I have been a dramatist for many years, studying it and taking part in many theatre productions with roles ranging from actor, director, producer and front of house manager.
I became interested in working in the environmental sector several years ago and studied the social, historical and cultural aspects of climate change at King’s College London in 2016. My research focus was on the space for thought that climate change theatre provides.
Since then, I have managed to combine the arts and environmentalism in several ways. I worked with fellow ClimateCultures member Lola Perrin to help with project management at ClimateKeys — arranging concerts that allow people to have a conversation about climate change. I directed Lucy Kirkwood’s The Children (a play about tough choices in a dystopian future set in flooded north east England) with my local theatre group. I also worked at The Gaia Foundation in London, helping to support projects in Earth Jurisprudence, Seed Sovereignty and Beyond Extractivism.
As part of a team on the Falmouth Launchpad programme, I worked on a community news platform for journalists and other organisations to have access to verified user content to create more grassroots news stories about the environment and beyond.
I am currently Community Engagement Manager at Climate Home News, an independent news outlet specialising in the politics of climate change. I look after our community of readers and support the team with communications and social media management.
Creative Conversations
In January 2021, Julia conducted a series of lively and engaging conversations with fellow ClimateCultures members. These covered a wide range of topics that inform the work that ClimateCultures celebrates, and Julia introduces them and brings them together in Conversations with Work That Connects, where you can find all five videos.
In June, Julia recorded a follow-up conversation with four of the interviewees, taking the discussion further. You can find the recording in Talking to the Crisis, where ClimateCultures editor Mark Goldthorpe reflects on the themes they discussed.
Julia’s ClimateCultures Posts:
On COP & the Art of Change
Conversations with Work That Connects
Directing The Children
Keyboard Conversations Across the World
Space for Thought
It Begins …