Education & Advocacy
Education, advocacy and youth empowerment through our Agents of Climate Change online residency programme (2024 - 2028), building on our Gulbenkian Civic Arts Prize winning programme in 2022, aiming to impact thousands of young people and engage them in the movement.
CREATIVE AGENTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
About the Project
Creative Agents of Climate Change is In Place of War’s art and activism project, connecting organisations in our changemaker network with young people aged 18-30 in the UK, to develop their skills, knowledge and capacity in building creative campaigns to mobilise communities in the fight against climate change.
The project involves the delivery of an online residency programme co-curated by young people and focused on understanding and communicating the current and future threats to our climate.
Our participants utilise ideas in creative campaigning from around the world to make their own projects and campaigns and engage other young people from their communities (on and offline) with a clear call to action.
They develop skills in climate knowledge/literacy, cultural leadership, creative activism, cultural production and management, entrepreneurship and creative skills for making change, advocacy, campaigning and influencing policy.
Benefits to Young People
01
Empowering Youth
1 young person from each partner organisation will receive £100 to participate in the Youth Advisory Board. They will be instrumental in the co-curation of the project, developing their knowledge of climate activism and honing skills in project design. This embeds the insight, experience and ideas of young people into the 100 Agents of Climate Change programme to ensure the project is as accessible, engaging and relevant as possible.
02
Dynamic Online Residency
An additional 9 young people from each partner organisation will attend an online residency. Programming will span talks, workshops, events, film screenings, showcases, exhibitions, live streams, gigs and more, covering a wide range of topics and opportunities relating to creative climate activism. The residency will be interactive and innovative in its approach to engagement and will create authentic and safe spaces for connection and collaboration.
03
Seed Funding for Youth-Led Climate Advocacy
10 projects led by young people will receive a total of £15,000 in seed funding to develop their climate advocacy creative community projects.
Seed funding recipients will also be given the space to develop their ideas at a 3-day in-person residency at XCottage in Shepton Mallet.
04
Excellence in Inclusivity
All participants will receive a refurbished laptop to keep. 1-2-1s with an Access Support Worker are offered to all young people to identify and break down barriers. A wellbeing fund of £1,000 is available for participants to address any unexpected costs associated with taking part in the project.
05
Mentorship
20 young people from across the project will receive 1-on-1 mentoring from In Place of War’s change-maker network.
06
Networking Opportunities
Young people will have the chance to meet key environmental stakeholders throughout the project.
PROJECT FUNDERS
The Sony Global Social Justice Fund operates across different territories and divisions of Sony, with a common goal to address injustice and racism, coupled with an understanding that we should be responsive to local challenges.
The fund focuses on three core pillars: education and skills, criminal justice and rehabilitation, and civic and community engagement. In the UK, so far, they have committed over £2.8 million in grants to 29 different organisations, funded over 10,500 hours of training and development sessions, and helped improve the lives of around 13,000 people.
PROJECT PARTNERS: 2026 - 2027
Anam Creative
anam creative was set up in 2020 by Michiel Turner as an online space for him and his peers to collaborate on music projects together remotely, funded by Nurturing Talent – Time to Shine Fund.
In 2022, anam creative established themselves as a Community Interest Company with a mission to support emerging creatives with paid opportunities. It is now collectively run with other artists from the previous 'arts collaboration' project.
Since 2022, anam has hosted multiple sold-out live music and arts events showcasing some of the most innovative young artists in Scotland right now. In 2023, the organisation secured £95,940 in funding, and has supported over 140 emerging artists through commissions, collaborations, and events.
Future Yard
futureyard.org
Future Yard is a 280-capacity music venue in Birkenhead, a building that re-imagines the role of a live music venue, providing live industry training and a regional hub for artist development.
Run by Future Yard CIC, a non-profit organisation, the venue combines creative ambition with social and environmental responsibility. It is committed to becoming one of the UK’s first carbon-neutral grassroots music venues, aiming to reach operational net zero by 2030 and full net zero by 2035.
They believe that through utilising the power of music, they can change their town for the better, inspiring local people, creating life-changing opportunities and shaping a new music future.
Chol Theatre
Chol Theatre is a socially conscious creative company based in Yorkshire, established in 1989, with theatre at the heart of its work. The organisation collaborates in community and educational settings, co-creating projects rooted in local lives and heritage.
