When talking about climate action, many think of laws or data. But there’s another powerful way to spark change: art. Stephanie Ashenfelder and Rose Pasquarello Beauchamp from the University of Rochester believe art can educate and inspire action against climate change. Through their Climate Interventions class and projects like EchoLab and the Adirondack Climate Project, they create spaces for sharing stories about our environment.
The Climate Interventions class combines visual arts and performance to tell stories about climate change. Pasquarello Beauchamp, a dance professor, highlights the concept of eco-somatics, which focuses on connecting our bodies to our environmental conversations. Students even travel to the Adirondacks to gather local climate stories and create art inspired by those tales.
Ashenfelder emphasizes the importance of storytelling: “It helps people connect and feel motivated to take action.” This emotional bond can lead to powerful change.
EchoLab, co-founded by Ashenfelder, Pasquarello Beauchamp, and photographer Andrea Gluckman, focuses on art, ecology, and community. One recent project, Watershed Movements, explored whether movement and storytelling could strengthen connections to local watersheds. They found that urban participants near the Genesee River initially felt disconnected but reported a stronger bond after the project. On the other hand, rural participants near the Raquette River already felt connected, showing how experiences can reinforce existing feelings.
This shows that storytelling and movement can deepen our connection to the environment, building empathy essential for climate action. Regular nature experiences foster understanding and drive change.
Another initiative, the Adirondack Climate Project, began in 2022 with the Adirondack Council. They set up a portable audio booth to collect stories about climate change from visitors and locals alike. Students in the Climate Interventions class also help gather these stories.
Every summer, artists from New York State interpret these stories in a micro artist residency. The resulting art gets showcased online and in exhibitions. This blend of storytelling and creativity paints a vivid picture of community feelings about climate change.
Pasquarello Beauchamp believes art plays a crucial role in this process. “Art provides a creative framework to engage with nature,” she says. The Climate Interventions class is designed for young people to explore climate issues in a welcoming and imaginative setting.
These projects not only foster personal connections to nature but also encourage participants to consider their roles in combating climate change. The interdisciplinary nature of their work broadens the reach of climate action efforts within the University community.
Statistics support the effectiveness of using narrative in climate engagement. A recent study by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication found that personal stories about climate change can increase concern and impact. By integrating arts and personal experiences, initiatives like these strive to inspire more individuals to participate in climate action.
Art and expression are often overlooked tools in climate advocacy. However, as Ashenfelder and Pasquarello Beauchamp show, they can create a unique bridge between individual experiences and collective action.
