Picturing Climate: Participatory Photography and Narrative Storytelling for Climate Change Education
Lead Research Organisation:
The Open University
Department Name: Faculty of Arts and Social Sci (FASS)
Abstract
The research network brings together researchers and grassroots arts and culture organisations across four distinct socio-cultural and physical geographies - Cuba, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jordan, and the UK - to explore the potential of arts and humanities based methodologies, specifically participatory photography and storytelling, for developing local and international educational capacity on climate change induced food and livelihoods insecurities.
Whilst climate change has generated a crisis of livelihoods, food insecurity, and internal and cross-border migration in Cuba, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Jordan, the issue has garnered relatively little international attention. What is more, whilst the focus of education provision and capacity building among dispersed and vulnerable populations has been the development of mobile technology and the top-down dissemination of targeted content, fewer initiatives have focussed on the use of participatory arts and humanities based methodologies, which not only facilitate a deeper engagement with local cultural and socio-political contexts, but also enable more collaborative and innovative bottom-up approaches to knowledge co-production and exchange.
The research network connects researchers, academic institutions, arts practitioners, and small-scale arts and culture NGOs in Cuba, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jordan, and the UK, with each other, and with socio-economically vulnerable urban youth in Cuba, rural youth in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and and young refugees in informal settlements in Jordan. Network participants will co-facilitate and take part in participatory photography and storytelling workshops, local and international exhibitions of the work they produced, and local and international learning labs designed to promote evidence-based reflection on the practical potential of participatory photography and storytelling to for developing local and international educational models and materials for education on climate change. Based on the experiences, work and research produced as part of the participatory photography and storytelling workshops and learning labs, network participants will also co-produce locally-relevant materials on climate change induced food and livelihood insecurities and local solutions that can be developed to address them, and an open-access online module on climate change induced challenges in Cuba, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Jordan.
Whilst climate change has generated a crisis of livelihoods, food insecurity, and internal and cross-border migration in Cuba, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Jordan, the issue has garnered relatively little international attention. What is more, whilst the focus of education provision and capacity building among dispersed and vulnerable populations has been the development of mobile technology and the top-down dissemination of targeted content, fewer initiatives have focussed on the use of participatory arts and humanities based methodologies, which not only facilitate a deeper engagement with local cultural and socio-political contexts, but also enable more collaborative and innovative bottom-up approaches to knowledge co-production and exchange.
The research network connects researchers, academic institutions, arts practitioners, and small-scale arts and culture NGOs in Cuba, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jordan, and the UK, with each other, and with socio-economically vulnerable urban youth in Cuba, rural youth in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and and young refugees in informal settlements in Jordan. Network participants will co-facilitate and take part in participatory photography and storytelling workshops, local and international exhibitions of the work they produced, and local and international learning labs designed to promote evidence-based reflection on the practical potential of participatory photography and storytelling to for developing local and international educational models and materials for education on climate change. Based on the experiences, work and research produced as part of the participatory photography and storytelling workshops and learning labs, network participants will also co-produce locally-relevant materials on climate change induced food and livelihood insecurities and local solutions that can be developed to address them, and an open-access online module on climate change induced challenges in Cuba, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Jordan.
Planned Impact
Who will benefit from this research?
Non-academic beneficiaries of the project include:
(1) NGO partners, including Riera Studio in Cuba; Most Mira in Bosnia and Herzegovina; and Douja Foundation in Jordan
(2) Youth in socio-economically vulnerable urban communities in Havana, Cuba; Rural young people in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina; Young refugees (particularly young female refugees) in informal tent settlements in Jordan
(3) Local and national governmental and non-governmental organisations in Cuba, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jordan and the UK, and community groups concerned with, or educating on climate change induced food and livelihood insecurities and local solutions
Academic beneficiaries of the project include:
(4) Researchers from Cuba, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jordan, and the UK who will participate in the local and international workshops, learning labs and exhibitions, and have access to data, research and knowledge generated as a result of these activities
(5) Academics and HE providers in Cuba, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jordan and the UK, who will have access to co-produced physical and digital learning materials that use arts and humanities based methodologies for climate change education
(6) Academics and HE providers globally who will have access to co-produced digital learning materials
(7) Local HE Co-I, International Burch University in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which will lead on the workshops and exhibition in Bosnia and Herzegovina in collaboration with Most Mira
How will they benefit from this research?
