomers, deeper scientific insights for specialists, curriculum-linked materials aligned with the Swiss Lehrplan 21.
Challenge 3 – Scale mismatch between individual action and systemic degradation: Addressed by showing concrete “action spaces” at every scale, from personal garden choices to municipal policy, so every viewer finds a meaningful entry point.

Expected outcomes

Three fully edited mini-documentaries (8–10 min each). Tentative topics include urban desealing, bioremediation, and regenerative. They will be supplemented with a teacher’s guide aligned with Lehrplan 21

Responsible organisation and contacts

Schubkraft Lernmedien GmbH – Schubkraft Lernmedien GmbH is an educational media production company based in Zurich, specialising in documentary film, e-learning, and interactive media on environment, sustainability, and innovation. Founded by Gregor Martius, an environmental scientist turned media producer with over ten years of experience, the company transforms complex scientific topics into compelling visual stories for broad audiences. Contact – Gregor Martius. Website.

Soil Bodies: The Living Tapestry

Location of activities and scope

Switzerland, Visual Arts Exhibition

Executive Summary

Soil Bodies is a transdisciplinary art–science project that positions soil as co-author and fashion as medium. Fashion is art: like painting or performance, it creates form, meaning, and critique. Unlike other arts, it is universal – everyone is dressed. Just as food enters the body, clothing touches the skin, our largest organ; yet its ecological origins remain invisible. Fashion is also highly connected to agriculture: cotton, linen, wool, and silk all depend on soil systems. Through the burial of white textiles in diverse soils, microbial life inscribes itself as stains, holes, and patterns, transforming garments into both evidence and ornament. These altered fabrics become installations, a participatory Soil Tapestry, and a final collection, reframing decomposition as design and making soil visible as cultural form. This project integrates science, art, and citizen participation, directly advancing the mission of A Soil Deal for Europe.

Motivation Statement

Soil is the thin living skin that covers the Earth’s terrestrial surface – the foundation on which our civilization and much of life on this planet depend. It connects the mineral, water, atmospheric, and biological spheres of the Earth into one functioning system. Soil hosts a large share of global biodiversity and provides essential resources such as food, clothing fibers, medicines, and clean drinking water. It is the planet’s largest recycling system, driving the circulation of nutrients and elements that sustain life. Without healthy soils, life as we know it would not be possible.
Yet soils worldwide are increasingly overused, polluted, and sealed under concrete. Every day, fertile soils are degraded or lost through unsustainable land use and urban expansion. The line between sustainable use and exploitation is thin. Raising awareness of soil’s importance is therefore crucial to developing socially just, economically viable, and environmentally sustainable systems. Protecting soil means protecting the ecological foundation of our societies and the future of life on Earth.

Sub-project objectives

Soil Bodies explores the relationship between soil, fashion, and culture. The project aims to make soil processes visible by using textiles as surfaces where microbial life leaves traces through decomposition.
By burying garments made from different fibers – such as cotton, wool, and synthetic materials – participants observe how soils interact with materials that are commonly used in clothing. These transformations become both scientific evidence and artistic material.
The project also positions fashion as a cultural medium for environmental awareness. Through installations, participatory activities, and garment design, soil becomes a co-author of fashion. The project aims to increase soil literacy, engage citizens in observation and reflection, and connect everyday consumer choices – such as clothing – to soil health and ecological systems.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

One of the main challenges is that soil processes are largely invisible, making it difficult for people to understand their importance. Soil Bodies addresses this by translating microbial activity into visible material change through textile decomposition.

Another challenge is connecting scientific knowledge with public engagement. The project bridges this gap by combining citizen science, artistic practice, and educational activities. Participants bury textiles, document soil conditions using a mobile app, and later analyze the decomposed materials during public events.

A further challenge lies in communicating the environmental impact of fashion. By using garments themselves as the medium of investigation, the project links soil health directly to everyday objects people already relate to, making complex ecological issues tangible and relatable

Expected outcomes

Soil Bodies will produce both scientific insights and cultural outputs. The project will generate a participatory archive of decomposed textiles collected through citizen science activities. These materials will form the Soil Tapestry, a large collaborative installation that documents how soils interact with different fibers.

Fragments of the tapestry will later be transformed into garments, demonstrating how soil processes can inspire artistic creation. The project will also produce an exhibition, educational kits for schools, and a publication (Soil Anthology) combining essays, images, and reflections on soil, fashion, and ecology.

Together, these outcomes will increase public awareness of soil health, encourage reflection on clothing consumption, and provide tools that allow the project’s approach to be replicated in other communities and educational contexts.

Responsible organisation and contacts

–Edie Lou Studio – Zurich-based, conceptual fashion brand exploring garments as cultural narratives. Contact – Edie Freisinger. Instagram. Website. 

–Agroscope – Swiss center of excellence for agricultural research. Contact – Franz Bender. LinkedIn. Website. 

Monoculture a Minecraft Modification

Location of activities and scope

Zurich, Educational Video Game

Executive Summary

Monoculture is a Minecraft modification that turns survival into a story of soil. Players begin in a post-industrial wasteland where biodiversity has collapsed and soils are close to exhaustion. Survival depends on learning to observe, test, and read the land before making decisions about farming, building, or restoration. Every choice pushes ecosystems either toward depletion — where erosion and disease take monstrous form — or toward resilience, where mythical creatures return as signs of ecological recovery. The core tension is between industrial speed and restorative patience. Built on Minecraft’s enormous global community, Monoculture brings soil literacy to millions through play.

Motivation Statement

Growing up on a farm and later moving to the city, I was struck by how completely disconnected urban life had become from the land. Conversations with people working in nature kept circling back to the same subject: soil. The more I learned about it — formed over millions of years, hosting invisible ecologies, shaping every ecosystem — the more fascinated I became. My background straddling rural life and digital culture led me to one question: if Minecraft can teach millions how glass is made, why can’t it also teach what soil is, and why it matters?

Sub-project objectives

To engage a wide audience of Minecraft players with soil health by making soil critical to player survival.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

The central challenge is translating complex soil science into engaging, accurate gameplay without oversimplifying or losing scientific integrity. This is addressed through a three-discipline collaboration: a design lead handling concept and mechanics, a Master’s/PhD-level soil scientist who will run three foundational workshops and peer-review all ecological content, and a specialist Minecraft development studio managing the technical backend.

A second challenge is reach and retention — educational games often struggle to hold audiences long-term. Monoculture addresses this by building entirely within Minecraft’s existing ecosystem, inheriting its vast player base, modding culture, and accessibility features rather than competing with them. The consequence-based design — where soil knowledge is earned through play, not taught through instruction — keeps engagement intrinsic rather than forced.

Expected outcomes

A fully playable mod that embeds real soil science into Minecraft survival gameplay, introducing a range of soil classes, biomes, and dynamic vegetation systems that respond meaningfully to player decisions. The deeper goal is a shift in perception: for players to stop seeing soil as “dirt” and start recognising it as a living system central to survival — in the game and in reality. Through the core loop of observing, acting, and seeing consequences unfold, players come away with a genuine understanding of ecological succession, land management, and the fragility of healthy soil. Beyond individual players, Monoculture’s foundation within Minecraft’s modding culture means the project is designed to grow organically — through community creativity, classroom use, and online content — extending its reach and relevance well beyond any single release.

Responsible organisation and contacts

UBEMA GMBH – Design Services. Contact – Lucas Ursprung. Website