Eco-anxiety and creative responses to the climate and ecological emergency

Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC)

Professor Stewart Barr was awarded an AHRC IAA Creative Invention Award award in order to work with Exeter based CIC Art and Energy. The Art and Agency project was a collaborative project to respond to the rising concern about eco-anxiety, by working with arts practitioners and activists to explore how creativity can be mobilised to understand anxieties about environmental change and provide alternative, hopeful pathways of response.  

The challenge

Addressing the Climate and Ecological Emergency is conventionally approached through technical and rational ‘solutions’ focused initiatives, such as the deployment of new technologies to mitigate and adapt to climate change, or the application of behavioural research to promote pre-determined actions.

Both approaches are indicative of a hierarchical and passive response to climate and ecological challenges, which can frequently be alienating and limiting. Indeed, this dis-connection can fuel forms of eco-anxiety, meaning publics are left without agency to develop creative and embodied responses.  

What was done to help

The project was envisioned and delivered by both partners, drawing upon the strengths and experiences of each other. Exeter Geography, through the University of Exeter played an important supporting role in bringing insights from the social sciences into the work of Art and Energy, resulting in an action-focused piece of work spanning ten months.

An initial event launch was held, focused on eco-anxiety and behaviour change to a group of 24 creative practitioners, followed by a conversation and feedback session. This event set the tone and focus for the forthcoming 8-week workshop series, including by helping the recruitment of some of the participants. 

Following a rapid review of existing research into eco-anxiety and behaviour change, Art and Energy alongside the University of Exeter team, co-developed the 8-week workshop series with a focus on areas of the research which could be unpacked through creative processes and conversation/reflection, alongside specialists. 

Shared journals were developed and created as part of the workshop process and swapped between participants. The journaling process helped to develop a shared understanding of how creativity intersects with eco-anxiety and provided further space to explore and apply learning and knowledge gained during the workshops. 

A final event was held to share the  findings from the project attended by participants and additional public. This event created an opportunity for discussion about the themes and findings, and how to hone the language to better fit the tone of the project to non-academic audiences. 

The results

The project resulted in greater knowledge and application of eco-anxiety at the threshold of creative practice. This was demonstrated through increased skills, understanding and competence of individuals, within the provision of a valued, safe and semi-therapeutic space to manage eco-anxiety.  

The successful development of partnership with non-academic practitioners raised capabilities for working collaboratively to address eco-anxiety through creative practice and resulted in an increased motivation to work through artistic practice to engage publics in addressing eco-anxiety.