The Sustaining All Life art team at the Climate Summit [the United Nations Climate Action Summit in September 2019 in New York City, USA] found interactive art to be a wonderful way to do a listening project. We had a fabric banner in many shades of blue that read “Water Is Life.” We had paper “bubbles” that could be pinned to the banner. We asked people to write or draw on the bubbles a memory of water, a special body of water, or their hopes for water on earth. People got a nice break from presentations and meetings and a chance to express themselves. The bubbles eventually filled the banner with thoughts about beloved places from all over the world. We were also able to strike up [begin] conversations, listen to people’s thoughts, and tell people about Sustaining All Life forums and workshops.

Working with other Co-Counselors was a wonderful contradiction to artists’ isolation. It was a great collaboration, from initial brainstorming (what are we going to make?) to implementation (how can we get it to hang on the wall?). It had to be easy to understand, easy to move, and easy to set up. When and where to set it up evolved as we moved through the week. We had to keep discharging and problem solving. We got to think about what worked and what didn’t and how we might do future projects.


The experience confirms for me the central role of artists in movement building. It is a powerful way to lead—with color, creativity, and yes, fun. I’m looking forward to doing it again!