FORWARD: Issue #6: Climate
Welcome to FORWARD, a digital publication and conversation series from Forecast, a nonprofit that activates, inspires, and advocates for public art that advances justice, health, and human dignity. FORWARD highlights how artists are partnering with cities, institutions, and communities to courageously tackle the vital issues of our time.
This sixth issue focuses on climate, highlighting how art and creativity are raising awareness, engaging vulnerable communities, and spurring action worldwide—with artists as valuable partners. Including inspiring case studies spanning the globe, the issue explores strong creative projects and cross-sector partnerships focused on air pollution, heat extremes, floods, population displacement, and more.
You can navigate the content using the three bars at the top of the page or the arrows at the bottom.
Image: Heat Response, from artists Eve Mosher, Jenna Robb, José Ortiz-Pagán, and Amber Art and Design in partnership with Trust for Public Land, is a multi-pronged project including video, murals, and mobile engagements that uplifted residents’ concerns about urban heat impacts, including this pop-cycle at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Flower Show. Photo courtesy Trust for Public Land.
A cross-sector discussion on how agencies and organizations are embedding artists as creative partners to address climate issues.
This panel, hosted by Forecast and in partnership with CAIR Lab, features the following speakers:
- Benny Starr, musician and cultural strategist who served as the U.S. Water Alliance’s inaugural Artist-in-Residence and Senior Arts & Culture Fellow, and is the founder of Watercolor Creative.
- Maura Jarvis, award-winning water communications specialist and One Water superhero, previously with Philadelphia Water Department’s (PWD) Public Affairs division and Program Manager for Equitable Infrastructure at the US Water Alliance.
- sTo LeN, interdisciplinary artist whose recent work has centered on collaborations with abused landscapes and municipal agencies.
- Barry Keppard, head of MAPC's Public Health Department and supervisor of the agency's regional and local public health department projects as well as the department's Health in All Policies (HiAP) and healthy community design projects.
This panel is moderated by Johanna K Taylor, PhD, a hybrid scholar and arts administrator whose work explores how artists and designers collaboratively expand democratic actions in arts institutions, Associate Professor at Arizona State University and co-founder of CAIR Lab. Watch the conversation, which was held via Zoom on April 25, 2024.
Please consider a donation to make events like this possible.
Our next Change Lab Research Fellow, Paula Castillo, is focusing on climate resilience in public art.
Castillo's Change Lab research aims to pave the way for a climate-resilient future.
As a Change Lab Research Fellow, her work is poised to make a significant impact. She began her Fellowship in April of 2024.
Castillo will explore how our communities can foster more robust collaborations among public art agencies, public artists who are BIPOC and/or low-income and/or rural, and environmental justice researchers and activists. Her research and recommendations have the potential to provide national public art agencies with invaluable templates, tools, and inspiration. This will enable them to better honor, leverage, and develop the climate-resilient aptitudes of marginalized communities. With public artists from these communities leading the charge, this crucial agenda safeguards our minoritized communities from uncertain climate change implications. Castillo's Change Lab research aims to pave the way for a climate-resilient future.
Please consider a donation to support the Change Lab.
Photo: Castillo at the Rio Grande, near Veguita, New Mexico, © Don Usner 2023.
with Emma Robbins, Travis Sheridan, and Dr. Galen Treuer. A FORWARD series panel conversation about how artists are helping to address the climate crisis.
In this cross-sector discussion, learn how public artists are collaborating to help address climate change and work toward climate justice.
This panel discussion, hosted by Forecast Public Art, features the following speakers:
- Emma Robbins (Diné), an artist, activist, and community organizer, managing director of Planet Women, and the founder of The Chapter House.
- Travis Sheridan, chief community officer at Wexford Science + Technology, where he forges strong ties with university partners, civic leaders, and community groups.
- Dr. Galen Treuer, head of Climate Tech and Eonomic Innovation for Miami-Dade County.
Watch the conversation, which was held via Zoom on Friday, December 8, 2023.
Please consider a donation to make events like this possible.
FORWARD: Issue #6
Climate
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