Artists continue to be avatars of culture, beacons of hope, and open-eyed communicators to the world with open eyes and to explore in ways that may be new.  Whether creating public art works, writing music and literature, producing exhibitions, posting images on the internet, or in whatever form is accessible, artists are bringing people awareness of the dilemmas and possibilities facing our planet in troubling times.

The two featured speakers, Susan Quateman and Les Bartlett, have combined silk painting with photography in their collaborations focusing on the climate crisis for coastal New England landscapes while also working with environmental entities.  Meri Jenkins has been traveling across the Commonwealth establishing creative economy initiatives with a keen eye on public art works.  Her knowledge base extends beyond Massachusetts to national and global trends of community cultural development and planning.  How can artists and citizens together make a difference in preparing for the impending climate crisis in our coastal community and the wider world?  We're looking forward to robust audience participation with the speakers.