For many years, De Parade has witnessed the consequences of the lack of action when it comes to climate adaptation. Each year they become more visible in the parks that De Parade occupies in various cities across The Netherlands, from Eindhoven to Amsterdam: too much sun or too much rain and always a lot of wind.

In 2022, the collaboration between DAE's Studio Urgencies and De Parade focused on research into sustainability in the broadest sense of the word but also in specific contexts.

Taking place between February and June, the project invited students to tackle the fundamental question of sustainability. What is it, and how can bachelor students position sustainability in all its facets? What does sustainability mean for De Parade?

Below are some examples of the projects produced by students in response to this challenge.

Eden Luna Goldet – (Speculative) Resurgence

De Parade is a time capsule. Preserved in a past temporality in which globalisation or political voices were irrelevant. However, climate change is a reality that is becoming more tangible with every new catastrophe. Climate change will enter the De Parade bubble, and this time capsule will have to resurge to exist. It will have to adapt and find solutions to be maintained.

Soil could become a powerful tool in this global fight and can reverse climate change, but it needs a voice, and De Parade could give it a stage. Theatre is a medium that can deliver urgencies with strength.

‘(Speculative) Resurgence’ is an inviting performance. By engaging in a Tragedy or a Comedy placed in 2052, the experience triggers different decisions for our future. It conveys the message that we can and need to enable farmers and food systems to evolve. This interactive way of engaging with climate change pushes participants to go beyond agreeing that there is a problem and take real action.

Maayke Mutsaerds – Koekenbakkers.

The Dutch word koekenbakker literally means cookie baker, but also amateur or fuck-up. Dutch cuisine is known for forgettable and bland flavours, but there is more to food culture in the Netherlands. Overlooked like a Koekenbakker, the humble cookie has long been a staple in the Dutch welcome.

Whenever I visited my grandma, I was welcomed with a fresh cup of tea and a cookie. Although I grew tired of eating the same cookie on my regular visits, I still appreciated the gesture and the time I spent with her. By bringing nostalgic cookie moments to De Parade, ‘Koekenbakkers’ highlights the value of time spent together and of simply eating something tasty.

Josha Veldheer – Aquifer Water is a valuable resource that will soon become increasingly scarce. ‘Aquifer’ aims to create awareness playfully by making visitors to De Parade feel the time and effort it takes to collect water, inviting them to reconsider their choices around consumed products in relation to their water footprint.

‘Aquifer’ aligns with De Parade's approach to sustainability by highlighting the appreciation of water in relation to the most consumed products within De Parade and products that are consumed daily, with the goal of having a positive impact on the world we live in now and in the future.

It achieves this not only by displaying physical infographics that show the amount of water waste but also through the challenge of purifying water by taking part in a water-collecting ritual. Like almost any ritual, it involves repetitive steps: for example, with one water vessel being ten litres, a visitor would have to repeat the ritual twenty-five times to get the amount of water needed for one cup of coffee.

Heera Shin – Dirt Fairies ‘Dirt Fairies’ introduces a more poetic entry to the world of De Parade. De Parade is a mobile theatre festival that is working to create a sustainable fair, while at the same time focusing on building a welcoming experience where all visitors can have a casual entry to theatre culture. Although they have made numerous efforts to make the festival as sustainable as possible, their actions are not well communicated to the public. ‘Dirt Fairies’ helps narrate these efforts by introducing a naive voice of small imaginary fairies that represents the voice of nature.

Marion Cévaër – Harmony De Parade is a vibrant, days-long theatre festival, and visitors may need some space away from all the stimuli it offers over the day, without a retreat back home being their only option to do so. ‘Harmony’ is inspired by my personal need to preserve my energy in busy environments as a diagnosed Highly Sensitive person and from my fascination with the comforting warmth and textures of textiles.

Drawing from the principles of Sophrology, this delicate pastel-toned refuge is a supportive environment to initiate one’s mindfulness and the meditation of body and mind. Festivalgoers who could benefit from this calming moment are invited to walk in, take off their shoes and lay down; allow themselves to breathe and leave their overstimulation behind.

Mabel Dapling – Legacy Cabinet Objects are a window into our past, present and future and have the hidden power to trigger memories. They play an important role in preserving history, passing down stories, and sustaining culture. By archiving objects and the stories connected to them, I am creating an interactive installation that will be exhibited at the De Parade festival.

The installation aims to inspire visitors and encourage them to reflect on their experiences visiting, working and growing up with the festival. Taking the form of a 'Legacy Cabinet', the onsite installation acts as both a continually growing gallery of objects connected to De Parade and a collection point for the stories of its visitors.