• The question the book asks is obviously transforming the system is not an individual task, it's a collective activity. But it still begs the question, if we're trying to contribute to that, what do we need to do? Not every four years when we vote, not every year when we go to a strategy workshop, but what do we do every day? And so the title is very straightforward: Everyday Habits for Transforming Systems. And that's the question the book is offering an answer to.

My second conversation with writer, facilitator and consultant Adam Kahane (the first was episode e219) and with the audience at the Ottawa launch of Everyday Habits for Transforming Systems, the Catalytic Power of Radical Engagement at Perfect Books on July 2, 2025. This final regular episode of season 6 is part of my roundtable series, open-ended conversations about what a group of citizens are passionate about. And passionate they were! 

I started by asking Adam why he wrote the book and why does he think it’s relevant today, in particular here in the nation’s capital at a time when there are great tensions with our neighbours to the south and when Canadians are talking to each other more than ever about our shared values, and the challenges that we face such as the ecological crisis and climate emergency, which sadly seems to have temporarily fallen off our collective radar. 

Show notes generated by Whisper Transcribe AI

Action points

• Embrace radical engagement: Lean into understanding diverse perspectives and actively seek common ground.
• Recognize the power of everyday habits: Focus on daily actions to create lasting systemic change.
• Navigate complexity: Balance working towards a larger goal with acknowledging individual interests and power dynamics.
• Collaborate across differences: Seek opportunities to work with those who hold different views to achieve meaningful progress.
• Act responsibly: Consider the broader impact of your actions on all living beings.

Story Preview

What if the key to changing the world lies not in grand gestures, but in the small, often overlooked habits of our daily lives? Adam Kahane shares his journey from facilitating transformative dialogues in South Africa to uncovering the power of radical engagement, inviting us to rethink how we contribute to a better future. 

Chapter Summary

00:00 The Collective Task of Transformation
01:19 Introducing Adam Kahane
04:01 Setting the Stage for Discussion
09:40 The Motivation Behind the Book
15:42 Everyday Habits for Transformation
22:39 Exploring the Seven Habits
29:12 The Slippery Slope of Disagreement and The Challenge of Acting Responsibly
35:20 Power Dynamics in Collaboration
39:40 Trust and Collaboration
44:00 Balancing Urgency and Everyday Habits
54:25 Art, Culture, and Collaboration
56:13 Radical Engagement in Action
01:00:05 Navigating Power Dynamics and The Importance of Agency
01:12:51 Redefining Power and Responsibility
01:17:04 Risks and Realities of Engagement
01:23:13 The Complexity of Multiple Systems

Featured Quotes

• Transforming the system is not an individual task. It’s a collective activity.
• Radical engagement is the opposite of standing back with your arms crossed saying, take it or leave it.
• Ring the bells you still can ring. Forget your perfect offering. There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in. (quoting Leonard Cohen)

Behind the Story

Adam Kahane’s latest book, ‘Everyday Habits for Transforming Systems,’ stems from a moment of confusion during an interview with South African leader Trevor Manuel. This experience led Kahane to explore what it means to contribute to systemic change, focusing on the everyday actions that shape our world. This episode explores themes of power, collaboration, and social responsibility and how the arts weave their way through all of this. 

Credit: cover photo by Conyer Clayton

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END NOTES FOR ALL EPISODES

Hey conscient listeners, 

I’ve been producing the conscient podcast as a learning and unlearning journey since May 2020 on un-ceded Anishinaabe Algonquin territory (Ottawa). 

It’s my way to give back.

In parallel with the production of the conscient podcast and its francophone counterpart, balado conscient, I I publish free ‘a calm presence' Substack see https://acalmpresence.substack.com.

Your feedback is always welcome at [email protected] and/or on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Threads, BlueSky, Mastodon, Tik Tok, YouTube and Substack.

Share what you like, etc

I am grateful and accountable to the earth and the human labour that provided me with the privilege of producing this podcast, including the toxic materials and extractive processes behind the computers, recorders, transportation systems and infrastructure that made this production possible. 