(1) NGO partners will benefit by extending their capacity to provide arts and humanities based informal education initiatives to their target communities, and by co-producing knowledge, networking and sharing best practices internationally
(2) Youth across locations will benefit by participating in photography and storytelling workshops; participating in local and international exhibitions of workshop outputs and learning labs; developing transferrable skills through participation; co-producing and exchanging knowledge on climate change induced challenges and solutions developed in their local communities and across international borders
(3) Local and national governmental and non-governmental organizations and community groups concerned with, or educating on climate change will benefit by engaging in knowledge co-production and exchange through local learning labs; by having access to educational materials on climate change and research on arts and humanities based educational approaches to local climate change issues; and through knowledge exchange with affected communities
(4) Researchers from Cuba, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jordan, and the UK will benefit by having access to data and research on the potential of participatory photography and storytelling methods in building educational capacity on climate change related issues; and by having opportunity for international cross-sector networking, collaboration and knowledge exchange
(5) Academics and HE providers in Cuba, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Jordan will benefit by having access to research and data on the potential of participatory arts and humanities methods for climate change education, and by having access to the physical and digital education materials co-produced as part of the project
(6) Academics and HE providers globally will benefit by having access to digital learning materials on climate change induced for and livelihood insecurities, and published research on the potential of participatory photography and storytelling approaches for climate change education in vulnerable and marginalised communities
(7) International Burch University will benefit by strengthening its international research and engagement profile, local engagement activities, and relationship with Most Mira
Non-academic beneficiaries of the project include:
(1) NGO partners, including Riera Studio in Cuba; Most Mira in Bosnia and Herzegovina; and Douja Foundation in Jordan
(2) Youth in socio-economically vulnerable urban communities in Havana, Cuba; Rural young people in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina; Young refugees (particularly young female refugees) in informal tent settlements in Jordan
(3) Local and national governmental and non-governmental organisations in Cuba, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jordan and the UK, and community groups concerned with, or educating on climate change induced food and livelihood insecurities and local solutions
Academic beneficiaries of the project include:
(4) Researchers from Cuba, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jordan, and the UK who will participate in the local and international workshops, learning labs and exhibitions, and have access to data, research and knowledge generated as a result of these activities
(5) Academics and HE providers in Cuba, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jordan and the UK, who will have access to co-produced physical and digital learning materials that use arts and humanities based methodologies for climate change education
(6) Academics and HE providers globally who will have access to co-produced digital learning materials
(7) Local HE Co-I, International Burch University in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which will lead on the workshops and exhibition in Bosnia and Herzegovina in collaboration with Most Mira
How will they benefit from this research?
(1) NGO partners will benefit by extending their capacity to provide arts and humanities based informal education initiatives to their target communities, and by co-producing knowledge, networking and sharing best practices internationally
(2) Youth across locations will benefit by participating in photography and storytelling workshops; participating in local and international exhibitions of workshop outputs and learning labs; developing transferrable skills through participation; co-producing and exchanging knowledge on climate change induced challenges and solutions developed in their local communities and across international borders
(3) Local and national governmental and non-governmental organizations and community groups concerned with, or educating on climate change will benefit by engaging in knowledge co-production and exchange through local learning labs; by having access to educational materials on climate change and research on arts and humanities based educational approaches to local climate change issues; and through knowledge exchange with affected communities
(4) Researchers from Cuba, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jordan, and the UK will benefit by having access to data and research on the potential of participatory photography and storytelling methods in building educational capacity on climate change related issues; and by having opportunity for international cross-sector networking, collaboration and knowledge exchange
(5) Academics and HE providers in Cuba, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Jordan will benefit by having access to research and data on the potential of participatory arts and humanities methods for climate change education, and by having access to the physical and digital education materials co-produced as part of the project
(6) Academics and HE providers globally will benefit by having access to digital learning materials on climate change induced for and livelihood insecurities, and published research on the potential of participatory photography and storytelling approaches for climate change education in vulnerable and marginalised communities
(7) International Burch University will benefit by strengthening its international research and engagement profile, local engagement activities, and relationship with Most Mira
Organisations
Publications
Colom, A
(2019)
Picturing Climate at the Tate Exchange: Impact Evaluation Report
Czajka, A
(2022)
Art, Migration and the Production of Radical Democratic Citizenship
