About From Ink to Action
Using Comic Art to Save the Planet
This collaborative initiative seeks to inspire environmental consciousness through the power of comic art, inviting artists from the MENA region to explore their languages, rituals, traditions, and unique contexts in order to tell stories about climate change.
In April 2023, twelve talented creators hailing from Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria have been commissioned to produce new comics that address pressing issues related to the climate crisis and environmental threats.
From Ink to Action artworks
The thought-provoking From Ink to Action artworks were showcased at an exclusive exhibition, on the Windows on Comic Art Trail, during the Lakes International Comic Art Festival 2023 and will also be presented during COP28 in Dubai.
Through this collaboration, we aim to celebrate the creative and innovative comic art from the Arab region, shining a spotlight on its remarkable potential to ignite change.
Our project embraces a diverse audience that encompasses artists, practitioners, institution and sector professionals, creative entrepreneurs, students, young comic art consumers, art enthusiasts, international media, media and social media influencers, and the larger public.
Our shared objective is clear: to raise awareness about the climate crisis and environmental threats and, more importantly, to stimulate action.
These 12 commissions will manifest physically in the form of an immersive exhibition, premiering at this year's LICAF edition. Furthermore, they will be accessible online and shareable on various social media platforms, including Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. The artistic creations may take the shape of series of strips or 4-panel comics, short comics spanning eight pages, or two short comics with four pages each.
Comic art responding to the climate crisis
Environmental consciousness lies at the heart of our project — an individual's awareness and concern for the environment and its current state, acknowledging the impact of human activities on the natural world. It encompasses recognising the interconnectedness of all living things and the vital importance of preserving natural resources and ecosystems for future generations. It also entails assuming personal responsibility for our actions and making choices that foster environmental sustainability and conservation.
We now find ourselves in the midst of a climate crisis, a term embraced by the scientific community to depict the gravity of climate change — the most significant challenge humanity has ever faced. This crisis has led to a plethora of detrimental impacts. However, there remains a glimmer of hope to mitigate the worst effects of climate change. By exerting pressure on decision-makers, politicians, and businesses to initiate change and by conveying a sense of urgency, we can encourage the transformation needed. Inspiring stories about individual actions play a crucial role in this endeavour.
Through the medium of comic art, 'From Ink to Action' believes it can create an emotional impact and convey complex ideas in an easily understandable manner. By telling compelling stories, we aim to engage and inspire readers to take action towards environmental conservation.
Comic art possesses a unique ability to captivate diverse audiences, including the younger generations, making it an exceptionally powerful tool for raising awareness and promoting environmental consciousness on a global scale. Moreover, this initiative provides a remarkable platform for artists from diverse backgrounds and cultures to express their ideas and perspectives on environmental issues, fostering a more inclusive and global conversation about the environment.
From Ink to Action Supporters
FROM INK TO ACTION IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN The Lakes International Comic Art Festival and British Council MENA
SPONSORED BY Capìt Logistics and Plastc Lab
SPECIAL THANKS TO Lina Ghaibeh, Georges Khoury, Amany Abouzeid, Jonathan Morley, Carole Tait, Matt Burke, Simeon Leech, Zeinab Allaw, Elie Abi Akar, Rami Sbeih, Luisa Claus, Lemmy Hu, Ralph Bourji and ARTIVATOR fellows: Sasha Mattar and Youhana Nassif