Claude Schryer

Latest update on July 8, 2025

• To me, there's three key things and it's community, beauty and nature. I think if we connect with nature and if we produce beauty, that is something that we as humans I think is our biggest gift. And I'm not just talking about creating art : speaking beauty, listening to beauty, creating beauty, opening our hearts to beauty in community. Because if we don't have a sense of the other in ourselves, then we're lost, we cannot do it alone. And this has been proved forever. But I think if we have these three things, to me, as the kind of person I am, we have it all. We're connected with nature, understanding that we are nature, we are part, we are one with nature and we are interacting with other human beings. And we create beauty and we inspire by beauty. It would be a completely different world. And that to me is like the mission of the arts.

My conversation with Claudia Salguero, a Colombian Canadian community engaged artist based in Ottawa, where I live on the unceded lands of the Algonquin-Anishinaabe people. Claudia is well known for her vibrant and expressive murals. They are literally all over Ottawa and explore themes of identity, culture and social justice. You'll hear the color and the energy in her voice. I asked Claudia to give an example of one of her projects. She spoke about The Wisdom Mural, which is inspired by the teachings of Ottawa based knowledge keepers. I love the way Claudia identifies three key elements of… community, beauty, nature. 

Show notes generated by Whisper Transcribe AI

Action points

• Recognize the vital role of community, beauty, and nature in art creation and appreciation.
• Explore the Wisdom Mural project and its inspiration from diverse knowledge keepers.
• Understand how art can facilitate healing and connection, especially in times of crisis.
• Value the importance of listening and understanding different perspectives to foster communication.
• Support community-engaged art as a means of giving voice to marginalized communities.

Story Preview

Discover the story behind Ottawa’s vibrant murals and the artist who uses art to connect communities and heal hearts. From a vision inspired by nature to a powerful encounter with a grieving stranger, explore the transformative power of community-engaged art.

Chapter Summary

00:00 The Essence of Community, Beauty, and Nature
00:56 Meet Claudia Salguero
01:37 The Wisdom Mural: A Dream Project
03:51 Engaging with Knowledge Keepers
05:30 Symbolism and Meaning in the Mural
08:02 Community Engagement Through Art
11:54 Art as a Healing Tool

Featured Quotes

• To me, there’s three key things and it’s community, beauty and nature.
• The important part of this community mural creations is not the mural itself. It’s all that happens around it or before or behind the mural.
• We need to learn to listen, to understand why somebody think the way they think. Because it’s not for free. You have reasons to be who you are and to act in the way you act.

Behind the Story

Claudia Salguero shares the inspiration behind her Wisdom Mural, a project that brought together ten knowledge keepers from around the world to explore the unifying power of nature. The mural, a towering piece of public art in Ottawa, has become a symbol of connection and healing, especially poignant during the pandemic and the discovery of unmarked graves at indigenous residential schools. One moving story highlights how the mural helped a grieving man find solace after years of pain.

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END NOTES FOR ALL EPISODES

Hey conscient listeners, 

I’ve been producing the conscient podcast as a learning and unlearning journey since May 2020 on un-ceded Anishinaabe Algonquin territory (Ottawa). 

It’s my way to give back.

In parallel with the production of the conscient podcast and its francophone counterpart, balado conscient, I I publish free ‘a calm presence' Substack see https://acalmpresence.substack.com.

Your feedback is always welcome at [email protected] and/or on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Threads, BlueSky, Mastodon, Tik Tok, YouTube and Substack.

Share what you like, etc

I am grateful and accountable to the earth and the human labour that provided me with the privilege of producing this podcast, including the toxic materials and extractive processes behind the computers, recorders, transportation systems and infrastructure that made this production possible. 

Claude Schryer

Latest update on July 8, 2025

• I love policy because it allows for surrealism, it allows for creativity, it allows for dancing, it allows for all the skills and disciplines and interests and tools that as artists we have gravitated towards. We need to enter it with both the courage and the fear that all bets are off, that the house is on fire, that the dominant narratives of - whether it's the Canadian provincial governments, the Canadian Federal Governments, the US Federal Governments - they are all bankrupt. They're all meaningless. Their stories don't appeal to people. They may still be in denial of that, but I think we are able to come up with better stories, better frames, better concepts of how to support arts and how to support culture.
• If I was the head of an arts-funding organization, one that had resources and gave them out, I would be doing events like this every week: because the appetite to have these conversations, the appetite for this kind of sense-making, is tremendous, and there isn't really any institution that's trying to meet that or create opportunities that come from that.