| Title | Evolving Natura |
| Description | A new series of plant-based sculptures by Samuel Riera and Derbis Campos, which exhibited at Riera Studio (Havana, Cuba), and Thomas Nickles Project (New York) in 2020. As noted by Samuel Riera and Derbis Campos, the series stemmed from and was inspired by Picturing Climate. |
| Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Impact | The relationship between art and ecology, and the use of art and artistic practice to explore environment and climate change is relatively new on the Cuban arts scene. The work being done by Riera and Campos, and the ability to successfully exhibit it in Cuba has had an impact on the Cuban arts scene. Their ability to exhibit this work in New York has also positively impacted Riera Studio's international reach, and Riera and Campos's international networks and reputation as contemporary artists. |
| URL | https://www.thomasnickles.com/evolving-natura |
| Title | Photography Exhibition in Amman, Jordan |
| Description | A one day public exhibition of photographs taken by participants in the participatory photography and storytelling workshops in Jordan. The exhibition took place in a public art space in Amman, Jordan, and focussed on photographs taken by the participants during their exploration of the Greening the Desert project. Whilst reported here, the exhibition was also an engagement activity. |
| Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Impact | The exhibition brought environmental issues in Jordan as well as attempts to deal with them (including the Greening the Desert project) to the public forum. As participants were present during the exhibition, they could exchange their newly acquired knowledge with others, generating discussion about climate change with communities in Amman, where the environment doesn't figure high on the list of priorities. The experience was also empowering for those who participated in the project, as they could display their newly learned skills in a public forum. |
| URL | http://picturingclimate.net |
| Title | Photography Exhibition in Havana, Cuba |
| Description | A week-long photography exhibition curated by Riera Studio. The exhibition coincided with the Havana Biennale and comprised of large-format documentary photographs of the urban gardening and storytelling workshops that took place in Havana, as well well as photographs taken by participants in the participatory photography workshops. The exhibition took place outdoors, in the neighbourhood in which the project took place. It was thus accessible to participants, their families and the local community. Whilst reported here, the exhibition was also an engagement activity. |
| Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Impact | The exhibition generated a lot of discussion within the community, focussing on the desire to extend the project to other schools in the neighbourhood and surrounding neighbourhoods in Havana. Parents and teachers expressed the desire for more arts-based and participatory learning to be incorporated into school curricula (in a context where rote learning is the norm), expressed a desire for urban gardening projects similar to the one enabled by Picturing Climate to be rolled out to other schools, and for climate change and environmental education to be incorporated into the curriculum. On the basis of this, Riera Studio plans to continue working with neighbourhood schools on these types of initiatives. |
| URL | http://picturingclimate.net |
| Title | Photography and Film Exhibition in Kevlanji, Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Description | A one day exhibition of work in progress by participants in the devised theatre and photography workshops. The exhibition included two of the four films participants made of their theatre performances and a selection of photographs from the three photography series they created. Whilst reported here, the programme was also an engagement activity. |
| Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Impact | The exhibition generated a discussion of both environmental issues in Bosnia and Herzegovina and participatory arts methodologies as a way of exploring sensitive social and political issues in a post-conflict contexts. A number of participants, including teachers and local cultural and education officials and NGO programme directors expressed the desire to incorporate more of these kinds of methodologies into local formal and informal educational and social and cultural institutions. They also recognised the lack of education on environment and climate change, even though it was a major issue in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The participants went on to showcase the films at other venues in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including schools and festivals. |
| URL | http://picturingclimate.net |
| Title | Picturing Climate Exhibition and Programme at Tate Exchange |
| Description | Four day public exhibition and knowledge exchange programme at the Tate Exchange, Tate Modern, London (November 28th - December 1st, 2019). The programme explored how arts and humanities-based approaches including photography, video, participatory theatre and storytelling could be used to promote education and generate discussion and action on climate change and climate change induced food and livelihood insecurities. Programme participants included core network members from Cuba, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jordan and UK, core project artists, as well as other artists, academics, teachers, cultural practitioners and education and cultural policy makers from the UK and elsewhere. The programme included an exhibition of artefacts (photographs, films, installations and performances) from all four project locations, round-table discussions, seminars, hands-on workshops, and symposia, all of which were open to the public. Private views (for additional impact and networking opportunities) as well as a guided tour and seminar session for a school group were also organised during the four day programme. The programme attracted an audience of 2,207 people, with additional virtual involvement and participation via Skype links and Instagram.The full four day programme can be accessed on picturingclimate.net. Whilst reported on here, the programme was also an engagement activity. |
| Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Impact | The programme attracted an audience of 2,207 people, including artists, teachers, academics, socially engaged practitioners and cultural practitioners. It thus provided a unique opportunity for network participants from Cuba, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Jordan to share knowledge and experience of climate change and the arts-based programmes they developed in their individual locations with each other and with a broader UK and international audience, and to learn from the experiences of UK teachers and practitioners. The programme also provided a significant networking opportunity for artists, cultural practitioners, teachers, NGO leaders and programme developers from Cuba and Bosnia and Herzegovina, whose mobility is otherwise highly restricted, to meet and learn from each other, and from their UK counterparts. The Picturing Climate project in general (and Tate Exchange programme specifically) also introduced Cuban, Bosnian and Jordanian practitioners and teachers to arts-based and participatory pedagogies and methodologies that are not normally used in local classrooms, where rote learning prevails. As reported by Cuban and Bosnian colleagues, it has generated a desire among local teachers and heads of school to incorporate more these kind of methodologies into the curriculum. It also prompted the desire to incorporate teaching on the environment and climate change into curriculums, something that is currently absent from curriculums in both Cuba and Bosnia and Herzegovina. |
| URL | http://picturingclimate.net |
| Description | Among the significant achievements of the project were: (1) Three knowledge exchange workshops in Cuba, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Jordan, where project partners and collaborators came together to share knowledge regarding environmental and climate challenges in their countries and communities and regarding participatory and arts based methodologies and their role in teaching about key social and political issues, including environment, sustainability and climate change; (2) Three multi-day workshops where young people and teachers in Cuba, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Jordan had the opportunity to experiment with arts-based methodologies including photography, film, theatre, storytelling, and planting/gardening as a means of exploring local environmental and climate change related challenges; (3) A final exhibition and programme at Tate Modern, with the participation of Cuban, Bosnian and Jordanian partners which enabled all project participants to come together to further explore the role of these methodologies in teaching about environment and climate change, to share knowledge and experience with a large and diverse audience, and to further network in the UK. Among the key finding of the project were: (1) Education on environment and climate change is almost entirely absent from curricula in Cuba, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Jordan, despite the fact that the impact of environmental degradation and climate change in these locations is increasingly severe and could significantly impact livelihoods and food supplies in the very near future; (2) Participatory and arts-based methodologies are used infrequently in teaching in these locations, as rote learning often prevails, at least in part because of necessity (teacher training in other methodologies is insufficient; teacher to student ratios make it impractical to use such methodologies; and the materials needed are often too expensive or entirely unavailable, such as, for example, in Cuba); (3) Participatory and arts based methodologies including photography, film, theatre, and storytelling were very effective in teaching on environment and climate change related subjects, and educators in Cuba and Bosnia and Herzegovina expressed a desire to incorporate more of such methodologies in teaching on a variety of social, political and cultural issues; (4) Participatory and arts based methodologies, especially devised comedy theatre, were also identified as useful tools for exploring sensitive topics in ethnically-divided, post-conflict societies like Bosnia and Herzegovina, and in unearthing connections between politics, economics and the environment. The award's primary objectives - to enable Cuban, Bosnian, Jordanian and UK artists, practitioners, researches and affected communities of young people to co-produce and exchange knowledge on environment and climate change induced livelihood insecurities and to reflect on the potential of participatory arts methodologies to facilitate the co-production and dissemination of knowledge on these issues - were met through the above activities and findings. The project's secondary objectives - to enable practitioners and arts, cultural and community organisations in LMICs to extend their informal education initiatives with local populations - was also met through the aforementioned activities. The project's tertiary objective - to share the knowledge generated through open-access online materials - has been met through the project website, and an OpenLearn resource based on the activities and finding of the project, which is currently in production and will be made freely available shortly. |
| Exploitation Route | The findings of this research will be of use to anyone wishing to use participatory and arts based methodologies to engage young people on key social, cultural and political issues, including environment and climate change. It will also be of use to those wishing to work on building and extending formal and informal educational capacity in LMICs and to educators and educational policy makers in those countries. They will be of use to those working in post-conflict contexts, as arts-based methodologies seem particularly useful when working across various divides and sensitivities in those contexts. Finally, the finding of this project will be useful to those within the creative and culture industries of LMICs and elsewhere as an example of how one might work across disciplines, sectors and media in order to generate discussion and action around climate change. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Creative Economy,Education |
| URL | http://picturingclimate.net |
