EMBRACING CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGH ART - THE ARTS IN SOCIETY CONFERENCE

I have presented our project "The Algae Society" at the 14th International Conference Arts in Society, at the Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon, in Portugal which took place on June 19-20.

Since 2018 The Algae Society has been working on several hybrid projects with the aim of warning and informing society of the importance of maintaining healthy marine eco-systems. This drive to support marine life also benefits humanity. As a co-dependent species of the oceans we are feeling the effects of climate change. Effects that scientists have been warning us about for decades. Now the evidence and our first hand experience of extreme weather patterns with unprecedented climate disasters has tipped the scales of our awareness. Species loss is occurring at an alarming rate. Human extinction is now fully on the table as a real possibility.

As a working group of artists, scientists and scholars, we aim to communicate, collaborate, conceive, cooperate, and experiment with algae as a united society bound together in an interdependent system of organisms adapting to global warming. Our collaboration is a creative approach that seeks to benefit, support and educate the public of our symbiotic relationship.

Projects to date have focused primarily on youth culture, to build empathy, love, curiosity and passion as a cohabitating species of the planet. We have developed videogames, with different approaches to talk about the impact of ocean acidification and the importance of algae in our ecosystems, interactive installations, short animation films, and video installations - each project aimed at awakening our sense of responsibility and need to take action against the biggest challenge humanity has had to face in the XXI century.