Halifax residents are being invited to explore their climate grief, anxiety and hope through paper, glue and shared silence, rather than protest.
Tender Earth is a collage workshop led by award-winning science educator, climate storyteller, and digital media producer Ive Velikova, and it takes place Friday, July 25 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Open Book Coffee on Strawberry Hill Street. The event is by donation and open to all.
As the event poster notes, no artistic experience is needed.
“Tender Earth is a slow, cozy evening of collage and connection,” said Velikova in a press release “In a time of ecological upheaval and collective grief, you’ll be invited to create your own collage, a tiny reflection of what it feels like to live, care and imagine on a changing planet.”
Participants will be guided through creative exercises meant to explore and express climate grief, anxiety and rage. The goal is to help transform those emotions into personal empowerment through artistic expression.
Velikova, who holds a master’s degree in science communication, has more than a decade of experience. Her approach combines climate justice, misinformation awareness and science literacy to promote inclusive, informed conversations about the climate crisis.
Her mission is to “inspire climate optimism through empathetic and inclusive storytelling,” she said.
Velikova added that her work is rooted in climate research, science literacy and community engagement, and that she aims to spark action through conversation, whether on stage, on camera or in a workshop setting.
“What’s different about my approach is that I specialize in fostering meaningful collaborations that bridge the gap between science and the arts, ensuring that your message resonates with audiences across various platforms,” she said.
Since early 2025, Velikova has been organizing Climate Circles as an ongoing initiative to provide safe, creative spaces for climate-concerned communities. Attendees are encouraged to collage, journal or sit in silence. Materials are provided, and refreshments are available for purchase.
The workshop is part of a broader slate of programming Velikova offers through her work in science communication. She also facilitates customized workshops on climate storytelling, combatting misinformation and digital media best practices for climate communicators. Her work includes audience-informed climate communication research.
Velikova has also led a session on 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion in science communication at the 2024 Canadian Association of Science Centres Conference, in collaboration with University of Regina Pride.
For Digby-based climate activist Kyera Grady, workshops like Tender Earth offer more than just an art activity — they offer community.
“A lot of the time, I feel isolated — as though I am alone in this fight for Mother Nature,” said Grady. “Most of my friends know the severity of the situation, but pretend that ignorance is bliss and continue to shop fast fashion and misuse resources.”
Grady, who describes herself as an introvert, began by creating sustainability posters at school.
“The change was subtle and small, but it was a change,” she said. “I put up posters near the trash bins about not throwing away water bottles with water in them. Slowly, people started to take action.”
She said collage workshops feel like an accessible way to be part of climate activism — especially for quieter advocates.
“Most of us activists are introverts,” said Grady. “Collage workshops like this are great. We can come together and be a part of a community, and we do not need to speak — our art and our pain and our fight through our art does the talking.”
This article appears in Jul 1-31, 2025.