They are driven by curiosity and a commitment to exploring new ways of working together. Reflecting and learning as they go, they share what they discover locally, regionally and beyond.
Central to their mission is supporting the next generation of creative changemakers. The company works with children and young people to help them feel empowered, valued and connected, encouraging them to recognise their ability to shape change within their own lives and communities.
Reform Radio
Reform Radio broadcasts the best in music, arts and culture from Manchester to the World.
They are a multi-award winning online radio station and arts organisation working with local creatives, DJs and young people to develop and showcase new work via their online platforms.
Their large active community works together to create content on Reform Radio, supported by regular outside broadcasts within the city, as well as specially recorded shows from artists across the globe.
They use their platform to engage young people looking for new opportunities, working creatively with them over a sustained period to develop new skills for employment. In 20/21 they delivered 906 creative sessions and hundreds of pastoral sessions supporting 312 young adults, 80% of whom progressed into employment, education or volunteering.
They have worked with 194 individual freelancers, creating 445 freelance opportunities and injecting £217,113.39 into the creative economy.
Force of Nature
Clover Hogan started Force of Nature in 2019 at just 19 years old, with the mission to mobilise mindsets for climate action. Force of Nature has since delivered programmes to thousands of young people, and moved decision-makers across business and policy.
They help their community channel climate anxiety into agency; develop the skills to make a difference; and inspire change at the systemic level.
”At 16, I travelled to Paris for COP21. I went in with starry-eyed optimism that world leaders would solve this existential threat. Instead, I met people who were fluent in greenwash, making promises scheduled far enough into the future that they required no immediate action.
I was familiar with the anger and frustration that bubbled up within me, but never before had I felt… powerless. And looking at the people around me – anxious students, calculating policy-makers, cautious corporate leaders – I saw the same feelings reflected in their eyes, too.” - Clover Hogan
100 Creative Agents of Climate Change at Parliament
In June 2005 In Place of War hosted 100 Creative Agents of Climate Change, an event in Parliament supported by MPs Kerry McCarthy and James Frith, where young climate leaders will share their art-based ideas for tackling environmental issues. This event will highlight an important step in youth-driven climate action.
Event Highlights included:
A panel discussion, followed by Q&A with key UK decision-makers
Short speeches by Kerry McCarthy MP, James Frith MP, David Saddington (Climate Change Communicator), Luís Correia (Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation), Susan O'Shea (Manchester Metropolitan University), and Ruth Daniel (CEO, In Place of War)
A multimedia showcase of creative strategies for environmental action, including films, printed work, photography, and theatre
Live music performed by In Place of War partners, including Jon McClure (Reverend and the Makers) and other special guests
Networking with Vicky McClure and Jon McClure’s Day Fever Soundsystem
PREVIOUS PROJECT PARTICIPANTS (2024 - 2025)
@spreadtoofinlaywork @scatter_co
Finlay ran a four-day writing retreat at XCottage, Somerset, to develop Pete Will Save this House, a musical about eco-grief, activism, and the role of institutions in reaching net zero. Finlay worked with songwriter, Phoebe Jasper (aka NAVVY) and a scriptwriter, Holly Fitzpatrick, creating song demos, conducting focus groups with young activists, and receiving mentorship on rewilding and ecological activism from the XCottage team to inform the show's setting and artistic aims.
Finlay said of his support on 100 Creative Agents of Climate Change: “Seed funding allows me to work with more experienced and ambitious artists in my climate advocacy work. In Place Of War also introduced me to new collaborators at XCottage who ended up providing the most inspirational environment to test a collaboration in my residency.”
Finlay Carroll
@olivia.maurer @2050climategroup
Olivia’s project, Turning Climate Anxiety into Climate Action with Theatre of the Oppressed, invited Glasgow climate activists to explore how theatre can help to collectively work through the paralysis and apathy that climate anxiety can provoke. It also provided an opportunity for individuals to get out of their comfort zones and see how art can be used to imagine community climate action.
She summed up the 100 Creative Agents of Climate Change as Invigorating, Gratifying Challenging.
‘The support from 100 Creative Agents of Climate Change has been invaluable, as I would not have felt confident or capable enough to embark on a project like this alone.’
