Inspiration Case: Theatre for Environmental Education

Theatre groups for environmental, precisely environmental and social education like Théâtre Carbonique from Brussels seek to make a difference in entertaining and educating people. They simply combine both.

Parameters for change: alternative purpose of theatres & playful environmental education
Theatre, like all forms of the arts, seeks to create awareness and to inspire people to make them think and act differently. The example of Théâtre Carbonique shows impressively, that this purpose can be used in an educating way. It creates awareness for the environment, gets people binded and engaged in social change and day-to-day behaviour. Therewith, theatre’s purpose shifts slightly from only entertaining towards entertaining plus educating.

Following the NIMBY phenomenon, environmental or social issues are still far away from many people’s doorsteps. Environmental theatre groups can can make a difference hence change people’s reception and behaviour. In a playful yet theatrical context adults as well as young people get informed, educated and entertained.

Our inspiring example: Théâtre Carbonique, Brussels, Belgium
The Brussels-based project Le Théâtre Carbonique is a group of actors who are all passionate about playing theatre and educating their audience on mankind’s carbon footprint and other environmental and social issues. In different show formats, Théâtre Carbonique offers their entertainment programs to businesses, schools, universities as well as family audiences.

How does Théâtre Carbonique work in detail?
Théâtre Carbonique describes itself as dematerialised carbon, local and infinitely recycable. In this context, it offers both action theatre and coaching on how to create awareness on carbon footprint, how to implement organisational change, project management or supporting a corporate visioning process. Shows vary in terms of their length and depth and range from a 90 min fun theatre show to 3 days developing and implementing action plans. The contexts of involvement also varies impressively:

acting in front of lager audiences in line with conference themes, personnel trainings, sustainability reports, brainstorming workshops or environmental management systems on the businesses side, or
broadcasting an interactive and humorous show for young people at a university or school.

What does this mean for local & professional communities?
In a playful manner and depending on their needs, theatre’s professional as well as educational audiences learn more about environmental and social issues and how to initiate change. The theatre itself plays with minimal impact: there is no scenery at all, limited accessoires only, for example a cardboard and pencil per participant, and a stage with minimum illumination. Be it with or without personal or collective commitment on change, theatre’s audience benefits immensely. While being entertained in an inherently theatrical context, it learns about environmental problems, possible solutions and suggestions for implementation.

A download version of this inspiration case can be found here.

Information and pictures sourced from http://www.theatrecarbonique.be and https://picasaweb.google.com/martinophoven. All rights reserved by Théâtre Carbonique.