Words by Abi Scaife
At Smiley News, we are huge proponents of youth activism. We truly believe that it is young people who will be changing the world - and why should they have to wait until they’re 18 to do that?
Luckily, we aren’t the only ones who think so. The Grantham Art Prize, brought to you by the Grantham Institute – Climate Change and Environment at Imperial College London. and Octopus Energy encourages young people aged 11-25 to create thought-provoking art around the climate crisis.
This year, the topic was ‘Palette for the Planet: a greener, cleaner, cooler, future’, and young people from around the country created their own unique pieces of art inspired by the concept.
The winners and runners-up had their incredible pieces of art turned into public murals, in hopes of inspiring others to engage with climate action and fight against climate change.
Ria, age 21 was the winner of the 19-25 age category. Her piece depicts the work of ‘Team Green’ - showing that, if we work together, we really can begin to repair the damage of climate change.
“The whole idea of the green team was a small team that can help - but I was always visualising that everyone in the world could help - if we work in a Green Team, as a planet,” Ria tells Smiley News.
“I definitely hope [people] are inspired - and I hope they understand that there's multiple things that are causing climate change, it's not just one or two.”
Ria’s illustration of the Green Team cleaning up the planet is now displayed as a mural in Glasgow. Ria hopes her art will encourage people in the city to come together and take up the mantle for climate action, and protect their planet.
“It [isn’t] just one person [who] could solve these issues - it’s the Green Team,” explains Ria, whose passion for the environment was spurred on by her STEM classes, where she learned about plastic pollution. “We should all be working in our own Green Team together to save the planet and do our part.”
Janet, age 17 from Rochdale, was the winner in the 15-18 category with a comic-style strip demonstrating some of the amazing ways you can get involved with climate action.
The piece includes protestors speaking into a megaphone and raising their fists, and ballots at a voting box. Janet’s art encourages people to raise their voices in support of climate action, and to call on those in power to make lasting, tangible changes that will benefit our planet.
“I chose to focus on activism and using your voice,” Janet says of her art. “I knew as a young person that the only things really available to me were activism through social media and, because I’m going to be 18 soon, voting.”
“It does feel like a lot of the time to make change you have to be an adult or politician - which is not the case.”
As well as the other winners, the art of the six runners-up will be displayed on London transport and at an exhibition in Nine Elms in London close to COP28.
The winners and finalists of the Grantham Art Prize 2023 were chosen from over 1000 young people who were passionate enough about climate action to enter the competition.
These young people, whether they won or not, are all part of an incredibly inspiring generation - one that is ardent and fierce enough about what they believe in that they are willing to fight for it.
Art is a medium that has been used for thousands of years to touch the hearts and minds of people around the world. Mixed with science and activism, it is unstoppable - whether the original piece was created with pen and paper, or an iPad.
The Grantham Art Prize takes place every year, each time with a new theme. To see past winners of the Grantham Art Prize, you can follow this link. The Grantham Art Prize exists in collaboration with Octopus Energy and the Grantham Institute – Climate Change and Environment at Imperial College London.
Charity check-in
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
The Climate Coalition. This is the UK's largest group of people dedicated to action against climate change. Find out more and support them here.
Climate Reframe. Climate Reframe is committed to supporting the climate and environment movement in its transformation towards greater justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI). Find out more.
Rewilding Britain. They aim to tackle the climate emergency and extinction crisis, reconnect people with the natural world and help communities thrive. Find out more here.
