In October 2024, Embrace Platform members Kerstin Möller and Karolina Sobel travelled to Tbilisi, Georgia, for a research trip to get to know the conditions and people involved in the art and cultural scene there and to lay the foundations for a possible collaboration. The Embrace Platform, which was funded by the UNESCO City of Media Arts Karlsruhe Project Funding Program for Media Art 2021, is committed to issues such as gender equality and women’s and LGBTQIA+ rights through artistic projects.
Tbilisi, a UNESCO Creative City since 2021, has established itself as a hub for artistic activism and social change. The Embrace members met local organisations such as the Plazm Platform, the Propaganda Network and Girls Wave, an NGO that campaigns against violence against women. Supported by UNESCO funding, the trip offered valuable insights into the city’s innovative media art scene and facilitated dialogue with artists such as Sandro Asatiani, a recipient of the UNESCO Media Art Grant.
In light of the upcoming elections and the associated uncertainties, many structures in the cultural scene appeared to be in the process of being established or politically influenced. Numerous projects were on hold, reflecting concerns about the outcome of the elections. Nevertheless, the encounters with Georgian artists and activists highlighted the positive energy and artistic commitment on the ground.
The continuation of networking with the UNESCO city of Karlsruhe is planned for 2025: Georgian artists Giorgi Rodionov and Natia Chikvaidze will take part in a workshop at the Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design in order to strengthen intercultural exchange. In the long term, the partnership between the UNESCO cities of Karlsruhe and Tbilisi should lead to further artistic and socially relevant projects that promote European values such as peace and fundamental rights.
