The Anthropocene is both a widely acknowledged and a fiercely debated term for a new geological era caused by humankind’s destructive influence on the planet. A growing number of exhibitions and publications study the intersection of the so-called Anthropocene with artistic and cultural practices. These often advocate for modes of transdisciplinary enquiry that rely on different forms of research, in a search for a “new mental equipment” that will allow us to imagine the human/nature partnership differently. There is undoubtedly a growing engagement and activism among makers and thinkers — a motivation to work together as collectives within cooperative projects, laboratory research settings, and the like. What can we learn from these new modes of operation and this transdisciplinary research? How are artists and designers able to act? How do we educate them in the face of the Anthropocene? Which repercussions might these kinds of discussions have, even for art education in secondary-level schools?

With these questions, we explored the role of the art and design fields as active agents contributing to the multidisciplinary discourse on the Anthropocene. Particular focus was given to the notion of transdisciplinary research — because of its cross-pollination of art, design, media, cultural disciplines and science — arising as part of the (critical) discussion about the Anthropocene. We were also interested in discussing on the one hand the Environmental Humanities, and on the other hand how art academies can create, among artists and designers and within their practices, a sense of critical awareness about the ongoing environmental crisis.