Commissioning community-based art projects to support engagement with nature-based solutions

Understanding social-ecological connection is paramount to adoption and long-term viability of nature-based solutions (NbS). Here, we describe a three-year trial of community-engaged participatory research (CBPR) through an artist commission program run by Engage with Nature-based Solutions (http://...

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Main Authors: Maleea Acker, Kristian Lukas Dubrawski, Crystal Tremblay, Gregg Brill, Marlene Creates, Colton Hash, Erin Robinsong, Annabel Howard
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-05-01
Series:Frontiers in Sustainability
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsus.2025.1592706/full
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author Maleea Acker
Kristian Lukas Dubrawski
Crystal Tremblay
Gregg Brill
Marlene Creates
Colton Hash
Erin Robinsong
Annabel Howard
author_facet Maleea Acker
Kristian Lukas Dubrawski
Crystal Tremblay
Gregg Brill
Marlene Creates
Colton Hash
Erin Robinsong
Annabel Howard
author_sort Maleea Acker
collection DOAJ
description Understanding social-ecological connection is paramount to adoption and long-term viability of nature-based solutions (NbS). Here, we describe a three-year trial of community-engaged participatory research (CBPR) through an artist commission program run by Engage with Nature-based Solutions (http://www.engagewithnbs.ca). The program has thus far commissioned twelve Canadian artists to contribute their artistic research to facilitate conversations about climate change and conceptualizations of NbS. The artists we commissioned created a piece of art for their local community on NbS and climate, facilitated a community-engaged workshop to share their research creation, and supported the development of an online toolkit meant to help other communities engage with NbS and climate change. We suggest that this commission program is a cost-effective way to: (i) reach a diversity of communities typically outside the reach of academia, (ii) enlarge audiences who are engaged with NbS, (iii) provide alternative formats and mediums for engagement and education on NbS, (iv) give credence to artistic work as climate work, and (v) provide opportunities for collaboration between the arts/sciences and community/academia.
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publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
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series Frontiers in Sustainability
spelling doaj-art-0f5bc0fff2324b90a81665cbd3f7e4172025-08-20T02:16:02ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Sustainability2673-45242025-05-01610.3389/frsus.2025.15927061592706Commissioning community-based art projects to support engagement with nature-based solutionsMaleea Acker0Kristian Lukas Dubrawski1Crystal Tremblay2Gregg Brill3Marlene Creates4Colton Hash5Erin Robinsong6Annabel Howard7Geography, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, CanadaGeography, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, CanadaGeography, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, CanadaUniversity of Victoria, Victoria, BC, CanadaIndependent Scholar, Portugal Cove, NL, CanadaIndependent Scholar, Helena, MT, United StatesCentre for Interdisciplinary Studies in Society and Culture, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, CanadaUniversity of Victoria, Victoria, BC, CanadaUnderstanding social-ecological connection is paramount to adoption and long-term viability of nature-based solutions (NbS). Here, we describe a three-year trial of community-engaged participatory research (CBPR) through an artist commission program run by Engage with Nature-based Solutions (http://www.engagewithnbs.ca). The program has thus far commissioned twelve Canadian artists to contribute their artistic research to facilitate conversations about climate change and conceptualizations of NbS. The artists we commissioned created a piece of art for their local community on NbS and climate, facilitated a community-engaged workshop to share their research creation, and supported the development of an online toolkit meant to help other communities engage with NbS and climate change. We suggest that this commission program is a cost-effective way to: (i) reach a diversity of communities typically outside the reach of academia, (ii) enlarge audiences who are engaged with NbS, (iii) provide alternative formats and mediums for engagement and education on NbS, (iv) give credence to artistic work as climate work, and (v) provide opportunities for collaboration between the arts/sciences and community/academia.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsus.2025.1592706/fullnature-based solutions (NbS)artclimate changeartistscommunity-engaged researchparticipatory research
spellingShingle Maleea Acker
Kristian Lukas Dubrawski
Crystal Tremblay
Gregg Brill
Marlene Creates
Colton Hash
Erin Robinsong
Annabel Howard
Commissioning community-based art projects to support engagement with nature-based solutions
Frontiers in Sustainability
nature-based solutions (NbS)
art
climate change
artists
community-engaged research
participatory research
title Commissioning community-based art projects to support engagement with nature-based solutions
title_full Commissioning community-based art projects to support engagement with nature-based solutions
title_fullStr Commissioning community-based art projects to support engagement with nature-based solutions
title_full_unstemmed Commissioning community-based art projects to support engagement with nature-based solutions
title_short Commissioning community-based art projects to support engagement with nature-based solutions
title_sort commissioning community based art projects to support engagement with nature based solutions
topic nature-based solutions (NbS)
art
climate change
artists
community-engaged research
participatory research
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsus.2025.1592706/full
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