Seventeenth International Conference on the Arts in Society

Abstract

Climate change and its associated problems are not only science-based issues, but uniquely intertwined with human culture. Therefore, addressing climate change through scientific solutions alone is impossible because the ideologies that created the problem in the first place are completely embedded into many of the world’s cultures. Further, while much of the global population is aware of climate change, very few are motivated or moved into action, or feel that they have the power to create change. Many feel paralyzed by the societal systems that seem to prevent change and have begun to lose hope (also known as the “hope gap”. Artists and the wider cultural community have a unique and critical role to play in this change of culture, a reimagining of how to live on the planet, and potentially in offering hope for the future. Rising to the challenge is Climate Change Action Theater (CCTA) which uses theatre to bring communities together and encourage them to take local and global action on climate. The aim of CCTA is to produce stories about climate change in ways that are engaging and empowering to their audiences. This study examines the 50 scripts of plays from the September 2021 season of Climate Change Action Theatre (CCAT). The language and sentiments of the plays will be closely examined to ascertain major themes and reflections of hope related to climate change, with a specific focus on examining the plays for the role they may play in reducing the “hope gap”.

Presenters

Tarah Wright
Professor, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada

Bethany Mc Morine
Student, Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance (Choreography and Performance) and Environmental Studies, York University, Ontario, Canada