Futurist Jesse Hirsh, June 9, 2025

This is a special edition of a conscient podcast roundtable - my long form episode series - presented by the Public Imagination Network in collaboration with Mass Culture – Mobilisation culturelle. 

June 9th, 2025 was a lot of fun. I recorded two roundtables that day, e238 with the sonic research group on low technology and the one you’re about to hear, which is the second in a series of conversations by the Public Imagination Network called Imagining in Public (the first one was e183 imagining in public - cultural leadership in a changing world). 

This second iteration is called imagining in public e2 - artist perspectives on social impact, in other words, how artists shape social change beyond traditional definitions of impact but also how the evaluation of artistic contributions can shape public life. You’ll hear a panel formed of Public Imagination Network Fellows: Shary Boyle, Kevin Loring, Shannon Litzenberger, Kevin Ormsby and Evalyn Parry as well special guest, futurist Jesse Hirsh (you can read more about his work on his Substack, Metaviews: Future of Authority).

To help guide your listening here are the framing questions that the organisers developed for the event: 

• What does social impact truly mean in the context of artistic practice?
• If artists are catalysts for new imaginaries and drivers of transformation, how can their impacts be amplified outside of the arts and culture sectors?
• What systems and practices are necessary to sustain and amplify the relational work of artists?

The recording is in 5 parts (each section separated by a musical drone):

1. a quote from Jesse Hirsh and my introduction
2. opening thoughts by the panel
3. breakout group on stories
4. breakout group on structures
5. closing thoughts by the panel

Warm thanks to the Public Imagination Network and their special guest Jesse Hirsh as well as Robin Sokoloski at Mass Culture as well as all participants for allowing their voices to be shared in this way. 

À la prochaine.

Note: a link to this gatherings’ chat storms (audience responses to a question) and a resource list (mentioned during the episode) will be provided at a later time.

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END NOTES FOR ALL EPISODES

Hey conscient listeners, 

I’ve been producing the conscient podcast as a learning and unlearning journey since May 2020 on un-ceded Anishinaabe Algonquin territory (Ottawa). 

It’s my way to give back.

In parallel with the production of the conscient podcast and its francophone counterpart, balado conscient, I I publish free ‘a calm presence' Substack see https://acalmpresence.substack.com.

Your feedback is always welcome at [email protected] and/or on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Threads, BlueSky, Mastodon, Tik Tok, YouTube and Substack.

Share what you like, etc

I am grateful and accountable to the earth and the human labour that provided me with the privilege of producing this podcast, including the toxic materials and extractive processes behind the computers, recorders, transportation systems and infrastructure that made this production possible. 

Claude Schryer

Latest update on July 8, 2025

This is a special edition of conscient roundtable featuring Aaron Lui-Rosenbaum, Barry Truax, Jacek Smolicki (for more on Jacek’s work also see conscient e113 part 1 and e133 part 2)  Kathy Kennedy, Lindsey French, Natalie Dusek, Sabine Breitsameter (all see conscient e175) Vincent Andrisani and myself. We are part of the Sonic Research Group out of Simon Fraser University (for more from this group see episodes 157 and 170). This time our topic was ‘low technology’ or low tech in the sense of what do we do when we have less energy and technology, which is coming and how does it relate to our field of acoustic ecology. Being a research group, we pondered 3 questions :  

1. How can we continue our work in acoustic ecology in a world with less energy and in perpetual crisis, including the climate emergency, the depletion of non-renewable resources, loss of biodiversity and so on ?
2. What role can artistic practice in acoustic ecology play in the transition towards sustainability? 
3. What steps can we take now to prepare a better future for generations of acoustic ecologists to come? 

The group shared some convincing answers and some new questions. You’ll find a set of resource links in the episode now (below). 

