OUR BACKGROUND

Climate change threatens human and planetary health. Science has demonstrated the obvious solutions - humanity simply needs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions -- but the realization of that solution is impeded by social and political realities, a lack of ecological literacy amongst decision-makers, and often an absence of will on the part of society. The environmental crisis is therefore a cultural crisis, and a sustainable future is only attainable if we culturally transform our entire society. The Arts play a critical role in creating this change. Artists and arts organizations have been identified as strong partners in changing culture with a significant influence on the development of cultural norms, but to date there have been very few scholarly works associated with the role that the Arts can play in creating a sustainable future. This is not a surprise, as scholars and artists are often isolated from each other because of limited opportunities for knowledge exchange, and a lack of common methods for knowledge mobilization.