| Description | In Cuba, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Jordan, the award: (1) enabled local arts, cultural and non-governmental organisations to extend their work with disadvantaged young people in their local communities; (2) diversified artistic output, enabling the creative output of young people and socially engaged artists in LMICs be publicly displayed in their communities, and on the international stage provided by Tate Exchange; (3) enabled young people in LMICs to acquire transferrable skills, including photography and film production, and presentation and public speaking skills, and to acquire and exchange knowledge on environmental and climate change related challenges; (4) enabled teachers and community educators to acquire and share knowledge and experience of engaging young people on questions of environment, climate change and livelihoods using participatory and arts-based methodologies. As reported by our Cuban partners, Riera Studio, this was a 'pioneering project' in Cuba, where neither participatory and arts-based methodologies nor environment or climate change feature much in formal or informal education. Requests from teachers and parents for the extension of this kind of work to other schools and beyond the lifetime of Picturing Climate prompted the production of an illustrated, Spanish-language resource for teachers, parents and students on how to plant and maintain an urban vegetable garden, and further work by Riera Studio with additional schools and communities on exploring issues of environment, livelihoods and climate change through arts methodologies. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the young people who participated in the project reported a change in attitude and behaviours (eg. in regards to recycling and consumption) after having a greater appreciation of the effects of climate change on their locality. Bosnian teachers reported the desire to incorporate more participatory, arts-based methodologies and climate change content into their classroom teaching, and to try to promote more projects like this in their local community. By enabling the exploration of environment, climate change, sustainability and livelihoods, the project was directly related to climate change as one of the key challenges facing the economies and societies of the three countries. It also attempted to address the lack of discussion and teaching on environment and climate change in these three countries by piloting a way of incorporating these issues into formal and informal education through participatory arts-based methodologies. In enabling a knowledge exchange on these issues through the UK exhibition and programme, the project also brought these issues to the attention of publics in the UK. Gender equality: Whilst the project did not originally require a gender equality plan, the project afforded opportunities for people of all genders to be involved at all levels of the project. The core leadership and team comprised exclusively of women, and two of the four partner organisations were headed by women. Among the beneficiaries of the project - including the young people in Cuba, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Jordan - there was a relatively even split between genders. More women than men were involved as participants and beneficiaries in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Cuba, but relatively fewer in Jordan, due to cultural factors. However, every effort was made to include as many female participants as possible in Jordan. Since the teaching profession is often dominated by women, the beneficiaries of the findings related to teaching will likely be disproportionally women. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2019 |
| Sector | Creative Economy,Education |
| Impact Types | Cultural,Societal |
| Description | Participatory and arts methodologies in teaching in Cuba and Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Description | Auranitis Lifeline |
| Organisation | AURANITIS Lifeline |
| Country | Jordan |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | The core team participated in two-days of knowledge exchange activities on environmental and climate change issues in Jordan, which involved visits to the Greening the Desert Project, small and medium-sized desert permaculture farms, and a sustainable weaving cooperative that worked with local women in the Dead Sea region. The core team provided training for local facilitators and oversight of the participatory storytelling and photography workshops that took place in Amman, Jordan. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Auranitis Lifeline organised two-days of knowledge exchange activities (as detailed above) and a two-day photography and storytelling workshop for local young people. The workshop included a trip to the Greening the Desert project, where young people learned about some of the environmental and climate change issues in Jordan, and sustainable planting and permaculture farming in arid conditions. Auranitis Lifeline also organised a one-day public exhibition of the photographs taken by workshop participants, and contributed to the exhibition and programme at Tate Exchange. |
| Impact | Two days of knowledge-exchange workshops with core research team; Two days of participatory photography and storytelling workshops with young people in Jordan; Photographic exhibition in Jordan; Exhibition and programme at Tate Exchange. The outcomes were multidisciplinary, including visual arts, politics and agriculture science disciplines. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Counterpoints Arts |
| Organisation | Counterpoints Arts |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | The project team worked with Counterpoints Arts to produce and programme the four day exhibition and knowledge exchange programme at Tate Exchange. Members of the project team also contributed a workshop on Picturing Climate in May 2019 to another Counterpoints Arts project titled, Who Are We? (whoareweproject.com) |
| Collaborator Contribution | Counterpoints Arts participated in and contributed to the knowledge exchange workshops in Cuba, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Jordan. Counterpoints Arts contributed to the exhibition and programme at the Tate Exchange and took the lead on on organising and programming the 'Tate Late' portion of the Tate Exchange programme. |
| Impact | Exhibition and programme at Tate Exchange, specifically the Tate Late portion of the programme. The collaboration was interdisciplinary and cross-sector, involving politics, sociology, visual and performative arts, and academia and third-sector organisations. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Most Mira and International Burch University |
