Creative and Sustainable Futures: The Impact of the EARTH Scholarships Programme
Published: 22 April 2026
Today, on Earth Day 2026, the Scottish Graduate School for Arts & Humanities (SGSAH) and British Council Scotland proudly mark the ongoing legacy of the EARTH Scholarships Programme with a day‑long Impact Symposium and the launch of its new Impact Portfolio.
Supported by the generosity of British Council Scotland, the EARTH Scholarships programme has brought together thirty-six global Scholars from fifteen countries and thirty-six Scotland‑based Scholars, forming a vibrant interdisciplinary community across 2023–25. Through residencies, collaborations, and shared research, Scholars embedded their diverse practices within Scotland’s cultural, academic, and community landscapes, building lasting international partnerships in the environmental arts and humanities.
The Symposium
The EARTH Impact Symposium convenes Scholars, mentors, and community partners for a rich programme of presentations and roundtable discussions. Structured around three thematic clusters - Place, Time & Action; Making, Method & Multispecies; and Economy, Ethics & Environment - the Symposium explores how creative, critical, and collaborative approaches can reframe responses to the climate emergency.
Scholars are sharing insights from their ongoing participatory research, joined by panel representatives from the communities and organisations with whom they have worked.
Seven scholars are also sharing digital displays on the day which are available to view here:
EARTH Scholars’ presentations 22 April 2026
Each display presents a clear pathway on how a specific aspect of the programme – a method, an idea, an approach, or a collaboration – has directly impacted the respective Scholar’s research.
The Portfolio
Alongside the Symposium, SGSAH is delighted to unveil the Creative and Sustainable Futures: EARTH Scholarships Programme Impact Portfolio, an online publication celebrating the programme’s research, artistic collaborations, and global exchange. The portfolio offers a rich interactive showcase of creative practice, interdisciplinary scholarship, and community‑engaged projects spanning environmental arts, humanities, STEAM innovation, and cultural interventions.
Reflecting on the programme’s significance, Claire de Braekeleer, Director of British Council Scotland, noted:
‘This programme has been a lasting legacy of Glasgow's hosting of COP26, and we are proud that the personal connections made and research work undertaken will have an even longer impact.’
From SGSAH’s perspective, Professor Maria Fusco, Director of SGSAH, emphasises the distinct contribution of the arts and humanities:
‘The arts and humanities are singularly positioned to explore the importance of, and reflection on, the climate emergency through the transformative power of the personal with the cultural. Arts and humanities disciplines are increasingly recognised to bolster compassion, to enrich a well‑informed society of citizens by fostering critical thinking, equitable resourcefulness and fair communication moving towards climate literacy and justice.’
Together, the Symposium and Portfolio highlight the programme’s far‑reaching impact - supporting new international research networks, amplifying creative climate engagement, and nurturing global perspectives on sustainability.
Readers are warmly invited to explore and share the full publication:
First published: 22 April 2026
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