The Dark Mountain project began with a manifesto released by two young English writers in 2009, and soon grew into a cultural movement that explored the “unravellings” of impending environmental collapse and ecocide. In doing so, the project sought to construct new stories which responded to the realities of global disruption, and crafted new ways forward.

This “collapse of civilisation”, it was argued, called for “uncivilised” responses, in particular with reference to creative practices. The project has been suggested for inclusion by the creative practitioners we spoke to because of its experimentation with new organisational models and ways of being; its prefigurative politics of ‘living differently’; its manifesto, journal and festivals.

“Together, we are walking away from the stories that our societies like to tell themselves, the stories that prevent us seeing clearly the extent of the ecological, social and cultural unravelling that is now underway. We are making art that doesn’t take the centrality of humans for granted. We are tracing the deep cultural roots of the mess the world is in. And we are looking for other stories, ones that can help us make sense of a time of disruption and uncertainty.” – Dark Mountain 

“It was that space for our ideology, to map narratives for co-adventure and uncertainty”

Ann Light

_{Image credit: Dark Mountain}