In a time of change – Performing and visual arts at Bonanza Creek LTER

Background/Question/Methods

The arts and humanities have a powerful capacity to create lines of communication between the public, policy and scientific spheres. A growing network of visual and performing artists, writers and scientists has been actively working together since 2007 to integrate scientific and artistic perspectives on climate change at Bonanza Creek LTER in interior Alaska. These efforts have involved field workshops and collaborative creative processes culminating in public performances and a visual art exhibit. A related effort targeted K12 students, through an early college course entitled Climate Change and Creative Expression, which was offered to high school students at a predominantly Alaska Native charter school and integrated climate change science, creative writing, theatre and dance. Our program at Bonanza Creek Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) site is just one of many successful efforts to integrate arts and humanities with science within and beyond the NSF LTER Program. This network of arts and humanities projects, called Ecological Reflections (www.ecologicalreflections.com), is working to build increase participation by research sites across the country. 

Results/Conclusions

The efforts of Ecological Reflections and Bonanza Creek LTER to engage the arts and humanities with science, the public and policymakers have successfully generated excitement, facilitated mutual understanding, and promoted meaningful dialogue on issues facing science and society. The most recent multimedia event at Bonanza Creek LTER was entitled In a Time of Change: Envisioning the Future, and challenged artists and scientists to consider future scenarios of climate change. This project culminated in a public performance featuring original theatre, modern dance, Alaska Native Dance, poetry and music that was presented concurrently with an art exhibit featuring original works by 24 Alaskan visual artists. The K12 project, Climate Change and Creative Expression, resulted in an original performance of dance, poetry, music and theatre by students. Ongoing arts and humanities projects at Bonanza Creek LTER include a new visual arts project focused on wildfire in Alaska with the Joint Fire Science Program and the Alaska Fire Science Consortium (In a Time of Change: The Art of Fire), and a multimedia project on the theme of predator / prey interactions in partnership with Denali National Park & Preserve (In a Time of Change: Trophic Cascades). Selected visual art pieces from several LTER sites are also now on a tour to several U.S. cities.