The effects of climate change are being felt across the world, and with these changes come personal fears and anxieties. In a 2021 study, it was found that almost 60% of the young people surveyed were either ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ worried about climate change. So how can we, in the arts, help? What can we do to help alliviate this anxiety, and how can we use climate stories creatively to inspire change?
In this Cultural Sector Masterclass session, you will hear from:
- Greg Klerkx – a facilitator, producer and writer with a deep belief in the positive creative potential of every human being. In 2023 Greg started The Climate Shift, a project that uses creative activities to explore how a deeper connection to nature can open more space for climate-positive action in our personal and professional lives.
- Jigyasa Labroo - co-founder and CEO of Slam Out Loud (SOL). SOL is a for-mission, non-profit that uses the transformative power of performance and visual arts to build Creative Confidence in disadvantaged children. Jigyasa, with SOL, has also worked with Greg on one of The Climate Shift projects.
- Heena Dave – currently working towards her PhD, Heena is the co-founder of Climate Adapted Pathways for Education (CAPE), and started her career as a flood warning expert and research manager at the Environment Agency. Heena is also a co-author of 'Cracking Key Concepts in Secondary Science.'
The host for this masterclass is:
Dr Matt Winning - a Lecturer (Teaching) in Economics of Sustainability at the University College London and a stand-up comedian who performs live comedy shows about the climate. Matt has performed at New Scientist Live, BAFTA, Soho Theatre, COP28 and the UK Schools Climate Assembly. He wrote 'Hot Mess: What On Earth Can We Do About Climate Change' - the world's first comedy book on the topic, and hosted the BBC Radio 4 series 'Net Zero: A Very British Problem'. He was an author on the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change and had recent papers cited in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) AR6 WG3.
During the masterclass we will be asking:
- How is climate change affecting the young people we work with?
- What can we do to ensure their, and our own, mental health safety when it comes to climate change?
- How we can we use the arts to create open communication pathways with young people in the context of climate change?
This event may be particularly relevant for anyone who is interested in:
- Working with children and young people in creative settings
- Developing a deeper understanding of how climate change is affecting young people.
- Using creativity and arts projects to inspire change.
This free CPD is a part of A New Direction's Cultural Sector Masterclass series for creative learning professionals to reflect upon and strengthen your practice. This session is only available online and won't be recorded.
Find out more: www.anewdirection.org.uk/training-cpd/cultural-sector-masterclasses
