Project : Art & Agriculture

Opening new fields for contemporary art practice and research

>> International Conference and Exhibition <<

The Cultural Documents of the 2001 Foot and Mouth Epidemic // Manchester Town Hall, 14 - 16 March 2006

Documenting the social, health and cultural impact of FMD

The conference and exhibition proposes to bring together and review some of the main scientific, veterinary, media, ruralcommunity, and artistic records produced in connection with the 2001 FMD epidemic, and to use these to attempt to inform a wider public understanding about the health, economic and environmental impact and social consequences of theoutbreak. This includes documentary work produced by leading photographers, film makers, writers and artists inresponse to FMD, commissioned by the Arts Council England. It will also acknowledge the important role played by the health, academic, veterinary, scientific and other professions in documenting the outbreak, and to ensure that theirresearch work, records and findings are more widely accessible.

Learning from FMD; enhancing society’s capacity to respond to future epidemics

It is hoped that the cultural perspective of the conference will help to underline the positive outcomes and lessons to belearned from this event, as well as informing a more constructive public debate about what happened, five years on. Following new public concerns about an Avian Flu epidemic, Bovine TB, SARS, the conference will also provide anopportunity to discuss ways of tackling the possible social, economic and cultural impact of future animal epidemics. Vets,scientists, health officials, and artists will also discuss the role and potential contribution of the cultural sector and related arts documentary work as part of a future national response to a human or animal epidemics, or natural disaster.

Animal welfare and rural health issues; bearing witness - towards community healing

In addition to the animal welfare issues involved, the conference will address some of the related health, social andpsychological problems associated with FMD, in both urban and rural communities. In the latter context, the conferenceproject is also aimed at achieving some kind of an emotional and psychological closure for the rural communities involved, by providing them with the opportunity to have their voices heard and, should they wish to, to recount their individualexperiences in a supportive and sympathetic environment.

The Collective Memory; preserving the community records and sharing knowledge with others

The conference will also look at the possibility of assembling a national archive, museum and/or a public study centrecapable of classifying displaying, and disseminating all the disparate information and public records connected with the 2001 FMD outbreak. This is proposed as a new type of cultural interface or arts initiative, combining scientific, archive,academic research, arts and public information roles, that would also be capable of guiding a more humane, less costlyand more publicly acceptable response to any future animal epidemic.

 

>> Other Conferences <<

NEW FIELDS - Art and agriculture research seminars // Leeds City Art Gallery: 21 - 22 July 2005