| Organisation | International Burch University |
| Country | Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The core team contributed to two days of knowledge exchange workshops on socio-political context of post-conflict societies (focussing on Bosnia and Herzegovina), the relationship between post-conflict contexts, peace-building, and environmental and sustainability issues in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and an exhibition of the films and photography series produced by project participants. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Most Mira organised and led a week-long participatory theatre and photography workshop with young people in a rural part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The workshops generated four theatre performances on issues of environmental degradation and climate change in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and three photography series exploring these issues. Most Mira also organised two days of knowledge exchange workshops (detailed above). As part of the two days, Most Mira, in partnership with International Burch University also organised a knowledge exchange workshop between participants in this project and participants in their annual peace-building initiative, enabling local young people to share knowledge and experiences of environmental and climate change issues with a cohort of international peers. Most Mira and International Burch University also organised an exhibition of work in progress (films and photography series). Finally, Most Mira and International Burch University contributed to the production and curation of the exhibition and programme at Tate Exchange. During the Tate Exchange programme, Most Mira and International Burch University also organised a day-long knowledge exchange programme for teachers who travelled from Bosnia and Herzegovina, to meet with teachers and third sector organisation working in London and learn about participatory and arts-based methodologies and pedagogies. |
| Impact | Week-long participatory theatre workshop that generated four filmed performances and three photography series; Two days of knowledge exchange workshops; Exhibition of work in progress (films and photography series) in Kevljani, Bosnia and Herzegovina; Contribution to producing and curating exhibition and programme at Tate Exchange; Day-long knowledge exchange programme for Bosnian teachers in London. The outcomes were multi-disciplinary, including politics, sociology, education and visual and performative arts disciplines. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Most Mira and International Burch University |
| Organisation | Most Mira |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | The core team contributed to two days of knowledge exchange workshops on socio-political context of post-conflict societies (focussing on Bosnia and Herzegovina), the relationship between post-conflict contexts, peace-building, and environmental and sustainability issues in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and an exhibition of the films and photography series produced by project participants. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Most Mira organised and led a week-long participatory theatre and photography workshop with young people in a rural part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The workshops generated four theatre performances on issues of environmental degradation and climate change in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and three photography series exploring these issues. Most Mira also organised two days of knowledge exchange workshops (detailed above). As part of the two days, Most Mira, in partnership with International Burch University also organised a knowledge exchange workshop between participants in this project and participants in their annual peace-building initiative, enabling local young people to share knowledge and experiences of environmental and climate change issues with a cohort of international peers. Most Mira and International Burch University also organised an exhibition of work in progress (films and photography series). Finally, Most Mira and International Burch University contributed to the production and curation of the exhibition and programme at Tate Exchange. During the Tate Exchange programme, Most Mira and International Burch University also organised a day-long knowledge exchange programme for teachers who travelled from Bosnia and Herzegovina, to meet with teachers and third sector organisation working in London and learn about participatory and arts-based methodologies and pedagogies. |
| Impact | Week-long participatory theatre workshop that generated four filmed performances and three photography series; Two days of knowledge exchange workshops; Exhibition of work in progress (films and photography series) in Kevljani, Bosnia and Herzegovina; Contribution to producing and curating exhibition and programme at Tate Exchange; Day-long knowledge exchange programme for Bosnian teachers in London. The outcomes were multi-disciplinary, including politics, sociology, education and visual and performative arts disciplines. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Riera Studio |
| Organisation | Riera Studio |
| Country | Cuba |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | The core team as well as partners from Bosnian and Herzegovina contributed to three days of knowledge exchange workshops on environment, sustainability and climate change in Cuba, and on participatory photography, storytelling and theatre as methodologies for exploring these issues. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Riera Studio organised three days of knowledge exchange workshops in Havana, Cuba on environment, sustainability, and climate change, and on participatory photography, storytelling and theatre as methodologies for exploring these issues. These workshops included a trip to a mid-size eco urban farm on the outskirts of Havana to lean about agricultural production, distribution and sustainability in Havana, as well as to a botanical gardens to learn from experts about native and invasive plant species in Cuba and a variety of planting techniques, including traditional permaculture. Riera Studio also led a hands-on project with a local school to plant and maintain an urban vegetable garden on school grounds, and to teach students about the health and sustainability value of such initiatives. In relation to this, Riera Studio also produced an illustrated Spanish-language manual for students, parents and teachers on how to plant and care for an urban vegetable garden so that the project could be replicated in other schools and neighbourhoods in Havana. Finally, Riera Studio organised a public photography exhibition in relation to the above project in Havana, and participated in producing and curating the exhibition and programme at Tate Exchange. |