Resource List

• AI's impact on energy and water usage
• Alexis Zeigler –  Living Without Fossil Fuels: How Living Energy Farm Created a Comfortable Off-Grid Lifestyle
• climate amnesia : canada’s cultural moment and the climate emergency are one and the same
• Decomposed : The Political Ecology of Music
• How to Build a Low-tech Internet
• Music, Soundscape and Acoustic Sustainability
• Peter Strack – 2000-Watt Society: The Realities of Living a Lower Energy Lifestyle
• Regenerative Energy Communities
• Sun Thinking
• Trapped by Industrialism: Civilization's Daily Resource Demands

*

END NOTES FOR ALL EPISODES

Hey conscient listeners, 

I’ve been producing the conscient podcast as a learning and unlearning journey since May 2020 on un-ceded Anishinaabe Algonquin territory (Ottawa). 

It’s my way to give back.

In parallel with the production of the conscient podcast and its francophone counterpart, balado conscient, I I publish free ‘a calm presence' Substack see https://acalmpresence.substack.com.

Your feedback is always welcome at [email protected] and/or on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Threads, BlueSky, Mastodon, Tik Tok, YouTube and Substack.

Share what you like, etc

I am grateful and accountable to the earth and the human labour that provided me with the privilege of producing this podcast, including the toxic materials and extractive processes behind the computers, recorders, transportation systems and infrastructure that made this production possible. 

Claude Schryer

Latest update on July 8, 2025

• Artistic practice, cultural traditions, cultural practice, folk traditions… These are all places where we have where wisdoms that might otherwise have been lost have been protected, sheltered or found refuge. And like, artists have this like hoarding tendency sometimes, right? Like maybe not all artists, but a lot of us, you know, we look for, for these neglected things, the things that people don't care about so much. We make special or we keep special. And then it's through the artists right now, through the peoples who've kept the stories, kept the cultures, kept the artifacts or the practices that we can reconnect and collapse time. We can close some of that distance between who I am, where I am today, and ancestors from way before through those practices.

My conversation with interdisciplinary artist, researcher and consultant Helen Yung who leads the Laboratory for Artistic Intelligence, an artist-driven transdisciplinary research group that specializes in reimagining how things work in the world. Led by artists, this Lab collaborates with people in community, culture, astronomy, physics, psychology, medicine, immigration, mental health, information sciences, education, and more. Helen is a sparkplug of creativity and innovation. I had the pleasure of attending a presentation by Helen about her work at the Worldmaking as Creative Practice gathering in Tkaronto on May 29 and 30, 2025 which was hosted by the Creative Communities Commons at University of Toronto's School of Cities and led by Artist-Researcher-in-Residence Shannon Litzenberger. You’ll hear Helen and I refer to this Worldmaking gathering throughout our conversation, for example, when I ask Helen about art as refuge. At the end of the episode Helen invite listeners to join the to the Forum for Artistic Intelligence (ART/INForum). 

A note of thanks to EM Luka, a good friend and collaborator of Helen's, who participated in the conversation but was not included in the final edit due to time constraints. 

Show notes generated by Whisper Transcribe AI

Action points

• Recognize art as a refuge for spirituality, soulfulness, and cultural preservation in times of conflict.
• Explore your roots and kinship to tap into reservoirs of knowledge and wisdom.
• Understand the continuum between art for art’s sake and applied arts, and how they intertwine.
• Embrace the concept of pluriversalism to appreciate diverse perspectives and imaginations.
• Join the Forum for Artistic Intelligence to connect with like-minded individuals.

Story Preview

Imagine a world where art safeguards culture, bridges divides, and sparks imagination. Helen Yung shares her vision of art as a sanctuary and a catalyst for understanding our pluriversal world, challenging us to reconsider the role of creativity in society.

Chapter Summary

00:00 The Value of Cultural Practices
01:24 Introducing Helen Yung
03:42 Pluriversalism and Artistic Practice
07:05 Art as a Refuge
11:14 Roots and Artistic Identity

Featured Quotes

• Artists have this like hoarding tendency sometimes… we look for, for these neglected things, the things that people don’t care about so much. We make special or we keep special.
• Art has been a sort of holding space or a placeholder for many other things that humanity craves and needs.
• I believe very much in the role of the artist is to do our best to exhibit in our subjectivity in society… So to bring our artistic practice and our artistic being in relation to the rest of the world, to whatever extent you’re able to…

Behind the Story

Helen Yung discusses her work with the Laboratory for Artistic Intelligence, emphasizing the importance of bringing artistic methods into various societal sectors. The episode touches on the Worldmaking as Creative Practice gathering, where ideas of art as refuge were explored. Helen advocates for pluriversalism, highlighting the need to appreciate and integrate diverse perspectives in a global context.

