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CCI30050

Academic Year 2026/2027

Sustainability and Culture (CCI30050)

Subject:
Creative & Cultural Industries
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
Art History & Cultural Policy
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Dr Victoria Durrer
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

How do the creative and cultural industries respond to and grapple with injunctions to ‘go green’, ‘be sustainable,’ and/or to respond to climate change? How do broader factors, like inequality, worker precarity, consumption, and/ or globalization impact on efforts by creative workers and industries to respond to urgent environmental challenges? How might creative works themselves posit alternate imaginaries or ways of engaging with the world more sustainability (to live more slowly, divest from fossil fuels, or promote collectivity and/or solidarity)?

In this module, students will gain a greater understanding of sustainability discourse and its relationship to creative and cultural industry policy and practice across a range of related areas, ranging from making creative work, production and management in sectors such as the performing and visual arts, galleries/ museums, publishing, and creative writing. In bringing together different disciplinary perspectives, it will equip students with knowledge of some of the key debates taking place regarding sustainability and culture, with attention paid to the intersecting impact of environmental, economic, political, and social forces. We will bring in local and international case studies, along with guest practitioners, to assist in making sense of how these issues unfold and are addressed.

Topics which may be considered include sustainability, climate action and cultural policy – from the UN to Ireland; big publishing and slow writing; small publishing and sustainability in Ireland; arts award culture and greenwashing; greening artforms and events; sustainable prosperity and creative work.

This interdisciplinary module will be relevant to any student interested in creative practice and how they intersect with the key environmental challenges of our time. No previous expertise in creative and cultural industries or policy is assumed or necessary.

This module is co-designed and convened by Dr Treasa De Loughry (English, Drama and Film) and Dr Victoria Durrer (Art History and Cultural Policy) and is designed for students across English Litertature and Creative Writing, and Creative and Cultural Industries.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

● Express familiarity with the key terms and issues underpinning culture and sustainability discourse
● Relate sustainability discourse to creative and cultural industry policies and practices through research and reading on particular case examples
● Identify and critique gaps, risks, and opportunities that sustainability discourse presents the creative and cultural industries
● Identify, interpret, and evaluate academic literature in developing creative and critical arguments
● Critically consider the role of creative and cultural production and works themselves in challenging and/ or advancing sustainability discourse
● Develop individual and group working skills: communication and sharing ideas (written and verbal expression), accountability in meeting deadlines, integrating and synthesising research with lived experience

Indicative Module Content:

Topics which may be considered include sustainability and cultural policy – from the UN to Ireland; local arts policy and climate action; big publishing and slow writing; small publishing and sustainability in Ireland; arts award culture and greenwashing; greening artforms and events; sustainable prosperity and creative work.

UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

 The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Competent

Critical Thinking

 The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Competent

Systems Thinking

 The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Competent

Strategic

 The ability to collectively develop and implement innovative actions that further sustainability at the local level and further afield. Competent

Integrated Problem Solving

 The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development, integrating the competencies in this list. Competent

Self-awareness

 The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires. Proficient

Normative

 The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Competent

Anticipatory

 The ability to understand and evaluate multiple scenarios for the future – possible, probable and desirable; to create one’s own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes. Competent

Digital Literacy and Judgement

 The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Proficient

AI Literacy & Agency

 The ability to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly engage with artificial intelligence; to recognise how AI systems are shaped by human values; to assess their ethical, social and environmental implications; and to exercise human judgement, agency and accountability in AI-related contexts. Competent

Wellbeing

 Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Proficient

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


Goal Name Description Coverage

End poverty in all its forms everywhere 1

End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture 1

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages 3

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 1

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 3

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all 1

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all 1

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all 5

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation 3

Reduce inequality within and among countries 3

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 2

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 3

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 5

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development 1

Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss 1

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels 3

Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development 2
 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Specified Learning Activities

78
Autonomous Student Learning

100
Seminar (or Webinar)

22
Total

200

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Module session topics will be explored through interactive in-class seminars, which will be composed of short lectures, group and individual discussion; and independent study - such as reading, engaging with video/ audio materials.

Seminars will involve discussion questions, active learning, and guest speakers. Students will be expected to prepare in advance for class, based on independent study activities, typically involving 1-2 assigned academic readings per week with a real world case study from the creative industries, listening or viewing activities, as well as other forms of preparation. Students will be supported to value and bring their own perspective and disciplinary knowledge to class.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Recommendations:

The module is particularly aimed at Students on the BA in Creative and Cultural Industries and the School of English, Drama and Film.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade Component repeat (in-module) Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): Critical assessment of class content Week 7, Week 14 Graded No
40
 No
Group Work Assignment: Students must carry out a short interview with a creative practitioner for group presentation with individual written reflection assignment Week 12 Graded No
60
 No

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Substantial written feedback will be posted to Brightspace individually for each student, following submission. With regards to the Group Project, we will review collectively in Week 11/12 to support individual written reflection. Criteria for each assessment is detailed in the syllabus.

Name Role
Dr Treasa De Loughry Lecturer / Co-Lecturer

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Seminar Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Wed 12:00 - 13:50
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