| Impact | Three days of knowledge exchange workshops, as described above; Photographic exhibition in Havana, Cuba; Illustrated Spanish-language manual on how to plant and care for an urban vegetable garden; Exhibition and programme at Tate Exchange. All outputs were interdisciplinary, involving politics, visual and performative arts, ecology and agriculture science disciplines. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Tate Exchange Picturing Climate and Power to Change Programmes |
| Organisation | Tate |
| Department | Tate Modern, London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | The final exhibition and programme of the Picturing Climate project took place at Tate Exchange, Tate Modern, London. The project team produced and curated the programme, and participated in the workshops, roundtable discussion and symposia that were held there. In part as a result of Picturing Climate, members of the project team were invited to work with Tate Exchange on their new initiative, the 'Power to Change', a programme in response to the Tate's declaration of climate emergency. The programme runs through 2020, and will include climate assemblies, a climate well-being and action cafe, and a 'long table' conversation at the Tate Modern to consider artistic and cultural responses to the climate emergency. Project members participated in the agenda setting meeting organised at the Tate Exchange in February and will participate in the events planned in 2020. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Tate Exchange has made a significant in-kind contribution to the Picturing Climate project by providing the space for the final exhibition and programme; curatorial, logistical and technical support; and marketing and advertising of the event. Picturing Climate project partners are not directly involved in the 'Power to Change' collaboration, but the invitation to collaborate is in part attributable to the success of the Picturing Climate exhibition and programme at the Tate Exchange, to which Riera Studio, Most Mira, Auranitis Lifeline and Counterpoints Arts made significant contributions. |
| Impact | The Picturing Climate exhibition and programme were a direct result of this collaboration. The collaboration is multi-disciplinary, involving politics, sociology, education, and visual and performative arts disciplines. As part of the 'Power to Change' programme Tate Exchange is organising a number of multi-disciplinary and cross-sector events, beginning with the Tate Climate Assembly on 30th March, 2020. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Auranitis Lifeline Knowledge Exchange Workshops |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
| Results and Impact | Auranitis Lifeline organised two days of knowledge exchange activities on environmental and climate change issues in Jordan, which involved visits to the Greening the Desert Project, small and medium-sized desert permaculture farms, and a sustainable weaving cooperative that worked with local women in the Dead Sea region. This increased the network's knowledge of environment and climate change related issues in Jordan, and attempts at mitigating their effects. Auranitis Lifeline also organised a two-day photography and storytelling workshop for 8 young people. The workshop included a trip to the Greening the Desert project, where young people learned about some of the environmental and climate change issues in Jordan, and sustainable planting and permaculture farming in arid conditions. Young people reported gaining knew knowledge of environmental issues in Jordan, and new photography, storytelling and presentation skills. Auranitis Lifeline also organised a one-day public exhibition of the photographs taken by workshop participants, and contributed to the exhibition and programme at Tate Exchange. These two activities are reported on in Creative and Artistic Products. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | http://picturingclimate.net |
| Description | Exhibition and Programme at Tate Exchange |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Four day public exhibition and knowledge exchange programme at the Tate Exchange, Tate Modern, London (November 28th - December 1st, 2019) which included workshops, seminars, roundtable discussions (for full programme, see picturingclimate.net). 2,207 people attended the programme over the course of the four days. Approximately 25-30 people participated in each of the workshops, seminars and roundtable discussions. Feedback from these indicated that participants's understanding of the potential role of arts-based practices in teaching, generating discussion, and action on environment and climate change had increased significantly, and that they saw a much greater use for these kinds of methodologies for generating engagement on climate change issues. Approximately 20 Master's students attended a guided tour and specially organised seminar on contemporary Cuban art; the socially engaged work of Riera Studio; Cuban politics and environment; and the potential of art to intervene in these issues. The experience generated further discussion on and interest in these issues later in the classroom. This engagement activity is also reported under Creative and Artistic Product. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | http://picturingclimate.net |
| Description | Most Mira and International Burch University Knowledge Exchange Workshops |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
