Kids’ Own was 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. Creative Director Jo Holmwood, and visual artist Vanya Lambrecht Ward have been working with 21 children through dialogue and creative activity, with a particular focus 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.

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.

Through the project, we also engaged Dr. Connie Nell from Sligo Environmental Network to develop some research into 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.