Acclaimed dance music label Anjunabeats partners with Massachusetts Institute of Technology: MIT on a unique climate change study.
Join the live streamed event on Zoom and Twitch
Wednesday September 21, 16:30 BST / 11:30 EST
where the findings will be revealed and discussed
Acclaimed electronic dance music label Anjunabeats partners with MIT’s Environmental Solutions Initiative on a unique and innovative project to engage music fans in climate change and sustainability consciousness, with the ultimate goal of conveying actionable solutions on a personal scale.
Raising awareness through the universal language of live music and installation art, Egyptian-born recording artist and MIT PhD student Norhan Magdy Bahomi (aka Nourey) conducted this pilot study at GRMAMY-nominated act Above & Beyond’s massive Gorge Weekender event this summer. The experiment was active for a total of 16 hours, with nearly 400 responses recorded for a climate identity survey, and more than 500 people interacted with the augmented reality “Art Wall” experience. In the words of the main researcher and Anjunabeats artist Nourey, “Music unites us, and so can science and Technology. During the ABGT weekender this year, we were blessed with the opportunity to work with Anjunabeats/Involved Management on a beta project for climate communication. Fusing AR technology with collaborative arts, we believe this could be a stepping stone in a broad space where audiences can better engage in climate change issues during live events.”
“Partnering with MIT’S Environmental Solutions Initiative enables Anjunabeats to apply scientific rigor in our sustainability efforts,” said Anna Johnson, the label’s Sustainability and Environment Officer. “Music events provide an opportunity for testing new ideas and experimentation around pressing global challenges. We hope the Gorge project contributes to a growing body of research with the objective to scale-up sustainable behavior change.”
In the words of Professor John E. Fernandez, head of MIT’s ESI program, “Working with Anjunabeats at the Gorge Amphitheatre was a unique experience in projecting into the future – a more climate aware, sustainable and equitable future. Bringing science into the heart of a music experience is not only a powerful way in which to engage people on the challenges of climate change but also inspires the potential for transformation. Anjunabeats has been a leader on these issues and MIT has deep expertise and engagement activities on climate change and many other environmental challenges. Working together at the Gorge proved that there is much we can do to enhance learning and prompt real action for a better planet.”
The results and findings of this study will be officially presented in a live-streamed event on Zoom and Twitch on Wednesday, September 21, (16:30 BST / 11:30 EST) hosted by MIT and Anjunabeats, as part of an ongoing sustainability project initiated by the label.
About Anjunabeats
Anjunabeats is the label owned and A&R’d by Above & Beyond – Jono Grant, Tony McGuinness, and Paavo Siljamäki. Starting its journey back in 2000 as an outlet for Above & Beyond’s own productions, the label soon grew to encompass an ever-growing family of global talent. Celebrating 20 years in 2020, Anjunabeats has helped kickstart the careers of Mat Zo, Audien, Arty, Andrew Bayer, Tinlicker, Super8 & Tab, Oliver Smith, Jaytech, ilan Bluestone, Jason Ross, Seven Lions, and many more.
As well as the legendary Anjunabeats Volume series mixed by Above & Beyond, Anjunabeats has also released several treasured artist albums including Above & Beyond’s own classic “Group Therapy”, Mat Zo’s eclectic “Damage Control”, and Andrew Bayer’s experimental “If It Were You, We’d Never Leave”. In 2018, Above & Beyond’s fourth electronic album Common Ground debuted at number three of the Billboard Official Album Chart, a career-high for the band. In recent years, four Anjunabeats releases have been nominated for a GRAMMY award.
Anjunabeats is an established global touring brand, presenting cutting-edge trance and progressive lineups at iconic venues and festivals including EDC Las Vegas and Tomorrowland.
About MIT’s Environmental Solutions Initiative
Founded in 2014, the Environmental Solutions Initiative is MIT’s institute-wide effort to mobilize the substantial scientific, engineering, policy, and design capacity of our community to contribute to addressing climate change and other environmental challenges of global import. We pursue multidisciplinary research, education, events, and partnerships to help move society toward an environmentally and socially sustainable future. Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts on MIT’s main campus, ESI is powered by a lean staff working closely with students and faculty across the full spectrum of disciplines. Led by architecture professor John E. Fernandez, a leading scholar in the emerging field of urban metabolism, ESI is advised by students, faculty, alumni, and thought leaders from many sectors of society. Reporting directly to Vice President for Research Maria T. Zuber, ESI plays an active role in the implementation of MIT’s Plan for Climate Action and collaborates closely with partners in departments, labs, and centers across MIT, as well as with undergraduate and graduate student groups.
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