‘CARE : Process and Material Considerations for Sustainability in Fine Arts’ is a research initiative supported by the SOFA Committee to identify and address key issues at Concordia University relating to sustainable material use and taught method(s) within Fine Arts. Resulting in a best practice PDF guide, the first iteration of this project will focus on raising awareness, gathering information and seeding a culture of skill/knowledge-sharing across the sometimes insular faculties within Fine Arts. It is our intention to both highlight existing strides, and to provide a space for students, faculty and staff to voice concerns, share tips and contribute to a growing voice of sustainable practices at Concordia University.

The main objectives are 1) To foster individual change by creating a simple, straightforward communication document that helps students, faculty, and staff navigate best practices within their departments or units; and 2) To create institutional shift by having sustainable ‘best practices’ introduced as part of each Fine Arts department curriculum and course syllabus. Offering this initiative as both a resource and forum, SOFA has a critical opportunity to step in and provide language, tools and practical support for students, staff, and faculty to start a sustainable relationship with materials before, during and after the act of creation