| Sydney Event! This Media Release below is from the UK based Climate Outreach. They have asked Dr Judith Crispin and myself to appear on a panel next Wednesday 29th March in the evening in Sydney. The Wednesday event is 5-6.30pm at the Utzon Room at the Sydney Opera House. Neither of us are affiliated with the organisation, however they were impressed with the #everydayclimatecrisis Visual Petition and Judith’s work within the indigenous diaspora, so asked. It is a little last minute but if you happen to be in the area and would like to come to the panel event on the Wednesday evening at the Opera House or the Thursday daytime “In Conversation…” at 11am, please email emma.stilts@climateoutreach.org and please let her know if there’s any dietary requirements It is FREE to attend. LINK to register is HERE |
| Critical Climate-Ocean Links Visualised along Sydney’s Harbour Ocean Visuals global photography exhibition raises the bar on inclusive and impactful climate imagery at Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House hosts the Australian launch of the Ocean Visuals initiative, with a free exhibition along the western boardwalk from 29 March to 7 April. Visitors are invited on a visual journey into the critical – but often poorly understood – connections between climate change and oceans. There is a major gap in climate and ocean imagery that can truly engage people, despite so many people’s lived experiences of climate extremes linked to coastlines and oceans. Ocean-climate photography in Australia is dominated by underwater shots of marine biodiversity or lamenting the tragic loss of emblematic reefs. Yet most of the severe climate impact stories of Australia are in bushfires, floods and extreme weather – often in areas underpinned by coastal livelihoods. Everyday Australians aren’t represented in the visual language of climate change – and this needs to change so that people can see themselves in the climate story, and be inspired as agents of change. QUOTE FROM SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE The exhibition showcases the Ocean Visuals collection – generated through a global call inviting any amateur or professional photographer to apply. The collection of 93 images provides new and compelling visual stories of climate change causes, impacts, solutions, resilience and justice. The images are grounded in Climate Visuals’ evidence-based and ethical principles and were selected by an independent and diverse jury. From Australia, to the Pacific Islands, to India, Norway, Mexico and more – the images tell powerful stories, rooted in human lives, cultures and experiences, about the critical interconnectedness of ocean health and climate change. The collection is free to use by the media, journalists, non-profits, campaigners and educators to help tell much-needed new stories of climate change. Registering at the Climate Visuals library enables users to browse and download images from the collection. Ocean Visuals is a response to the urgent need for more impactful, diverse and equitably accessible ocean-climate imagery while ensuring ethical and fair payment to photographers. The initiative aims to raise the bar on visual communication in the UN’s ‘Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development’. “People across Australia are getting more and more concerned about climate change and what it means for their futures. But most also struggle to see themselves in the story of climate action. The Ocean Visuals collection is based on evidence of what works to help people draw closer to, and feel greater agency to act on climate. These powerful images – generated by diverse photographers from Australia and across the world – help to start conversations about how we can play a role” Dr. Amiera Sawas, Climate Outreach The exhibition launches on 29 March with a panel event at the Sydney Opera House on the power of visuals to engage people in the interconnected crises of climate change and ocean health. The event will be chaired by Chris Gambianand bring togethers together a panel of five, diverse, female experts across photography and visual artists, law, Indigenous and Cultural Rights and climate communications: Hilary Wardhaugh, Dr Judith Nangala Crispin and Lekki Maze, Emma Fitch and Dr Amiera Sawas. The all female panel is an attempt to redress the chronic underrepresentation of women in the photographic and climate sectors, and to consciously drive a conversation on what inclusive climate visuals mean in practise. JOIN US Public Program With Hilary Wardhaugh11am, 30 March, along the boardwalkSYDNEY OPERA HOUSECanberra photographer Hilary Wardhaugh developed #everydayclimatecrisis, a community led photography campaign that presented the first ever visual petition to the Federal Government.The petition showed over 1200 images from female photographers depicting the traumatic effects climate change is having across the nation. Hilary will have a copy of the visual petition and will lead a guided tour and be in conversation with Dr Amiera Sawas, discussing common themes found across both projects. TBC Dr Judith Nangala Crispin – to read poetry. About the Sydney Opera House About the Ocean Visuals research, open call and collection Ocean Visuals is a partnership between Climate Visuals (a Climate Outreachproject) and Communications Inc, funded by Erol, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (UK Branch) and Macdoch Foundation / NPT Transatlantic. The ocean plays a vital role in regulating the climate and in doing so protects us from the worst impacts of climate change. Despite this, the links between the climate and the ocean are not commonly understood, talked about or integrated into the way we tackle the climate crisis. Ocean Visuals hopes to better incorporate the ocean and be inclusive of the diverse experiences of coastal communities, including estuaries, rivers, inland waterways, urban, rural and remote environments, into global communications about climate. Climate Visuals and Communications Inc have developed the guidance and briefing note for the Ocean Visuals open call based on industry best practice, published research and evidence on people’s responses to imagery. The aim of the research is to guide civil society, campaigners, media, educators and scientists on the use of visuals to communicate ocean-climate issues more effectively. The eight principles of effective ocean-climate photography are: Show people in ocean and coastal regions with authenticityVisualise the diversity of people-and-ocean connectionsTell new storiesFind ocean and climate causes, impacts and solutions at scalePair emotionally powerful impacts with positive actionsDevelop ideas to invite curiosity and foster engagementPrioritise ethics, safety, wellbeing and prevention of harmBe aware of problem narratives A global, equitable and open call for photography took place from 1-14 September, 2022. The call highlighted and heard new narratives and voices direct from communities around the world. The objective was to source and licence 100 powerful images taken by both professional and amateur photographers. This open call distributed a total licensing fund of US $100,000 – with all final images selected by a diverse and independent jury, before professional verification and advisory board review including the removal of images that contradict beyond best-practice regarding representation. Ocean Visuals’ online submission and licensing process considered a broad range of diversity, equity and inclusion factors to ensure that the opportunity was global, accessible, fair, representative, illustrative and impactful. About Climate Visuals Climate Visuals is the world’s only evidence-based programme for climate change photography. It is run by Climate Outreach, a team of social scientists and communication specialists working to widen and deepen public engagement with climate change. Through research, practical guides and consultancy services, Climate Outreach helps organisations communicate about climate change in ways that resonate with the values of their audiences and leads to action. About Communications Inc Communications Inc is a small communications agency with big ideas, which works with non-profits around the globe. We put our specialist experience and wide-ranging network of contacts to work for our clients, addressing social and environmental issues across the globe, yet we remain approachable, adaptable and passionate. To grab attention, set agendas and change behaviour you need a creative and thoughtful communications strategy, one that is based on a thorough and realistic analysis of your situation and environment. You also need an agency that understands the particular challenges and opportunities of non-for-profits and international communications. About GLIDER GLOBAL Our Australian impact partner Glider Global led the concept, creative and design for the promotional campaign, allowing campaign partners open access to the Ocean Visuals social media pack to amplify the reach and uplift of the project globally. Glider is a research and conceptual studio, working in the area of human futures, transformation and new form experience design for positive social impact. We focus our work on the big human issues shaping our society and the future, and create compelling physical and digital experiences that move people to think, feel, be and do in new and fuller ways. As a transdisciplinary studio, our partnerships with research institutes, cities, governments, industries, NGOs, foundations and the wider public, seek out innovative, and often unexpected, new ways to spark meaningful conversations about what it is to be alive, and all the fullness of what it means to Be Human. |
