Environmental Storytelling Workshop

Rural Action and the Chaddock + Morrow College of Fine Arts at Ohio University have partnered to bring this free community workshop to Athens, uniting environmental stewardship and artistic practice around the shared work of understanding climate resilience in Southeastern Ohio.

Led by Lily and Mateo, MFA graduates from the University of Texas, Austin, this workshop brings together people of all ages and backgrounds to explore how the natural world around us reflects patterns of change and resilience.

Drawing from the framework of Emergent Strategy by Adrienne Maree Brown, participants will use tools like biomimicry (learning from nature's patterns) and intergenerational storytelling to examine how our communities are adapting to a changing environment. Activities will include photography, movement, voiceover narratives, and short digital story creation.

The workshop is developed in collaboration with Sarah Ramey, Assistant Professor of Healthy Aging at Ohio University, and incorporates body-based movement alongside visual and digital work.

On June 3, participants will take a local field trip to connect directly with the landscape and community stories at the heart of this work.

The workshop concludes on June 4 with a 5pm community presentation and conversation featuring Rural Action staff, where participants share what they created and made.

This event is completely free and open to the community. We especially encourage youth and families to attend.