Duluth 365 Tone Lanszillo

Climate, creative arts and our city

As a musician and composer, I have an upcoming global campaign – Culoften experienced the transformative ture x Climate 2020 – that is explorpower of music. ing how our culture and the arts can

Over the years, music has given me engage the public in addressing climate a place to explore such issues as love, change. One of their coordinators relationships, death and aging, and stated that they didn’t have any groups very often has provided a vehicle to participating from Minnesota and mentally and emotionally process the inquired if there may be any interest world around me. in Duluth to join the More recently, I have wondered how the creative arts DULUTH campaign. After speaking to several friends, we said (including poetry, the visual arts and music) could pos365 “yes.” During the week of Nosibly help us gain a deeper vember 16-22, “Culture understanding and appreciation for the various impacts TONE x Climate: Duluth” plans to present and highlight that climate change will have on our current and fuLANZILLO a number of poets, artists, musicians and others ture lives, and then compel from our local creative you and I to act. arts community who are

In 2018, the Stockholm Resil- exploring the environment and climate ience Centre reported that a team change through their artwork and of researchers analyzed hundreds of craft. climate-related art projects and initia- There will be an exhibit of artwork tives from around the world, and the and poetry in the windows of Zeitresults showed that there was an in- geist. The Zenith Bookstore and Public creased “climate change engagement,” Library will present books on climate especially with the narrative, visual change for adults and children on and performing arts. From the use of social media. KUMD and PACT-TV will “participating drama” to understand be interviewing artists and poets who sources of vulnerability, risks and resil- are participating in this project. The ience in communities in Kenya to an Duluth/365 climate initiative, as well art installation in the Iberian Peninsula as other climate and environmental to explore extreme climate change and groups, will be posting information engaging the audience to imagine plu- about various poets, artists, musicians ral futures, the report showed that art and photographers on social media. can “challenge things that tend to be There will be a Facebook event and taken for granted,” and thereby, lead to discussion about the creative arts comnew ways to perceive, understand and munity and climate change on Nov. act upon climate change. 17. (fb.me/e/2BNZ5Di8X) And there

In his book The Ecological Thought, will be a new blog providing informaTimothy Morton wrote, “Art’s ambigu- tion on the creative arts and climate ous, vague qualities will help us think change. (culturexclimateduluth. things that remain difficult to put blogspot.com) into words.” While we are inundated This project will hopefully illustrate with more facts and figures about the how important the creative arts are to climate crisis with each passing day, the quality of life in Duluth. And just it is often very difficult for us to put as significantly, show how the creative into words what we are thinking and arts can be used as a very valuable and how we are feeling about this existen- meaningful tool to engage, educate tial threat facing all of us. And yet, and empower our citizens to address maybe, it will be the poets, artists and climate change. musicians who can help us explore According to Art For Adaptation, our deepest emotions and, at the same a project funded by the Portuguese time, examine how we can process Foundation of Service and Technology, what is happening to the planet. the arts have the potential to challenge

Recently, I received an email about current thinking on climate change by presenting new ways of approaching complex problems.

Art has the capacity to not only raise awareness but also to “use creativity in addressing complex issues, support reflectivity and act as a conduit for cultural renewal.”

By providing creative ways of integrating the “practical, personal and political dimensions of climate change,” art may contribute to more successful adaptation strategies to address climate change.

Their Art for Change program aims to empower young people by exploring new climate narratives and solutions, help to visualize the connection between global climate change and their daily actions, and reflect on the “implications of individual and collec-

tive change towards more sustainable forms of living.”

In order for Duluth to move forward into the future, all of our city’s stakeholders and citizens must gain a better understanding and greater insight into how climate change will impact every phase of our individual and collective lives.

And we need a vibrant creative arts community in Duluth to help all of us become emotionally grounded and mentally prepared for some very difficult and challenging days ahead.

Tone Lanzillo is the coordinator of the Duluth/365 project, asking people to engage in climate change actions within the next 365 days. For information email risson1954@gmail.com.