Research from the University of Warwick and community sustainability stories from across the region were brought together at Leamington Spa Art Gallery and Museum on Saturday 7 November, for an event exploring how innovation, new ideas and local knowledge can help shape a more sustainable future.
The collaborative event was hosted alongside the gallery and museum's exhibition, 'Sustain: from the past, for the future' - part of the Natural History Museum's Fixing Our Broken Planet programme, and open until the 10 January. It brought Warwick's sustainability research into conversation with local stories, collections and community projects.
From engineering and the arts to history and chemistry, the activities explored the connections between people, the environment and sustainability, drawing on lessons from the past while looking ahead to the future.
Helen Wheatley, Academic Director of the Warwick Institute of Engagement at the University of Warwick, said: "It's important that conversations about sustainability reach beyond universities. Working with local partners brings different perspectives together, connects research with everyday experiences and helps us explore how we can all contribute to a more sustainable future.
"This collaboration showed the breadth of expertise and ideas that have a role to play in forming our future, from scientific research and new technologies to local heritage and community-led projects."
The event explored three central themes of the exhibition: The food we eat, The stuff we use and The energy we use, with Warwick research and activities showcasing how innovation and collaboration were helping to address sustainability challenges.
Visitors got hands-on with research into food production, including work taking place at Warwick's Innovation Campus, innovative materials science, and sustainable energy production and storage. They also explored how technology can bring fresh ideas to traditional repair techniques, while making connections with the gallery and museum's wider collection, including stories of leisure, place and belonging in Leamington Spa.
Alongside stories and work created by young people in Coventry through the Acting on Climate project, three short talks explored retrofitting homes, monitoring river health and tackling invasive species. Together, these activities highlighted how local knowledge, community participation and shared expertise can help shape more sustainable communities.
Lily Crowther, Curator, from Leamington Spa Art Gallery and Museum, said: "We were delighted to work with the University of Warwick to bring this exhibition to life and explore sustainability from different perspectives.
"Bringing together stories from our collections and local heritage with the latest research and ideas gave visitors new ways to think about the challenges we face and how we can all contribute to a more sustainable future."
