UNESCO and Art Partner – Calling All Young Artists To Respond To The Climate Emergency! – PRESS RELEASE: Embargoed 00:01, 20 July, 2021

  PRESS RELEASE: Embargoed 00:01, 20 July, 2021

#CreateCOP26 launches to raise awareness and action climate goals - Call For Entries

Art Partner, one of the world’s most prominent creative agencies, supported by UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science in Latin America and the Caribbean, are proud to announce the launch of #CreateCOP26, ahead of the October COP26* climate summit. The event aims to raise awareness and inspire discussion and action about the climate goals - global warming and its consequences.  

 

World leaders will meet for the annual United Nations Convention on climate change and Art Partner is inviting artists and creatives of all nationalities, races, genders and faiths, between 14 and 30 years of age, to submit work that responds to and creates conversations around the urgent need for climate action.

Entries open on 20 July, 2021 and close on 20 September, 2021 and eight finalists will be awarded cash prizes of $10k, $5k or $2k. An additional 20 creatives will receive honourable mentions by a globally recognised panel of judges** comprised of industry experts and leaders in the fields of arts and science.

 

All finalists and honourable mentions will have their work exhibited in a virtual exhibition hosted by artpartner.com and be featured on the @artpartner Instagram (circa350k followers). They will also have the chance to be featured in international press and media supporting #CreateCOP26.

 

Applicants can apply with any medium, including, but not limited to, photography projects, docu-style and experimental film, performance art, spoken word, musical compositions, fashion design, new media, and social media projects. For more information and to apply visit www.artpartner.com/news/createcop26/

 

Amber Testino, President of Art Partner said: "It is essential that all nations, faith organisations and businesses come together now, on a global scale, to tackle climate change and commit to achieving carbon neutralization by 2030. Our goal is to help amplify the call to action against climate change by providing a platform where the voices of the next generation of concerned creatives can be seen and heard. Especially members of marginalized communities, who are often underrepresented and whose voices are not always heard. We look forward to seeing the work submitted!”

 

** The eminent panel of judges include: (Click for biographies and images) 

·       Lidia Brito, UNESCO Regional Director for Science in Latin America and the Caribbean

·       Han Feng, Artist

·       Candice Marks, Senior Global Agent Art Partner

·       Tyler Mitchell, Photographer and Filmmaker

·       Marina Testino, Advocate for Sustainable Fashion

·       Ferdinando Verderi, Creative Director of Vogue Italia

·       Matt Williams, Curator at Camden Art Centre

·       Shaway Yeh, Founder of Yehyehyeh and Group Style Editorial Director of Modern Media in China

 

Lidia Brito, UNESCO Regional Director for Science in Latin America and the Caribbean said: "Despite the fact that Latin America and the Caribbean produce only 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, it's is a region that is experiencing enormous changes in rainfall, rising temperatures and the frequency and severity of weather-related disasters. The climate emergency is already having devastating social, economic and environmental impacts. From melting Andean glaciers and severe forest fires, to destroying floods and droughts, Latin America faces climate-related development challenges that are unprecedented.”

For further press information, comments, interviews and images please contact: Nicola Osmond-Evans at Good Connections on 07985 800 108, goodconnectionpr@gmail.com

Media Lookbook available at: https://ace.media/lookbooks/art-partner/njJ/createcop26

*COP26 - COP26, the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26, is the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties, held in Glasgow 31 October – 12 November 2021 and held every year since 1995. The COP26 summit will bring parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Read more about the COP26 goals: https://ukcop26.org/cop26-goals/

#CreateCOP26 -  An open call for art that responds to the climate crisis.

Social Media Toolkit: Available here

Follow: #CreateCOP26 Tag I: @artpartnerW: www.artpartner.com

Prizes: $10k, $5k or $2k  -  (GBP £7,250, £3,600, £1,500)

Art Partner: With offices in New York, London and Paris, Art Partner is one of the world’s leading artist management and full-service film and photography production companies. In addition to representing a roster of world class talent across the fields of photography, film, creative direction, styling and beauty, Art Partner consults and executes projects which engage, mobilize and build universes for their clients. Since 2015, Art Partner has been developing practical and creative approaches to climate action: implementing a net-zero carbon neutral policy across all three Art Partner offices, designing leading sustainable production practices and working with non-profits, brands and industry leaders to highlight global sustainability initiatives and create comprehensive communications strategies. Earth Partner is Art Partner’s sustainability division. For more information, see the Earth Partner page Earth Partner

 

Amber Testino: Amber Testino is President at Art Partner. She joined Art Partner and moved to Paris to establish its Paris office in 1996 and has been one of the head agents ever since.  Prior to joining Art Partner, Amber worked for many years with legendary Vogue US fashion Editor Phyllis Posnick and branding and design expert Peter Arnell.

 

UNESCO: UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It seeks to build peace through international cooperation in Education, the Sciences and Culture. UNESCO programmes contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in Agenda 2030, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015. UNESCO has a unique role to play in strengthening the foundations of lasting peace and equitable and sustainable development. Advancing cooperation in education, the sciences, culture, communication and information holds strategic stakes at a time when societies across the world face the rising pressures of change and the international community faces new challenges. More information at www.unesco.org

 

#CREATECOP25 - In 2019, hundreds of young artists from 40 different countries submitted works. See the previous winners here - the shortlist on the Art Partner website#CreateCOP25 winner was Nicholas Bennett with Sustainable Traditions: Formalwear © 2020 Art Partner  

Candice Marks said: "Throughout history art, in all of its various forms, has been a means to explore as well as to affect major issues and events. I am honoured to be part of CreateCOP26 whose objective is to channel creative expression from all over the globe to inspire and share ambitious climate awareness at every level and to show the importance of acting now for our future generations."

 

Marina Testino said: “If there is something the Pandemic has shown, it is how interconnected we all are; how events in one place can deeply affect somewhere far away. When it comes to the climate emergency this truth is amplified and I hope that through #CreateCOP26 we can heighten the awareness of how our choices and actions affect others across the globe."

 

Ferdinando Verderi said: “When it comes to provoking change, one action is worth a thousand words: this program is created to reward ideas which try to imagine new ways to act.”

 

Matt Williams said: “#CreateCOP26 is an opportunity to bring together creative voices from across the globe. Providing a platform to visually share and discuss their personal experiences to understand and counter the numerous challenges climate change brings.”

 

Han Feng said: “It is important for the next generation of creatives to address issues of climate change mitigation through the lens of their creativity because they will be the ones to face the climate challenges in the future, and they most certainly will have to be creative in a myriad of ways with their approaches. Art is a powerful way to illustrate the problem at the ground-level, and is therefore important to give voice to young artists.”