Arts and Environment

From The Center for Effective Philanthropy: "Despite the urgency of climate change and the narrowing window for action, philanthropic funding to address climate change remains very limited. Total philanthropic giving by foundations and individuals focused on climate change mitigation represents less than two percent of total global philanthropic giving, according to the ClimateWorks Foundation. While there is some evidence of increased momentum in recent years, more action will be needed to match the scale of the climate crisis."

"We are at a historic crossroads — a social, environmental and economic reckoning hastened by COVID-19 and a global movement for racial equity. As arts and culture funders, we’ve seen how the landscape is shifting," said co-authors Rocío Aranda-Alvarado and Lane Harwell. "Artists and storytellers are regrounding and reimagining themselves, reshaping arts infrastructure and systems that have never been equitable or sustainable, and working to realize the narrative possibilities to come."

The Packard Foundation’s Bioenergy strategy is issuing a request for project proposals to grassroots organizations based in the U.S. South or Canada that have programs focused on frontline community organizing and power-building around social, environmental, or climate justice in one of the following issue areas: Forest protection, Community land rights, Combating extractive energy industries.

"Despite tough lessons learned after Hurricane Harvey, most artists and arts and history organizations in the Houston area are still unprepared for the next disaster," states a new guide by the Houston Arts Alliance designed to help local artists and nonprofits on how to become resilient now.

As Next City writes, "while the idea of scientists collaborating with musicians to create climate science-inspired music may initially sound surprising, it’s actually a very logical approach to solving a pernicious problem. If science doesn’t move people to action, maybe music will."

It’s Friday night. A Netflix subscriber is sitting on their couch, scrolling through an endless feed of entertainment options. They pass by the next episode of Stranger Things, skip over the Marvel movies, shrug at Friday Night Lights. Finally, they land on the latest environmental documentary film release. They grab their blanket and popcorn and eagerly press play.