OVERVIEW

The Center for Cultural Power and partner BLD PWR  are looking for climate storytellers and artists who are passionate about environmental justice to create compelling digital content for our Climate Woke campaign. Launching on Earth Day 2024 in honor of Earth Month and climate justice, this project aims to uplift climate intersectionality to inspire individuals and communities to feel like they are a part of climate solutions. We are open to all genres and approaches of artistic mediums. The final product will be shared across Cultural Power’s digital platforms, social media, and among our movement partners. We will highlight and uplift the work of two selected artists as part of the Climate Woke campaign and future Climate Woke endeavors.

Climate Woke is The Center for Cultural Power’s ongoing campaign to reorient the climate change narrative to center voices from BIPOC, low-income, and migrant communities. BIPOC climate activists speak the language of those most directly affected by climate disasters and translate complex climate science to real-life outcomes, situations, and moments. Through funding and relationship building, Climate Woke strategically advances the work of these artists, activists, and culture bearers in mainstream film and media. Produced media includes short films, social media content, and special projects centered on the climate wisdom of impacted BIPOC communities.

While climate change is a global concern that impacts everyone, in the United States, historically marginalized, disinvested, and poor communities of color are hit the hardest by environmental catastrophes threatening basic needs like health, food security, and housing. Given their close proximity to the violence of climate change, artists from these marginalized communities are uniquely positioned to ideate and implement solutions. Climate Woke uses cultural strategy to tell a new story of climate resiliency by engaging communities in imagining a new future and activating them to take action toward it.

CREATE WITH US

We are looking for artists and creators to generate short-form creative video content that explores the intersectionality of climate change and social justice in the United States, specifically on themes of Land Back, Black Liberation x Climate Justice, Environmental Optimism, Climate Migration/Climate Gentrification, and Climate Change’s impact on Reproductive Freedom. 

Key Themes

Below are the five key Climate Woke themes that should be centered in proposals. Accompanying each theme is the cultural context to give an idea of the story we want to see reflected in proposals. 

1. Climate Migration/ Climate Gentrification - The ecological disasters created by climate change induced the displacement of vulnerable communities, especially historically marginalized and poor ones. Displacement is a violent process that forces people away from housing and communities.
2. Environmental Optimism - Environmental Optimism seeks to empower communities to find and inspire creative paths toward an environmentally just future to counter the climate crisis narrative of destruction.
3. LandBack - LandBack encompasses the restoration and reclamation of regenerative relationships with the land and all relatives, both living and nonliving. It involves the returning of land to the descendants of the dispossessed, especially African Americans and Native Americans.
4. Climate Change Impact on Reproductive Freedom - Violence from climate change provokes reproductive injustices and impacts reproductive health by making it harder to grow and sustain families. Community-based strategies for Reproductive Freedom are needed to strengthen Reproductive Justice for all.
5. Black Liberation X Climate Justice - Black communities are among those disproportionately impacted by climate change. In response, a long legacy of strategies and movements has emerged from Black communities grounded in collective care, freedom, and joy.

PRIZES & BUDGET

The Center for Cultural Power and BLD Power will select two winning artists and offer one (1) award of  $10,000 for a 7-11-minute narrative short film and one (1) award of $5,000 for creative video content that is 3-5 minutes long. 

This award will cover all associated costs of production and creation. Please consider budget limitations when creating your proposal. Once both proposal awardees are selected, The Center for Cultural Power and selected artists will sign a contract outlining project expectations, feedback, and the payment process.  Cultural Power retains the right to void all contract obligations if the final product no longer aligns with areas of focus or proposal in submission.