On May 4–8, 2026, the ELISAVA Barcelona School of Design and Engineering hosted an international student training program organized within the framework of the three-year "Climate Truth Crisis" project, funded by the ERASMUS+ program. The event was attended by faculty members of the Vilnius Academy of Arts (VDA) Department of Graphic Design—Professor Audrius Klimas and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sigitas Gužauskas—along with students Emilija Najulytė, Kamilė Medelytė, Marija Jovaišaitė, Vilma Škuratovaitė, and Julija Naujikaitė for an intensive week of learning, collaboration, and critical reflection.
The programme featured lectures, creative workshops, and discussions focused on climate change communication, disinformation, artificial intelligence, and the societal impact of digital infrastructures. Sessions were led by researchers, designers, and interdisciplinary artists from internationally recognised organisations and creative studios, including Domestic Data Streamers, Mario Santamaría, Paolo Cirio, and others.
Learning extended beyond the classroom. Participants explored Barcelona’s technological landscape through field trips tracing internet cables, data centres, and other infrastructural sites. They also visited the El Llobregat Delta nature reserve, examining the ecological and urban tensions shaping the region. Throughout the week, students investigated how persuasive disinformation narratives are constructed, how the climate crisis is framed in public discourse, and how visual communication can foster critical thinking and public awareness.
The programme brought together students and lecturers from Vilnius Academy of Arts (VDA), Royal Academy of Art in The Hague (KABK), Iceland University of the Arts (IUA), Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA), Academy of Fine Arts Sarajevo (ALU), University of the Arts London (UAL), and ELISAVA Barcelona School of Design and Engineering.
