I. Integrated Ecological and Community Development Course
- Responsible: Anna Kudron (Course Leader), Dorina Bencsics, and Krisztina Losonci (Lead Artists).
- Type: Closed university course with open community outcomes.
- Date: 04.23-24. 2026
- Description: This course examines the relationship between nature, humans, and the urban environment from ecological, social, and artistic perspectives, involving local and international experts. Its goal is to develop students’ theoretical and practical knowledge of ecosystem functioning, as well as contemporary opportunities for urban greening and sustainable space use. The workshop-style teamwork and ecological-minded artistic research seminar are linked to an ongoing international project where students participate in concept development, program planning, and implementation tasks.
- Community Involvement: Student tasks include participating in the professional greening of Bethlen Square, creating an orientation and communication system to help residents discover the area, and designing programs that involve the local community. The project works closely with local partners, schools, and community gardens.
II. “Perception and Movement” – Participatory Workshop and Dance Film
- Responsible:Krisztina Losonci , Lili Stern (Dancer) and the professional staff.
- Type: Open participatory event.
- Date: 14.04.2026
- Description: This project explores how a collective perception of a landscape can be translated into movement. The event moves between observation, reflection, and embodiment. The audience gathers in the green space of Bethlen Square for a 15-minute guided mindfulness observation, tuning into the atmosphere, sounds, and subtle changes of the environment.
- Community Involvement: Participants share their experiences in a guided conversation, which evolves into a shared movement experience where the dancer responds to these shared reflections. The entire event is documented to create a final dance film built from all three parts (outdoor observation, indoor sharing, and theater improvisation).
III. “Our Bethlen Square – Ecosystem Designers” Workshop
- Responsible: Dorina Bencsics.
- Type: Group workshop for ages 6-12 (schools and kindergartens).
- Date: 10.04.2026
- Description: On the occasion of Earth Day, children become active shapers of their environment rather than passive observers. During playful community planning, they explore the park’s features by stepping into the roles of different living beings and users (e.g., insects, plants, birds) to create their own “green visions” through painting and collage.
- Community Involvement: The workshop includes a “space-survey” walk to meet the “residents” of the square. In teams, children create “Future Maps” and present them while arguing for their solutions from the perspective of their chosen role (e.g., as a bird or a tree), strengthening empathy and systems thinking. The final plans will be exhibited as part of the PLACE project presentation.
IV. Closing Festival: FESTIVITY
- Description: A two-day festival to celebrate the results of the pilot project.
- Date: June 11-12
- Program Highlights:
- Exhibition of the “Future Maps” created by children.
- Showcase of the student-led greening projects and the new communication system on the square.
- Premiere of the Dance Film documenting the “Perception and Movement” workshop.
- Roundtable discussions with artists, students, and residents about the transformation of the square.
- Workshops regarding materials, waste and community
Impact on the local level of the pilot
The local impact of the pilot project is multi-layered. Socially, it reduces alienation by transforming the square from an abstract location into a community “place” through active involvement, increasing local identity and wellbeing. Culturally, it turns the area into an experimental laboratory where art serves as a tool for environmental education and social dialogue.
Strategic Recommendation
The experimental object groups, community planning methodologies, and ecological installations created within this project serve as a professional reference for long-term urban development strategies. We recommend that the municipality and governing bodies integrate these innovative, sustainable solutions into future investments, as they effectively support the preservation of public space biodiversity, strengthen community engagement, and ensure the vibrant, multi-functional evolution of the local environment.