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Climate Studio Initiative

A group of people gathers around a scientist wearing a white lab coat and pink gloves. The scientist is demonstrating a hands-on experiment involving a preserved brain placed on a tray. The participants, including individuals wearing hoodies, hats, and glasses, observe closely in a brightly colored room with artistic murals on the walls.

Pratt Institute, in collaboration with Beam Center and Telos Learning, is proud to launch its new Climate Studio Initiative supported by the National Science Foundation. Its mission: to expand climate literacy and promote climate justice through the creation of public art in the New York City area. We believe raising public awareness to climate issues will strengthen participation in the democratic process. 

In its inaugural year, the initiative will host two programs and a summer festival. The Climate Studio Residency, will support artists, scientists, and educators to collaborate together, and with youth from New York City. The second program, Climate Studio Youth Fellowship, in partnership with the Beam Center, will provide an extended hands-on experiential STEAM learning opportunity and a supportive setting for youth aged 16-21. Over a six week period, both sets of fellows will work together to create a series of exciting high profile public-facing projects that showcase the transformative power of the arts for learning about and engaging with our planet and the challenges she faces.

The key stages of the fellowship include, first, an in-person Climate Studio workshop in mid-July centered on an intergenerational co-design for climate justice process; second, a month-long production and fabrication process that builds on the preceding workshop; and, finally, a public showcase of the ensuing projects in August and September, 2025. During each of these key stages researchers will document and analyze the co-design process with fellows who choose to share their experiences.

In advance of this program, Youth Fellows will come together with the Pratt production and research team to build community through a series of teach-ins, roundtables and field-trips. The Beam Center will announce a call for applicants for the Climate Studio Youth Fellowship 2025 in late March. 

For more info about the Climate Studio Residency 2025 and to apply, see below. 

If you are interested in being part of the Pratt Institute Climate Studio Initiative 2025-2026 as a guest speaker, climate justice community partner, or volunteer please add your info to our mailing list here.