*

END NOTES FOR ALL EPISODES

Hey conscient listeners, 

I’ve been producing the conscient podcast as a learning and unlearning journey since May 2020 on un-ceded Anishinaabe Algonquin territory (Ottawa). 

It’s my way to give back.

In parallel with the production of the conscient podcast and its francophone counterpart, balado conscient, I I publish free ‘a calm presence' Substack see https://acalmpresence.substack.com.

Your feedback is always welcome at [email protected] and/or on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Threads, BlueSky, Mastodon, Tik Tok, YouTube and Substack.

Share what you like, etc

I am grateful and accountable to the earth and the human labour that provided me with the privilege of producing this podcast, including the toxic materials and extractive processes behind the computers, recorders, transportation systems and infrastructure that made this production possible. 

Claude Schryer

Latest update on July 8, 2025

• The environmental issues currently at hand, including global warming, are related, but I believe that at their root lies the decline of our listening ability and the power of listening as humanity. This decline is not merely a matter of our listening ability weakening as we age, but rather it encompasses what we choose to listen to, how we perceive it, and all the various subjects of listening and methods of comprehension. I believe this decline is a collective issue for humanity, particularly in modern Western contexts where we have been taught that this is how to listen, especially in relation to music and everyday listening practices, and how we have become confined to these methods. We must have once believed in more locally rooted ways of listening, but we are losing that I think that is fundamentally connected to the current environmental issues. 

My conversation with Japanese musicologist and soundscape researcher Keiko Torigoe at her home in Tokyo on May 21, 2025. Keiko is retired from her position as professor at Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo and is currently President of the Soundscape Association of Japan. Keiko is a long-time friend and colleague in the international acoustic ecology community who has done important research on soundscapes in Canada and Japan. 

Keiko answered the two following questions in Japanese: first, ‘what is role of arts and culture is in times of crisis, collapse and renewal’ followed by ‘what about your current activities as a researcher and producer of community arts projects and what action points do you recommend’). I loved how her answers included the more-than-human world and locally rooted ways of listening. You can also listen to the original Japanese version of our conversation here. 

この対談のオリジナル日本語版はこちらでも聴くことができる。

Show notes generated by Whisper Transcribe AI

Action points

• Recognize the decline of listening ability in modern society and its connection to environmental issues.
• Broaden the concept of music to include communication with the natural realm.
• Deepen your connection with the land and local communities through artistic activities.
• Engage in collaborative projects that promote understanding and respect for diverse perspectives.
• Consider the impact of your actions on those around you, fostering intergenerational connections.

Story Preview

Imagine strolling around a tranquil pond in Japan, guided by a soundscape researcher who unveils the hidden stories of the land through music and conversation. This episode explores the power of listening, the interconnectedness of humans and nature, and the transformative potential of community art. 

Chapter Summary

The Decline of Listening
Introducing Keiko Torigoe
Arts and Culture in Crisis
The Narrowing Concept of Music
Personal Journey and Artistic Exploration
Transformative Power of Art

Featured Quotes

• I believe that at their root lies the decline of our listening ability, the power of listening as humanity.
• We have forgotten the other aspect of music, which is the concept of music that connects not just humans, but also the more than human world, allowing us to communicate with the entire natural realm.
• Art and such activities transform me, and having done it for many years, it gradually affects those around me as well.

Behind the Story

Claude Schryer travels to Tokyo to meet with Keiko Torigoe, a renowned musicologist and soundscape researcher. Keiko shares her passion for reconnecting with the natural world through listening and artistic projects. Her insights are rooted in her research in both Canada and Japan and her personal experiences in her hometown.

