for ‘The Becoming Terrestrial: Sites of Re-Worlding
in Creative and Cultural Institutions‘ NCAD Conference.

3-4 November 2026, National College of Art & Design Conference, Dublin, Ireland.

-I’m honoured and delighted to be presenting at this creative practice education research conference where I was awarded my creative practice-based PhD ‘The EcologicalTurn ‘,’ at The National College of Art & Design (NCAD), Dublin, in 2018.

It is bringing up a lot of memories for me, especially of Associate NCAD Fellow Dr Paul O’Brien, who was my tutor from the late 90s onwards, and then MA, and PhD supervisor who presciently wrote about art and ecology in the early 1990s. Also my late art practice tutor Patricia Langlois, and PhD art practice supervisor Iain Biggs

The conference will coincide with the 7th anniversary of my independent post-doctoral work to create Haumea Ecoversity. I will be sharing my story of restoring a forest during my PhD, moved to co-create an emergent community of eco-social creative practice with California-based eco-philosopher Nikos Patedakis, PhD, PDC and many peers. It is a wonder to think we have now supported 400+ creatives, educators, cultural workers, changemakers, and some local authorities with essential ecoliteracy and ethics with the Earth Charter too.

My presentation will speak of this rather long story, of the key figures and organisations, the friends and community around me that help me shape an alternative transformative learning space where we care for ourselves, other peoples, our place, our planet and future generations.

I’m proud to share that Haumea Ecoversity, a modest independent endeavour to reimagine holistic higher education that promotes compassion, from personal to planetary to intergenerational wellbeing, an ecological ethos, and bioregional relevance, is part of the emergent global Ecoversities Alliance… Haumea Ecoversity is one of 400 examples of alternative holistic, decolonial, life-affirming ecoversities, arising in 40 countries in the last decade. Something is arising in education, and it is inherently inclusive, healing, and creative.

Details:
‘𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹: 𝗦𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀.

NCAD, Dublin | Tuesday 3 – Wednesday 4 November 2026.

This 𝘁𝘄𝗼-𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 looks at outdoor ecological and experiential learning sites connected to museums, cultural institutions, schools, community spaces and campuses. These are places where knowledge is produced, shared and contested, and where the lines between art and everyday life, and between expertise and lived experience, begin to shift.

Through talks, workshops, performances and screenings, contributors will explore care, maintenance, participation and the politics of sustainability. Invited contributors include Dar Jacir (Bethlehem), Kafkárna (Prague) and tranzit.ro (Romania).

The conference builds on research at NCAD FIELD, an ecological learning site at the centre of our Thomas Street campus since 2020.

🔗 For the full programme, speaker details, and booking, visit:
https://lnkd.in/ePPcZWZ8

Part of NCAD’s contribution to L’Internationale’s Museum of the Commons, co-funded by the European Union.

Hello! Kia Ora! Dia daoibh!

I’m Cathy Fitzgerald, an ecological artist, educator, and founder of Haumea Ecoversity.

Originally from Aotearoa, New Zealand, I’ve lived in rural Ireland, the ancestral home of my family, for over 30 years.

Together with my philosopher colleague Dr Nikos Patedakis (USA), we’ve guided over 400 creative professionals worldwide in transformative ecoliteracy training since 2019.

Haumea Ecoversity Community Membership is a vibrant space for lifelong learning, collective wisdom, and creative transformation for a more beautiful, just, and life-sustaining world.

Join Haumea Ecoversity in Autumn ’26

Dr Cathy Fitzgerald

“In these times of great challenge, I’m passionate about ecoliteracy
to promote a wiser, more compassionate and just ecological worldview:
this means raising awareness of holistic thinking, creativity, language, and
head-heart-body practices
—to reimagine and re-enchant education to benefit ourselves,
the community of life and future generations ”

In 2022, I was honoured to be nominated by Earth Charter International, a UNESCO Chair for ESD,
as the Earth Charter Focal Point Communicator for Ireland

About Cathy

• Ecological Artist: Creator of the ongoing Hollywood Forest Story
  with new-to-Ireland Closer-to-Nature continuous cover forestry (begun 2008).
• Educator & Advisor: Accredited ESD Earth Charter educator,
  Creative Drummin Carlow Bog project ecoliteracy advisor since 2017
• Researcher & Mentor: Specialist in Education for Sustainable
  Development (ESD) at Haumea Ecoversity.com