Sustainability, Art and Brands?

As the world moves towards sustainability, so does art. The Conscious Culture Festival was held from 4th March to 5th March, at Jio World Drive, Bandra East, Mumbai.It follows the principle of sustainability as a culture in art.

The festival was a platform for people to come together and discuss how individuals can work towards a sustainable future. Through workshops, talks and performances attendees learned about the impact of their actions on the environment and gained insight into how they can reduce their carbon footprint through creative solutions. By attending this festival, attendees became part of a global movement towards conscious culture and sustainability.

The event had many creative aspects such as art, music, food, films and workshops. Madhurima Sengal, a coordinator at the event said, “It was a little hard to organise, but we wanted to engage all the senses of the audience. We involved a lot of aspects that required people to actively engage with the movement instead of just passively viewing it. The people have to feel as though they are a part of the movement towards sustainability.”

Through talks and exhibits, attendees were made aware of the commonly used toxins in commercial products and their alternatives, upcycling techniques, and plant care recommendations and solutions. There were panel discussions on topics such as circular fashion, inclusivity, textile technology, conscious architecture and building materials, food choices, climate change, and the need for a conscious approach towards a sustainable future.

There were many brands involved in the event as well. Some of these were Button Masala, Aradhita, Pause, Summer House, Urvashi Kaur, Studio Mettulergy, Pureearth, Graine, Kiro Beauty, Rias Jaipur, and the Bombay Sauce Brand.

Commenting on the same, Sengal said, “The entire point of this venture is to bring communities together. All the brands who were a part of the event are sustainable and chosen because of how they contribute to the environment. Brands, across many categories that use raw materials and processes having a positive impact on the environment, while also ethically sourcing across the value chain were part of this venture.”

Senegal further stated that we should not just assume that all brands are bad. There is a rise in ecologically sustainable brands for consumers who are interested, and we have to acknowledge their efforts as a community to encourage more such brands to come forward. The festival upheld the standard of only accepting sponsorships from organisations and companies that are aligned with the values of sustainability, with the mission to make ‘local communities stronger’.

With rising awareness about the plastic pollution, greenhouse gases and environmental catastrophe of bigger brands, there is a new market for consumers who wish to consume ethically, without hurting the environment. An increasing number of businesses and corporations are taking proactive steps to eliminate their environmental footprint. The CCF, apart from its primary goal to educate interested citizens in a fun way, also acted as a networking platform for these climate conscious brands and consumers.