*

END NOTES FOR ALL EPISODES

Hey conscient listeners, 

I’ve been producing the conscient podcast as a learning and unlearning journey since May 2020 on un-ceded Anishinaabe Algonquin territory (Ottawa). 

It’s my way to give back.

In parallel with the production of the conscient podcast and its francophone counterpart, balado conscient, I I publish free ‘a calm presence' Substack see https://acalmpresence.substack.com.

Your feedback is always welcome at [email protected] and/or on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Threads, BlueSky, Mastodon, Tik Tok, YouTube and Substack.

Share what you like, etc

I am grateful and accountable to the earth and the human labour that provided me with the privilege of producing this podcast, including the toxic materials and extractive processes behind the computers, recorders, transportation systems and infrastructure that made this production possible. 

Claude Schryer

Latest update on July 8, 2025

• My advice to artists would be drop every garb that you have, drop every piece of knowledge that you think you have. Head to the jungles, head to the rural places. We are living in a time of crisis. We need artists more than the scientists. We need artists more than the healers. We need artists more than anything because arts connect everybody. We need songs, we need stories, we need pictures, we need circles, we need Ubuntu to prosper. Traditional Western ways of, colonized ways of working will not save us as a species. They're not going to help us. They're only going to destroy. And the traditionally arts ecosystem exists like that everywhere in the world. Now we know that it's been going on for hundreds of years. We need to destroy that as artists and we need to head to where our roots are, which is in the soil. And our arts come from there.

I met Lallan (Anirudh Lallan Choudhry) at the Sunshine Himalayan Cottage facility in the Tirthan Valley, Himachal Pradesh, India. The managing host of this facility, Panki Sood, introduced us. Lallan, is a multi-disciplinary artist and socially engaged artist who practice is ‘rooted deep in working with the earthen, on a severe lookout for the conditions which enable genuine co-authors within communities, forming narratives through extra-human design and enquiry’. He is the founder of Baadii, a rural art-house in Himachal Pradesh where he currently lives and is also working on community arts projects at Sunshine Himalayan Cottage with Panki and his team, which you’ll hear about in a few minutes. I want to thank Panki for introducing us and Lallan for this first conversation. 

Note: You can hear his latest musical production, Kyun, here). Below is a rough translation of the lyrics :

• Why is the world caught up in making excuses still
• Why are the machines continuously pumping smoke in the air
• By whose permission did we dump all the garbage in the sea 
• And who are the idiots building these dams trying to tie free rivers

• What is all this and why is this even
• What is this world that humans are desiring?

• If everything is one day bound to be left here on the ground
• Then what is the use of constant fighting, over and over again?
• And why is it that we fill bombs and continue to drop them on our very own children? 
• We are intoxicated by the notions of borders and religion
• And continue to revel in the blashpemy of it all

• So why is this even
• That destruction and more destruction is the only thing we want? 

• Those who can be quiet and just listen, where are they?
• Why are my torchbearers full of greed who want to sell the world?
• Those who divide the we into you and me
• Why has everyone chosen them to lead?
• Those who dry down the rivers and erase forests 
• Whar are they doing in everyone's share of the earth
• Why are the deprived, still deprived
• What kind of progress is this? 
• Wherever you see, its filled of smoke
• What kind of a fire of hatred have they fueled 

• Douse it, douse it, douse it
• Let us breathe, of whatever breath is left 
• Whatever little is left of life 

• Might also die, if you do not stop!

Show notes generated by Whisper Transcribe AI:

Action points

• Embrace traditional wisdom by learning from rural communities and their sustainable practices.
• Create art that addresses socio-political issues and promotes cultural movements.
• Build community art spaces that foster collaboration between artists, naturalists, and local populations.
• Highlight the cultural importance of ecological regions through art and storytelling.
• Negate purely aesthetic work in favor of art that drives social and ecological change.

Story Preview

Imagine an artist who champions rural wisdom, bridging ancient traditions with contemporary art to spark cultural and ecological movements. Discover how Lalan is building vibrant arts ecosystems in the Himalayas, proving that art can be a powerful catalyst for change.

