Global heating is causing weather-related disasters, rising sea levels, changes in food production, climate-related diseases and more. How does the climate crisis impact lives? What role can technology play? And what could the future look like?

Neil Gaiman wrote in his book, Art Matters:

“It is easy to pretend that nobody can change anything, that society is huge and the individual is less than nothing. But the truth is individuals make the future, and they do it by imagining that things can be different.”

Art makes a massive difference to how people see and think about issues and ideas and we’re inviting you to imagine. The Winter Residencies offer three artists from any discipline, career stage and background the opportunity to think, make and share ideas. We want to hear your ideas for artworks that are underpinned by stories or experiences of people, from anywhere in the world, affected by the climate crisis.

Ideas could draw from historical, current or future fictional narratives. You could explore any topics or express any mood from grief and depression, through to optimism and hope. Technology could form part of the narrative and/or the delivery mechanism. We’re pretty open to what this could be but we do want to contribute to making a difference. So how will your idea enable people to relate to what is happening? To understand why it is essential that we act now? And will it provoke action?

We’re super excited to have teamed up with MAYK on this years’ programme. Producers of amazing experiences like SESSION and Now Is The Time To Say Nothing, plus Mayfest Bristol’s international festival of contemporary theatre. MAYK collaborate with artists and audiences to make exciting things happen in unusual ways.

To find out more about the programme and the application process, please head over to the opportunities page to download the Winter Residencies brief.

The deadline for applications is Wed 24 July

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