Art for Climate Justice

In collaboration with the Open Society Foundations, the Prince Claus Fund presents Art for Climate Justice—Reimagining Sustainable Futures: an event that integrates artistic practices and ancestral knowledge to foster connections, exchanges and inspiration for exploring alternative solutions to the climate crisis. The one-week event, taking place one year prior to the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Belém (COP30), will culminate in a multidisciplinary public programme. 

The event focuses on fostering South-to-South connections and exchanging methodologies and experiences in articulating non-hegemonic forms of knowledge to envision models of climate justice, both locally and globally. During the week of September 16–21, Open Society Foundations Soros Arts Fellows and Prince Claus Fund CAREC Fellows will meet with a variety of artists, changemakers and organisations in Belém do Pará, Brazil, one of the principal cities in Brazil’s Amazon region, aiming to connect diverse practices and perspectives on climate justice, addressing topics such as land rights, models of social and economic development and their socio-environmental impact, as well as environmental racism and greenwashing. 

“The event highlights the pivotal role of artists and climate activists in driving innovative solutions that address climate crises through the transformative power of culture. Their unique perspectives and creative solutions are vital in fostering alternative sustainable futures. We are thrilled by the prospect of collaborating with partners based in Brazil and globally, sharing diverse insights, and uniting our efforts to create a resilient planet for generations to come.” —Marcus Tebogo Desando, Executive Director of the Prince Claus Fund.

Art for Climate Justice is curated by a curatorial committee made up of international and local artists and activists aiming to create space for exchanges and respond to the needs on the ground. The committee consists of Renata Aguiar—visual artist, educator and researcher, investigating the poetic-political relations of the body-image and currently based in Belém, Priscila Cobra—Afro-Indigenous multidisciplinary artist, journalist and musician, Zayaan Khan—who works in food justice, land justice, and seed justice as a storyteller and multidisciplinary artist based in South Africa.

The event will unfold across two stages: the initial three days will feature a more intimate gathering for the Soros Art Fellows, CAREC Fellows, and local partners, aimed at delving into practices and strategies of alternative climate crisis solutions. This will be followed by a two-day public event for a wider audience, which runs from September 20–21, offering a meaningful platform for engagement with local community members, sharing and amplifying the discourse around key challenges and opportunities regarding climate justice. The programme will highlight the vital role of cultural agents and artists in responding to the realities of socio-environmental struggles and will feature activities such as workshops, performances, screenings, panel discussions and presentations.

Among partners, the event will feature The Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi (MPEG), a national Brazilian research institution and museum located in the city of Belém. The institution has the mission of researching, cataloging and analyzing the biological sociocultural diversity of the Amazon Basin, contributing to its cultural memory and its regional development.

More information about the event and its participants will be available soon on the Prince Claus Fund website.