A €2 million fund for creative projects “that will change our behaviour in relation to climate change” has been launched.
Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin has announced the initiative ‘Creative Climate Action’ on behalf of the Creative Ireland Programme, in collaboration with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.
Engage the public on climate crisis
This new fund invites local authorities and creative practitioners to put their skills of engagement to the cultural challenge of climate change.
This €2 million fund over two years will be administered by the Creative Ireland Programme.
Minister Martin said that this “unique fund” is a call to arms for the arts, heritage and wider creative communities “to engage the public on the climate crisis”.
“If climate change is essentially all about cultural change, then who better than the cultural and creative world to take this on,” the minister added.
‘Meaningfully connect people with the profound changes’
Creative Climate Action is for creative projects that engage the public on the urgent need for climate-related lifestyle and behaviour change.
Collaborative proposals which bring together creative makers from across the arts and creative industries, climate change and environmental NGOs, education, science and civil society sectors, and offer creative, innovative and interdisciplinary solutions will be encouraged.
“We are looking for projects that can meaningfully connect people with the profound changes happening in our environment, society and economy, and which can transform that connection into climate action and behaviour change,” Minister Martin added.
We are looking for ideas that spark imagination, have real impact, reach new audiences and are collaborative.
“Artists, designers, cultural and creative practitioners, who live and work through creative practice, are good at making things visible, starting dialogues, addressing fears and coming up with solutions.
“We want to hear what these solutions are and support them.”
Make changes that can make a real difference
Tania Banotti, director of the Creative Ireland Programme, said:
“Creative Climate Action wants the creative community to focus on large-scale imaginative projects that will make an impact and promote urgent behaviour change.
“We need these projects to reach not only those who are already invested in issues surrounding climate change, but people who feel overwhelmed when considering their own role in reversing climate change.
We hope these creative projects will focus on areas of human activity that have been proven to make the biggest impact on carbon emissions such as our homes, travel, food, shopping and recycling.
“We need these creative projects to empower everyone to make changes that can make a real difference.”
Applications are now open and all explanatory materials are available online. The deadline for applications is May 21 and successful applications will be announced in June.