Publication Date
Fall 2025
Abstract
Climate change and its broadening scope have made awareness of environmental issues, as well as ways to mitigate them, essential to securing our planet's future. Artistic venues, such as art galleries and even theatres, are becoming increasingly prominent in this conversation due to their ability to engage broad audiences and make scientific concepts more accessible. To understand the effectiveness of artistic efforts in science communication, it is necessary to assess the strategies by which both successful scientific venues, like zoos or natural history museums, and emerging artistic venues in science disseminate information. This project aimed to assess science communication strategies in artistic and scientific venues in Sydney by conducting interviews, remote surveys, and surveys of the public at both types of venues, particularly to engage the public in sustainability and conservation efforts. It was determined that while artistic venues excelled at engaging the public and raising awareness of environmental issues, most offered little to no guidance on mitigation strategies. Scientific venues were more deeply involved in wildlife and habitat protection, and more effectively shared strategies for public engagement. Ultimately, this points to an urgent need for partnership between the art and science worlds, enabling real change through awareness and education.
Disciplines
Arts and Humanities | Life Sciences | Social and Behavioral Sciences
Recommended Citation
Clark, Elizabeth, "Helping the natural world speak for itself: Art's role in communicating environmental and sustainability concepts in Sydney, Australia" (2025). Australia: Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology. 14.
https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/ase2/14
Included in
Arts and Humanities Commons, Life Sciences Commons, Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons