Symposium at Cervantino Festival: Culture at the Heart of Climate Action

Julie’s Bicycle (JB), British Council, University of Guanajuato, and Cervantino Festival, present a two-day symposium: Encuentro: Arte y Clima (Culture at the Heart of Climate Action) in Guanajuato, Mexico, 16–17 October 2025

Through in-depth talks and participatory workshops, musicians, designers, theatre-makers, visual artists, and organisations from Mexico and the UK will share meaningful ways in which they are showing up for creative climate action. Together, they represent an emergent, shape-shifting, constantly evolving creative community – one that recognises the climate and ecological crises we face and the urgent need to respond in every way we can. Speakers and workshop facilitators will share the multitude of ways in which their creativity is inspiring meaningful change across multiple levels—from messaging and education to policy and practice. Through new provocations, audiences will be invited to actively participate and reflect on how they can harness their own creativity and roles within their communities to inspire action.

Taghrid Choucair-Vizoso, Head of Programmes at JB said:

“We are immensely honoured to be convening such powerful voices across culture and climate as part of this year’s Festival Internacional Cervantino. Transnational platforms are vital to educate and resource us all to meet this moment with compassion, bravery, and clarity. We’re grateful to all the partners and workers involved in making this Encuentro come to fruition.”

The programme explores a range of themes, including:

What it means for a creative community to be deeply embedded in the current state of our ecological systems
Innovative creative solutions in response to growing environmental challenges
How artists are working at the intersection of climate, racial, and social justice
The role of national cultural institutions and festivals in adapting to rapid global movements and driving positive change
The power of outdoor arts to educate, galvanise the public, and shift behaviours
Bridging the gap between culture and climate policy, from circular economy models to regenerative approaches
Community-led practices and practical visions to reduce the environmental impact of the cultural sector

Speakers include: Brian Eno, Tori Tsui, Love Ssega, Amir Nizar Zuabi (The Herds), Cathy Runciman (Earth Percent), Immy Kaur (Civic Square), Jane Withers, Pauline Bourdon, Keir Oldfield-Lewis (British Film Institute), Zoe Rasbash (Watershed & Shado), Mariana Baldera (Isla Urbana), Lucia Giulia Cavalchini ( Festival Ambulante), Paco Ayala (Huerto Roma Verde), Ricardo Lozano and Joanna Ruiz Galindo (What Design Can Do MX) Mariam Akinlolu (London Metropolitan University), Angela Castellanos (Universidad de Sinaloa), Graciela Melitsko Thornton (Julie’s Bicycle) and Taghrid Choucair-Vizoso (Julie’s Bicycle).

Register now

View the full programme

About Cervantino

Cervantino Festival, founded in 1972, continues to be one of the most important cultural gatherings in Latin America. For its 53rd edition, the festival celebrates alongside two guests of honor: the United Kingdom and the state of Veracruz to generate artistic dialogue and a vibrant convergence of cultures. As part of the festival programme, the symposium curated by JB brings together leading artists and cultural practitioners from Mexico and the UK who place nature, climate, and the environment at the heart of their work.

Credits
Presented by the British Council in collaboration with the University of Guanajuato and the Cervantino Festival. Curated and produced by Julie’s Bicycle.

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