Keele Research Repository

Climate change is a pressing global issue, but attempts to communicate climate change have not always been successful in engaging the public. This project aims to develop art and music as alternative methods of communication, instead of traditional science communication. Despite abundant research into the ineffectiveness of traditional science communication, research into alternative methods is limited. The inter-relationship between geography and art is widely recognised, but, research on its application to communicate current global issues is insufficient.
By means of systematic review, this project assesses academic research and projects conducted by climate change artists. Methods that both the research and the artists deemed effective for communication were drawn out and composed into a template. This template was then used to further develop four artists’ projects previously assessed in the review. The artist’s projects were modified and adapted as case studies to adhere to the template. The template was then reassessed and tested through an original project as an example of how the template could be applied to climate change communication. The template is designed to be used as a guide for those actively trying to communicate climate change issues to the general public. The template aims to help communicators create artwork that is both effective and engaging.
This project discovered that alternative methods of communication, especially art and music, can be effective as a new means of communicating climate change and should not be overlooked. It was found effective communication should not use fear to represent climate change and should use a combination of methods. There should also be assurance that the communication is trustworthy and appropriate for the intended target audience. An explanation is also provided as to why traditional methods of communication appear ineffective, and how these methods can be adapted to engage the public.