This report is in note form - our conversation was excellent and spanned topics as practical as making connections with local activism groups and connecting them with relevant pieces in a programme to provide a conduit that encourages audiences to act on work they have viewed, to whether art is worthwhile in this time of crisis or should we all be planting trees instead...

Blue Planet example - created changes in plastics through having BBC as a huge platform.
However all the changes, despite being high profile, will never be sufficient to avert climate disaster.

If you're smaller scale then you're smaller scale - you can only access the audience you have.

Replicating across a small scale = big scale - although requires collective action and the collectivisation of a unified message for mass communication.

Also a question over what is political and telling human, universal stories - personal is political, identity politics, how can we translate this emotional connection and experience to issues such as climate change?

Universal Story Method - creating stories big enough to cross boundaries and unify and/or snowball effect of lots of little messages.

Some things feel too big to tackle - eg climate change - what can we actually do even after acknowledging the problem?
can we partner with local activist organisations that are trusted and have action points - eg Extinction Rebellion

Is there a way to collectively decide what messages we are sending?
ie could we as a community of theatre practitioners decide that all our output in 2020 was going to look at some aspect of climate change?
Could unions help?

Do we reach enough people to make this worthwhile anyway?
Small venues can reach people that spread the word, inspire others and communicate ideas

Example of the anti-facist movement in 70/80s where small/medium scale venues, as well as non-traditional theatre techniques and spaces, were found to be more effective, along with satirical/subversive actions
Could arts organisations partner with unions in the same way as happened then and ensure there is always a call to action?
Extinction rebellion uses theatrical techniques on the street and methods based on Act Up movement in the 80s

Depth vs Breadth of engagement in terms of audience numbers

Arts can promote sympathy, empathy, community and unity in a way that many other mediums (eg mainstream media) do not always have the opportunity to - is this enough? What are we fighting for if without the arts we don't have the quality of life we want? Arts can provide hope to people in times of need and raise living standards - so not time for us all to give up and go plant trees just yet! However we are at a crisis point as a globe in terms of climate change, late stage capitalism and rise (again) of facism - so conversation needs to result in positive action.

Art and creative practice can provide skills in critical thinking, questioning and lateral thinking that are not taught in schools but are vital to a healthy society and culture as well combating the current epidemic of mental health issues.

Theatre can ask the hard questions and art needs to play a leading role in communication, linking to direct action and local action groups, as well as leading by example - 360 degree thinking and practicing what you preach

For young people - this period of change is particularly upsetting and difficult but also provides an opportunity for questioning assumptions, capitalism, materialism, individualism and more so optimism still possible! Currently we are in a period of transition and witnessing the erosion of our current societal monoliths.

Arts leaders - why are you not lobbying around climate change - should be the top of everyone's agendas but what are our industry leaders actually doing about it?

Apart from Unions - have there been other attempts to collectivise for action that are still in place we could access?
do we need a new language around collective action that is less associated with old style trade unions but works with modern technology through which we could work to collectively use arts and artistic practice to push for change and social justice?