Art has been playing an important role towards different crises like gender equality, refugees rights, violence. And In the 19th century, the scientists discovered the climate change, so the world’s eyes have turned to this phenomenon. All Countries felt responsible for minimizing the damages that might happen like extreme weather changes. Since then, the global efforts have started to move in the same direction. As we have seen that raising people’s awareness and taking actions like using renewable clean energy became among their priorities. Also, many of the scientists, economists, business men and artists, decided to share the same vision to create a green future for next generations. That’s why artists express in their paintings the burning forests, cutting trees and water disappearing as their way of sending messages effectively. Since then, we can say that the relation between art and climate change has been born.
How can art change minds about Climate Change?
Art, songs, movies and theatre are the closest ways to people’s hearts and minds. That what makes awareness campaigns use one or more of these tools. In fact, the campaigns that depend on art can encourage people to change their way of thinking and affect their behavior. According to the study conducted by the American Psychological Association, the impact of creative art about environmental issues is an effective tool that can change people’s feelings and minds. Also, since COP 21 in 2015, some researches showed that many of the participants who saw artworks there, they became more emotionally aware of the crisis.
It is also important to refer to the United Nations academic impact magazine, that wrote “how art is a powerful tool that can raise awareness with the help of illustrations and comics about climate change”
CARICATUNIS and Climate Change
Something great is happening this year in Egypt, the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP27 is held in sharm Elsheikh. It is a good chance for the whole world to meet and discuss the environmental challenges we face, present solutions as well. So, we decided to begin with ourselves, as we selected climate change and focused this year on it, in the annual international competition for caricature & satirical portrait. And we were so lucky to receive over 1200 artworks from artists from over 50 different countries. In the competition day, we presented most of the artworks we’ve received from all over the world to the public. In the Fayoum Art Center, we truly believe in driving change through art and raising awareness about Climate change.