Chapter Summary

00:00 The Call for Artists
01:29 Setting Up an Arts Ecosystem
03:25 Learning from Rural Communities
06:30 Art as a Medium of Connection
08:06 The Journey of a Self-Taught Artist
10:01 Creating Impact Through Community Art
12:28 Current Projects and Future Aspirations

Featured Quotes

• We need artists more than the scientists. We need artists more than the healers… because arts connect everybody.
• The traditionally arts ecosystem exists like that everywhere in the world…We need to destroy that as artists and we need to head to where our roots are, which is in the soil.
• How can you as an artist live and create work in a rural so called remote setting where nobody even expects a doctor or an engineer to even work. So how can you make art there? 

Behind the Story

Lallan’s journey from documentary filmmaker to socially engaged artist is rooted in a deep connection to rural communities and a desire to address pressing ecological and cultural issues. His work challenges the dominance of Western artistic models, advocating for a return to traditional wisdom and collaborative art practices that empower local voices.

*

END NOTES FOR ALL EPISODES

Hey conscient listeners, 

I’ve been producing the conscient podcast as a learning and unlearning journey since May 2020 on un-ceded Anishinaabe Algonquin territory (Ottawa). 

It’s my way to give back.

In parallel with the production of the conscient podcast and its francophone counterpart, balado conscient, I I publish free ‘a calm presence' Substack see https://acalmpresence.substack.com.

Your feedback is always welcome at [email protected] and/or on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Threads, BlueSky, Mastodon, Tik Tok, YouTube and Substack.

Share what you like, etc

I am grateful and accountable to the earth and the human labour that provided me with the privilege of producing this podcast, including the toxic materials and extractive processes behind the computers, recorders, transportation systems and infrastructure that made this production possible. 

Claude Schryer

Latest update on July 8, 2025

• Alongside the responsibility of holding people accountable and calling out what they see as unjust, I think that there's also an element of hope with artists, even when we're maybe a little bit melancholic, or even when we're in heavier periods in our lives, the act of creating denotes hope, because why would you create something if you didn't believe that it was going to lead to something? Why would you put energy into something if you didn't hope that it would nurture either a change or a feeling of belonging or something that'll bring people together and that will create a sense of community?

My conversation with Emily Marie Séguin, a Franco-Ontarian 2-spirited performer, musician, theatre creator and visual artist of settlers and Anishinabe descent who creates work to recognize those who walked before her, and to support those who will after her. I wanted to speak to Emily because she is member of Éclore, a collective that builds bridges between artistic, environmental and activist communities, bringing people together and building hope for a fairer, more sustainable future. I had already spoken with Léa Vandycke, about Éclore, in episode 164 of balado conscient, and so Emily is about to tell us, in English, the story of Éclore from her point but she will also talk about her own work and vision as an indigenous artist, such as her G’zaagiin maleńki – I promise you a forestproject. I also had a French language conversation with Emily, see balado conscient épisode 168.

Show notes generated by Whisper Transcribe AI

Action points

• Discover the mission of Éclore and how it fosters collaboration between artists, scientists, and activists.
• Explore the role of art in advocating for social causes, environmental protection, and Indigenous sovereignty.
• Learn about Emily’s project, G’zaagiin maleńki – je te promets une forêt and its goal of connecting young people with the sounds and importance of nature.
• Understand the significance of Indigenous voices in land-based solutions for a just and sustainable world.
• Gain actionable steps for artists and cultural workers to engage in advocacy and support grassroots movements.

Story Preview

Imagine a world where art, environmentalism, and activism intertwine, creating a tapestry of hope for a sustainable future. Emily Marie Séguin, a passionate Two-Spirit artist, shares her journey of bridging these worlds through her work with Éclore and her dedication to honouring the land.

Chapter Summary

00:00 The Duality of Art: Accountability and Hope
01:23 Introducing Emily Marie Seguin
03:44 The Birth of Éclore: A Collective for Change
07:15 Art as a Reflection of Nature
11:43 Taking Action: Empowering Artists and Cultural Workers

Featured Quotes

• The act of creating denotes hope, because why would you create something if you didn’t believe that it was going to lead to something?
• I think that the fight towards a more just and sustainable world, especially in a land-based context, needs to include Indigenous voices.
• Without hope, we wouldn’t do anything, we wouldn’t act, we wouldn’t continue to fight.

