Earlier this year, we were delighted to receive funds from Creative Ireland, Sligo, to embark on a new local initiative, exploring themes of climate action with 2nd–6th Class children at Carns NS, Moneygold, Co. Sligo, with support from Sligo Environmental Network.

Creative Director Jo Holmwood, and visual artist Vanya Lambrecht Ward worked with the children through dialogue and creative activity. Their particular focus was on water as a central element representing the interconnectedness of global and climate change issues. Over two sessions, the group engaged in lots of discussion about water and identified questions that they would like to investigate through individual research. They also took a walk to nearby Milk Harbour, and created beautiful artworks using inks with ice; and inks with salt and water.

This small-scale initiative was an exploration into ways of supporting children to engage with climate change and have their voices heard on this important issue. Kids’ Own will develop a poster or manifesto to present some of the ideas and thinking that the children developed through this process.

Through the project, Dr. Connie Nell from Sligo Environmental Network developed some initial research and observations on children’s role as climate activists, the impact of supporting children’s voices to be heard on this issue, and the value of creative approaches in supporting children’s engagement with climate change and climate action. The report below outlines Dr Nell’s observations from her discussions with the children through this project.

Read the report by clicking here. 

We hope to build on this in the future, so that more children can take part in similar processes that support them to engage with climate action through research and dialogue, observation, localised actions and creative activity, to build a bigger body of work that can share their voices, ideas and artwork with a wider audience on this topic.