This panel considers one of the most pressing and ‘wicked problems’ of our time by focusing on the role drama education and applied theatre might play in making sense of the uncertain futures we face. How do ‘gloom’ and ‘hope’ work together in a productive tension? Do we turn more squarely towards activism? What about our emotional responses to scarcity of resources? How might arts practice provide a space to navigate eco-anxiety/grief/anger?

We focus on three youth-led projects to ask: who is responsible for making change and how do we use drama and theatre as ways of exploring agency, power and voice?

Chairs: Rachel Turner-King and Bobby Smith (University of Warwick)

Panellists:

Highly Sprung and young people

Company Three and young people

Acting on Climate and young people

With special contributions from Kathleen Gallagher (OISE, University of Toronto) and Rachael Jacobs (Western Sydney University)