Interactive art workshop on climate justice. York St John University, York, UK (2025)

kasturihazarika01
Jul 13
2 min read

Updated: Aug 25

Session 5: Climate Change and Environmental Justice

Art-based Methods in Environment and Climate Change Education: A Participatory and Collaborative Approach to Teaching and Learning in HE – Dr Kasturi Hazarika

There are many problems facing the real world today that should be addressed; however, they are not easily apparent and are mired in layers and layers of complex issues. The task, then, is to identify the interlinkages and grapple with the complexities, working through them in a systematic manner to understand the issues at hand. Climate change and environmental justice present complex challenges that require a collaborative approach and a variety of innovative methods to be addressed effectively. This session will experiment with a method that uses art to prepare students to examine real-world problems, thereby developing their observation skills and levels of engagement.

This interactive session will encourage participants to make use of the everyday objects they carry with them to develop their awareness and understanding of the environment and climate change. This will be complemented by an art installation on issues surrounding the environment and climate change. Viewers/participants will be invited to discuss the exhibits both verbally and in writing. They will also be given the opportunity to respond through collaborative art making, using creativity to depict their understanding of these issues and visualize how to tackle them.

The philosophy underpinning this interactive session is the idea that although reading and literary analysis might raise awareness of a problem, awareness alone won't advance the cause. There needs to be real engagement encouraging divergent and out-of-the-box thinking, and a coming together to create innovative solutions—to do something about the issue. Only then can teaching and learning make a tangible impact. Art can help in both visualising and realising possibilities in praxis.