Season for Change is delighted to launch Common Ground, a programme of four £10,000 commissions for artists, makers or creators, and a professional development programme focused on cultural climate leadership.

The imbalances that exist within the climate movement unfortunately mirror environmental inequalities overall. Therefore, their focus for this programme are artists who belong to one or more of the following groups;

• Black, Asian or from a minority ethnic group in the UK (a person of colour),
• refugee,
• D/deaf, disabled,
• neurodivergent,
• working class
• LGBTQI+.

They all aware these are exceptional times. The circumstances in which this programme was designed – originally building to the COP26 talks that were scheduled for November 2020 in Glasgow – have changed rapidly and dramatically, along with the living and work conditions for so many around the world. While pandemics are by their very nature a global phenomenon, the distribution of Covid-19’s ill effects match the broader societal injustices and imbalances we exist in.

The climate movement is urgent and essential – however, it has not always been representative of those most affected by environmental inequalities. In order to challenge existing imbalances in the climate movement, Common Ground will support four UK-based artists to create artistic work that centres communities and groups that are underrepresented. Common Ground invites applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic (people of colour), refugee, D/deaf, disabled, neurodivergent, working class and LGBTQI+ artists, however will not expect or require them to explore their identity in relation to these groups through the commission. The programme will support artists who may not have responded directly to environmental concerns before, but have a clear sense of the people, communities and environmental challenges they want to work with.

While they are centring climate justice in this call out, we are aware we are building on the work of many activists, researchers, individuals and organisations who have been addressing these problems in their own way.

Thursday 25 June (3pm) and Tuesday 7 July (11am): online briefings on the programme – sign up via Eventbrite

Thursday 30 July (10am): Application deadline

Mid August: Shortlisted artists will be invited to expand on their plans as part of an informal interview.

Week commencing 31st August: All applicants notified of outcome by email

Throughout September: Feedback available to longlisted and shortlisted applicants

14 September: The 4 selected artists begin the Common Ground programme

Spring 2021: Showcase of 4 commissioned works. A date will be announced closer to the time when we better understand how Covid-19 will impact our capacity to gather.

Common Ground Launches