FFN Academy Utrecht recently held a movie screening of There is A Place On Earth, followed by a discussion and creative workshop.

We kicked off the event with a screening of the beautiful and thought-provoking film by Dutch filmmaker Ellen van den Honert. Her movie takes the viewer through her personal journey as a creative thinker and nature lover, delving into what her personal contribution to nature conservation can be. Throughout her journey, she learned about nature conservation and how artists worldwide contribute to this cause through their work. This inspiring narrative set a thoughtful and reflective tone for the rest of the evening. Following the movie, we engaged in a dynamic discussion with a variety of perspectives among the attendees. We covered a broad range of topics, from privilege to the advantages of different mediums for expressing ideas to the images and art forms shown in the movie that we personally found the most moving. The presence of a working artist among us added depth to the discussion, providing unique insight into the utility of personal experience and expression in art.

The creative workshop that followed was a fun and relaxing way to end the night. Initially, we had planned an activity more suited to a larger group split between artists and scientists. However, given the smaller turnout and varied backgrounds of our participants, we quickly adapted thanks to an excellent suggestion from Tara. We shifted to an activity focused on mapping biodiversity in our neighborhoods. This involved collaboratively drawing our neighborhoods on a large sheet of paper, adding elements of nature, and reflecting on the health status of these natural spaces. Some of us realized that we live literally next door to each other in the process! We also introduced participants to "Check je plek," a site maintained by Gemeente Utrecht. This site allows users to look up their addresses and see a range of environmental and social indicators scoring the quality of their neighborhood. This practical, quantitative tool complemented our creative activity and provided tangible insights into local biodiversity.

Overall, the event was marked by a sense of engagement and collaboration. The smaller group size turned out to be an advantage, allowing for more meaningful interactions and a deeper exploration of the topics at hand. The participants were enthusiastic and active throughout the evening, contributing to a positive and stimulating atmosphere. We also walked away realizing that one power of art lies in the fact that people can interpret it differently and take different meanings from it. The diversity of artistic modes available present limitless opportunities for ideas in science and conservation to reach a broader audience than is possible through a scientific paper. Here’s to more future collabs between artists and nature conservationists! 😊

By Jessica Wray