The College of Fine & Applied Arts at Appalachian State University invites members of campus and community to a reception and exhibition titled “Climate Stories—Creative Reflections on Climate Change” on Thursday, Dec. 7 from 5-8 p.m. The event will be held in the HOW Space (182 Howard St.) and is free and open to the public.
This end-of-semester event will feature visual and performance pieces expressing climate stories created by students in more than fifteen classes from across the College. Student works utilize a variety of creative media—painting, sculpture, theatrical performance, videography, photography, design, narrative non-fiction, and more. The event is intended to broaden public engagement in climate change discourse through the use of narrative and creative expression.
Laura England, senior lecturer in the Sustainable Development Department, Derek Davidson, senior lecturer in the Theatre and Dance Department, and Jennie Carlisle, director of the Smith Gallery and instructor in the Art Department, are the lead planners of the event.
“We’re really excited to bring together works created by students across the College,” England commented. “So much of the public discourse on climate change focuses on science and politics, but climate change is a deeply human issue. There are many climate stories that need to be told and amplified, and this event is an effort to do just that.”
“I have been invigorated by students’ enthusiasm and passionate involvement in the Climate Stories project,” Davidson shared. “They’ve confessed to me that their participation has caused them to look more closely at their own relationships to the environment and to change their lifestyles even in small ways. Honestly, they renew my hope for a healthier future.”
“Climate Stories—Creative Reflections on Climate Change” is coordinated and hosted by the Climate Stories Collaborative, with support from the College of Fine and Applied Arts. To learn more, visit faa.appstate.edu/events/climate-stories-collaborative/student-showcase.
About the Climate Stories Collaborative
The Climate Stories Collaborative is an initiative designed to grow the capacity of faculty and students to use a variety of creative media to tell the stories of those who are already affected by, and/or taking action to address, climate change. Faculty participants in the Collaborative represent all seven of the College’s departments.
About the College of Fine and Applied Arts
Appalachian State University’s College of Fine and Applied Arts is a dynamic and innovative group of seven academic departments, bringing together a variety of perspectives, experiences and real-world education to provide unique opportunities for student success. The college has more than 3,000 undergraduate and graduate majors. Its departments are Applied Design, Art, Communication, Military Science and Leadership, Sustainable Development, Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment, and Theatre and Dance.
About Appalachian State University
Appalachian State University, in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The transformational Appalachian experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and embrace diversity and difference. As one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina system, Appalachian enrolls about 18,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.