Olivia Maurer
Holly delivered workshops in her local community of Burnley, inviting residents to use visual art and writing to envision their local green spaces for improvements and show off the beautiful places on their doorsteps.
On the impact of In Place of War’s support, Holly said: “The workshop and exhibition were both a huge success and I am super grateful for getting the funding and the help to make it possible!”
She summed up the 100 Creative Agents of Climate Change project in these three words: wonderful, life-changing, helpful.
Holly Craig
Jeevan’s project explores the intersection of South Asian art and climate change, highlighting how cultural narratives and artistic expressions can raise awareness and inspire action for environmental sustainability. Participants included South Asian artists, community members, climate activists, and art enthusiasts.
“The 100 Creative Agents of Climate Change provided essential resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities that helped me refine my artistic approach and strengthen the project’s impact by connecting with experts and collaborators in both the arts and environmental sectors.” - Jeevan
Jeevan Kaur
Lauren created No Wasteman Magazine (@nowastemag), a print publication exploring the intersection between sustainability, community and cultural heritage.
Support from 100 Creative Agents of Climate Change gave Lauren ‘the encouragement and funding to actually realise and develop a project that I am passionate about. It has allowed me to commission and support the work of fellow creatives, meet new people and create a sense of community. The guidance from In Place of War has allowed me to be optimistic about the longevity of this project, and how I might build it and secure funding for the future.’
Lauren Pencil
Talia's project explores the disproportionate impact of the climate crisis on women in the Global South through storytelling and role-playing.
‘In Place of War supported my creative project from inception to completion, helped me build a network of like-minded creatives, and provided valuable mentoring and accessible resources for my art practice.’
Talia Nizarane
As part of her collective, @ajeeb_studios, Amina hosted a crash course into upcycling and fashion show teaching participants how to grow self-sufficient and confident in boycotting unethical practices.
On taking part in the programme, Amina said: “The support from the 100 Creative Agents of Climate Change has been instrumental in helping me develop and realise my project. It has given me the confidence to take on challenges outside my skill set, such as upcycling textiles. This experience has not only taught me how to upcycle clothes but has also inspired me to
Amina Beg
Climate Whispers is a concept that our mind is full of anxieties, worries and thoughts on climate, even if this is in our subconscious. This project focuses on teaching climate policy, injustice and improving climate education through workshops in schools, with pupils aged 11-13, in Yorkshire, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk. In these sessions, young people are able to discuss their anxiety and thoughts on climate change and channel this into a creative writing postcard.
In total, the project worked with 300 young people across 10 sessions. Pupils found the sessions thought-provoking, and afterwards they understood the complexities of solving climate change and the impact of disasters ongoing around the world. The sessions encouraged lively debates on fast fashion, local flooding and food, which were areas young people felt they could take action on.
Beth Rice
Emma de Saram and Natasha Pavey
Emma and Natasha worked together to create Bus-ted, a short film addressing climate justice by exploring the frustrations of navigating rural bus services in South West England, highlighting the disconnect between climate policies and the realities of public transport access.
Their project actively voiced the experiences of local residents who shared their opinions through a community workshop, and members of the public who were happy to speak to the camera at the bus station!
Working with local artists and residents of @dovestreetcommunity, Camille created a collaborative mural, bringing people together to talk about local problems and solutions and the importance of community in tackling climate change.
Camille said of working with In Place of War ‘All the support through being able to ask questions and discuss ideas enabled the project to be realised. Without this, I wouldn’t have had the confidence to carry out this project. The funding enabled design sessions, food, drink and painting to be free for participants, which was so important in getting everyone involved.’
Camille Libby
Collete’s project titled "Rendering the Invisible” is a campaign that seeks to confront and challenge the exploitative dynamics at the heart of global consumerism. By bringing attention to the often hidden costs of our consumption habits, this project aims to inspire a shift towards more sustainable and just practices.
“My residency experience with In Place of War has sharpened my focus on the role of art in not only raising awareness but also driving tangible change in the fight for climate justice. It revealed that there are several ways to approach changemaking and also highlighted the many areas in the world whose progress with climate change are affected by extractive relationships and politics beyond the access and control of the people.” - Colette
Collete Abu-Badu
Evaluation Report
You can download our full evaluation report here