How can we communicate climate justice in an age of information excess?
As ecological crises intensify, our responses remain constrained by a persistent philosophical divide: the separation of human agency from the agency of the non-human world.
This ARC Laureate Program challenges that divide—positioning music as a transformative medium to reimagine environmental justice and advance the global Rights of Nature movement.
Our research group investigates how music and the arts can serve as vital conduits for environmental justice. Through arts-led methodologies, we engage with complex social and ecological challenges, advancing cultural and environmental sustainability with creativity, care, and critical inquiry.
We celebrate sentient life in all its forms—recognizing beauty, resilience, and vulnerability across diverse contexts. Our multi-modal research spans music-science collaborations, Indigenous knowledge systems, social activism, and interdisciplinary performance.
Working with communities across Australia and beyond, we connect local voices to global networks in pursuit of a more just and sustainable future.
Developing new artistic practices that reimagine and deepen relationships between human and non-human worlds.
Supporting the continuity and vitality of Indigenous ecological knowledge through collaborative, culturally grounded research.
Investigating the theory and practice of socially engaged arts as catalysts for environmental and cultural justice.
Exploring how musical expression can articulate, support, and advocate for justice across species boundaries.
From left to right: Kate Milligan, Jaquelyn Pyke, Vic McEwan, Nardi Simpson, Brenda Gifford and Liza Lim
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LinkExplore our program of upcoming and past events
Co-curated by Liza Lim (Sydney) & Nicolas Donin (Geneva)
Join us in exploring more-than-human creativity—including AI, animal communication, and the expressive agencies of trees, waters, winds, and other non-human entities.
This series invites participants to listen deeply, think relationally, and engage with music as a medium of ecological consciousness and cultural responsibility.
A research and knowledge-sharing series at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music that is focussed on the connections between music, environment, climate change and the move to net zero.
Through a series of themed talks and panels, invited guests will share their perspectives, innovations and insights on different ways that music and musicians can play a role in deepening our understanding of our environment and mitigating our climate crisis.
We welcome an audience ranging from those deeply engaged in environmental dimensions of music, to people wanting to better understand how music can affect our changing climate.
The Sydney Conservatorium of Music held the first session of a new research and knowledge-sharing series exploring the role of music in responding to climate change.
Nardi Simpson (Yuwaalaraay storyteller) and Tracey Cameron (Gamilaraay language educator) led a one-hour yarn that modelled First Nations approaches to deep listening, relationality and knowledge exchange. They highlighted how languages, music and Country can shape sustainable cultural and academic practices.
The discussion closed with questions led by Professor Anna Reid, Dean of the Conservatorium. The event was supported by the ARC Laureate Fellowship Project Multispecies Creativity and Climate Communication.
Music Sector and Sustainability Initiatives
The event focused on how the music industry can take meaningful action on climate change through collaboration, innovation, and sustainable practices.
We heard from Berish Bilander, who discussed collective efforts by artists, venues, and festivals to embed sustainability across Australia’s music industry. Berish highlighted initiatives such as peer-to-peer learning via workshops and retreats, data-driven insights using carbon management tools and shared practical resources for Green Venue Certification.
Max Glanville shared how his team applies lean principles to reduce waste across eight key areas, prioritizing sustainability and customer experience. At Glanville & Co: instruments are crafted using traditional and modern methods with sustainable material sourcing. The violin served as a case study to explore sustainability beyond material choice, focusing on the entire production process. Max addressed topics such as: waste reduction and continuous improvement, balancing performance, tradition, and sustainability, and raised future challenges, emerging opportunities, and empowering people for sustainable transformation.
The presentations concluded with a panel discussion chaired by Joe Muller, followed by audience questions.
This program of research is funded by the Australian Government through the ARC Laureate Fellowship: Multispecies Creativity and Climate Communication. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Australian Government or the ARC.
Image credit: Murray Darling River during the "Millenium" drought from a commercial flight taken by Michael Storer
