The Role of Art in Social and Ecological Change

Art is a powerful tool for bringing about and promoting not only dramatic social change but also ecological transformations. The role of art in form of music, storytelling, painting, embroidery, photography, illustrations and films among others cannot be overemphasised in the pursuit of social and ecological transformations in Africa and world over.

Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, the Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker notes that:

“Good art can educate and create empathy, and empathy leads to change.”

Various artistic expressions have especially been employed in communicating the threat of climate change and suggesting solutions. The 2006 Oscar-winning documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” and its 2017 sequel “An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth To Power” are perhaps some of the most popular films about global warming and the changing climate.

Many other forms of art have been used in the field of environment in many ways to facilitate better understanding and discussion of environmental issues. However, art has mostly been utilised in the social themes and less used in the theme of ecology and the environment. There is an important and urgent need for more artistic engagement with ecological issues if deeper understanding and discussion are to be had in the communities and solutions for ecological problems found. Scientific findings and data can also be more effectively communicated to non-expert audience through art. This is what makes art an essential tool in the social and ecological discourses.

Stanley Aneto (Nigerian environmental artist) performing a poem about oil and the environment. (Source: DW)

Opportunity – call for proposals

In an effort to promote the engagement of artists with the ecological issues, our partner the Heinrich Böll Stiftung (hbs) in collaboration with Le Cube have launched an artistic contest on socio-ecological transformations in Africa within the framework of the transformAfrica program. It aims to:

1. to raise awareness on environmental challenges;
2. to showcase best practices and successful ecological initiatives contributing to an inclusive and sustainable transformation; and
3. to promote artists’ engagement on the ecology theme.

Only young artists (40 years or below) from Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa (i.e. the program countries) can submit proposals.

A grant of €2,000 (two thousand Euros) will be awarded to the selected candidate to help them implement their proposed artistic project. In addition, the artistic works will be presented in a public exhibition in Rabat, Morocco in 2020, and their photos will be used in publications and international events of the transformAfrica program.

For more details and guidance on how to apply, please see the advert below or  follow this link for the same in different formats.