| Results and Impact | Most Mira organised and led a week-long participatory theatre and photography workshop with young people in a rural part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 10 young people participated in this workshop. The workshop generated four theatre performances on issues of environmental degradation and climate change in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and three photography series exploring these issues. The young people participating reported that environmental issues were previously not something that they thought much about, but through the research they did as part of the workshops the realised how serious environmental degradation is in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and how seriously climate change and environmental degradation has affected their local area and its economy. They also reported that through would be changing some of their individual practices (around recycling and consumption, for example) because of this knowledge. As part of the two days, Most Mira, in partnership with International Burch University, also organised a knowledge exchange workshop between participants in this project and participants in their annual peace-building initiative, enabling local young people to share knowledge and experiences of environmental and climate change issues with a cohort of international peers. 20 young people participated in this, and reported learning a lot about the relationship between post-conflict contexts, peace building and environmental concerns, which they previously never thought were related or relevant. Most Mira and International Burch University also organised an exhibition of work in progress (films and photography series) and contributed to the production and curation of the exhibition and programme at Tate Exchange. These activities are reported on in Creative and Artistic Products. During the Tate Exchange programme, Most Mira and International Burch University also organised a day-long knowledge exchange programme for teachers who travelled from Bosnia and Herzegovina, to meet with teachers and third sector organisation working in London and learn about participatory and arts-based methodologies and pedagogies. The teachers and local government official who travelled with them reported a desire to implement more of these kinds of methodologies in local classrooms and community programmes, as they thought they were particularly useful to teaching about sensitive issues in post-conflict contexts. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | http://picturingclimate.net |
| Description | Picturing Climate Presentation at Who Are We? Project, Tate Exchange |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Picturing Climate team members presented some preliminary outcomes, findings and reflections from the first part of the Picturing Climate project (workshops and events in Cuba) at a seminar during the 2019 Who Are We? programme at the Tate Exchange. The presentation sparked interest among postgraduate students, artists and third sector organisations who were interested in working at the intersection of arts and environment, as well as in working with participatory methods in non-Western contexts. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | http://whoareweproject.com |
| Description | Picturing Climate Website and Instagram |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | In 2019 the Picturing Climate website had 2,218 page views, 1,089 visits, and 915 unique visitors. In the first two months of 2020, the website had 229 page views, 134 visits and 117 unique visitors. As the official completion date of the project was the end of 2019, continued site visits indicate contributed interest in and impact of the project. 50% of the website visitors come from the UK, and 50% from elsewhere, including countries in southern, central, eastern and Northern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (including Turkey and Morocco), East Asia (including China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Korea and Vietnam), Australia, Canada, and Kenya, among others. Website analytics also indicates significant engagement with the blogs published on the website, especially those on participatory and theatre based methodologies of teaching in post-conflict contexts. The @picturingclimate Instagram continues to be active and instrumental in extending the network established through the Picturing Climate project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019,2020 |
| URL | http://picturingclimate.net |
| Description | Riera Studio Knowledge Exchange Workshops |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
| Results and Impact | Riera Studio organised three days of knowledge exchange workshops in Havana, Cuba on environment, sustainability, and climate change, and on participatory photography, storytelling and theatre as methodologies for exploring these issues. These workshops included a trip to a mid-size eco urban farm on the outskirts of Havana to learn about agricultural production, distribution and sustainability in Havana, as well as to a botanical gardens to learn from experts about native and invasive plant species in Cuba and a variety of planting techniques, including traditional permaculture. 9 project members, including colleagues from the UK and Bosnia and Herzegovina participated in these activities, and in networking with local Cuban agriculture experts, farmers, teachers and artists and cultural sector practitioners. Riera Studio also led a hands-on project with a local school to plant and maintain an urban vegetable garden on school grounds, and to teach students about the health and sustainability value of such initiatives. 20 students 3 teachers participated in this, and in a related trip the botanical gardens to learn about Cuban plant species. A different group of approximately 30 students and 5 teachers participated in a theatre and storytelling workshop. Following this, teachers and the school principle expressed the desire for more training on how to use participatory and arts-based methodologies to engage students. Teachers in other schools and parents expressed interest in having a similar programme of activities in their schools. In response to this, Riera Studio produced an illustrated Spanish-language manual for students, parents and teachers on how to plant and care for an urban vegetable garden, so that the project could be replicated. Finally, Riera Studio organised a public photography exhibition in relation to the above project in Havana, Cuba, and participated in producing and curating the exhibition and programme at Tate Exchange (reported under Artistic and Creative Products). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | http://picturingclimate.net |