IMÁGÓ Eco-Cultural Lab has officially launched as Hungary’s first methodological innovation workshop bringing together civil society, academia and the arts. Led by Eötvös Loránd University, the two-year project aims to inspire younger generations to embrace conscious, active and environmentally responsible values through the creative synergy of scientific knowledge and artistic expression.
Members of the IMÁGÓ Lab are developing and testing new interdisciplinary, arts-based approaches to sustainability education. Their work responds to a widely recognised gap in Hungarian higher education, where sustainability is often taught in an overly theoretical manner with little emphasis on emotional engagement and transformative thinking needed to foster genuine behavioural change. By uniting scientific knowledge with artistic interpretation, the Lab seeks to offer deeper insight into the challenges of sustainability and equip students with practical tools for action.
The opening event, held on February 24, 2026, provided a comprehensive introduction to the project’s professional foundations, objectives and planned events while also providing a first meeting point for future partners—researchers, artists and civil actors—laying the groundwork for a growing intellectual and creative community. The launch of the IMÁGÓ Lab carries symbolic significance within the university. Lénárd Darázs, Rector of ELTE, emphasised in his address that sustainability can only truly enter everyday life through culture—an idea that lies at the very heart of the project. He also underlined that the Lab’s holistic approach,
viewing sustainability as a complex cultural, social, economic and ecological process,
aligns closely with ELTE’s Sustainability Flagship Programme.
The intellectual direction of the project was outlined by András Takács-Sánta, associate professor at ELTE’s Faculty of Social Sciences, professional lead of the project. He highlighted the crucial role science plays in uncovering the processes necessary to address the ecological crisis. “But it is the arts that can tell stories and evoke deeper emotional engagement, creating space for what we may call ‘active hope,” he remarked. “Active hope means not merely trusting that experts and decision-makers will solve these problems for us but recognising our own responsibility to take action.”
The Lab’s programme was presented by Klaudia Ecker, founder and chief organiser of the IMÁGÓ Eco-Cultural Lab. The innovation community will support theoretical education through artistic interpretative tools, creating methods that can be sustainably integrated into higher education curricula. As part of the Artistic Residency Programme and the Eco-Cultural Weeks, visitors will be able to enjoy unique exhibitions, community actions and performances. Meanwhile, the project’s internship scheme will provide university students with hands-on skills and real-world experience.
Over the next two years, members of the Lab will work on themes including eco-philosophy and environmental psychology, human–nature relationships, sustainable fashion and waste prevention along with sustainable food cultures. Each thematic programme will involve collaboration with leading Hungarian academics, civil organisations and artists ensuring that
students engage directly with the most influential figures in each field while addressing the issue at hand.
Several distinguished professional and artistic partners have joined the IMÁGÓ Eco-Cultural Lab, among them the Humusz Association, the Heroes of Responsible Dining Foundation, the Willany Leó Improvisational Dance Theatre and the Performance Production Cooperative. To further strengthen the project’s interdisciplinary approach, individual experts are also contributing: Attila Varga, psychologist and associate professor; Levente Pribéli, human ecologist and environmental activist; and Anna Kudron, specialist in sustainable fashion and university lecturer. “It is a genuine privilege for us to collaborate on the Lab’s mission with some of Hungary’s most exceptional professionals and artists working in this field. This diversity of expertise will enable us to collectively open new pathways in the public conversation about ecological issues,” said Klaudia Ecker.
The project’s professional implementation is led by the Human Ecology MA programme at ELTE’s Faculty of Social Sciences, with students from the Human–Environment Transaction Programme in psychology (ELTE Faculty of Education and Psychology) also involved. The associated artistic and cultural events will be open to the public. The project is supported by the German Federal Environmental Foundation.