Behind the Story

Emily’s involvement with Éclore stems from a deep-seated passion for plants, nature, and advocating for social justice. Inspired by the vision of Éclore's founders, she joined the collective to help build a community that serves as a resource for artists and fosters conversations across diverse disciplines, all united by a common goal of protecting the land and promoting sovereignty.

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END NOTES FOR ALL EPISODES

Hey conscient listeners, 

I’ve been producing the conscient podcast as a learning and unlearning journey since May 2020 on un-ceded Anishinaabe Algonquin territory (Ottawa). 

It’s my way to give back.

In parallel with the production of the conscient podcast and its francophone counterpart, balado conscient, I I publish free ‘a calm presence' Substack see https://acalmpresence.substack.com.

Your feedback is always welcome at [email protected] and/or on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Threads, BlueSky, Mastodon, Tik Tok, YouTube and Substack.

Share what you like, etc

I am grateful and accountable to the earth and the human labour that provided me with the privilege of producing this podcast, including the toxic materials and extractive processes behind the computers, recorders, transportation systems and infrastructure that made this production possible. 

Claude Schryer

Latest update on July 8, 2025

• If we start to pay attention to what we pay attention to then we start to naturally slow down. We disconnect from the urgency, the crisis, and we start to realize that care, and I don't just mean care for one another, although that's a piece of it, but care also for our surroundings, care for our time, care for those nearest to us. That is where it begins. That is valuable work that is not recognized. I think that is what we can do on a day-to-day basis. That over a long term becomes artistic practice and becomes culture.

My conversation withknowledge producer, artist, facilitator and director of the Artists’ Literacies Institute, Andrew Freiband. Our conversation was recorded, via Zoom, on April 18, 2025. My previous conversation with Andrew was on conscient podcast e13 in 2020 called weaving art into action, when we both participants in the Creative Climate Leadership course USA. Five years later, I was happy to discover that Andrew, informed by the work of British artists and writer  Alana Jelinek, continues to weave art into action, notably with through his Systems Thinking for Socially Engaged Artists project, a seminar and dialogic discussion activity that introduces artists to basic concepts of systems science so we fleshed this out and Andrew and also talked about how the arts can be more useful to the near term and long-term future of our species. 

Show notes generated by Whisper Transcribe AI

Action points

• Recognize the value of artists’ unique knowledge and perspectives beyond just their art.
• Understand artists as systems thinkers who can connect various systems, including economic and power systems.
• Challenge the notion that art should not be useful and embrace its potential for practical application.
• Pay attention to what you pay attention to, cultivating care for surroundings, time, and relationships.
• Consider the long-term cultural impact of artistic practices, which can outlast political and social structures.

Story Preview

Imagine a world grappling with mass grief during a pandemic, where traditional rituals are impossible. Discover how artists stepped up to create new ways to mourn and connect, revealing the profound value of art beyond aesthetics.

Chapter Summary

00:00 The Power of Attention
01:01 Revisiting Conversations
02:50 Art in Crisis: The COVID-19 Response
05:15 Creating the Artist’s Grief Deck
07:16 Rethinking the Role of Artists
10:07 Navigating Systems and Agency
12:21 The Intersection of Art and Activism
13:50 The Slow Work of Culture

Featured Quotes

• If we start to pay attention to what we pay attention to, we start to naturally slow down.
• Artists are valuable not for the art, but valuable for what they know and how they know it.
• Artists attention is enormously valuable…maybe the key currency of being an artist that we pay attention.

Behind the Story

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, disaster relief agencies faced a challenge they weren’t equipped for: mass grief in isolation. Recognizing artists’ historical role in creating rituals, they sought help in developing new tools for mourning. This led to the creation of the Artist’s Grief Deck, a project highlighting the practical and connective power of art.

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END NOTES FOR ALL EPISODES

Hey conscient listeners, 

I’ve been producing the conscient podcast as a learning and unlearning journey since May 2020 on un-ceded Anishinaabe Algonquin territory (Ottawa). 

It’s my way to give back.

In parallel with the production of the conscient podcast and its francophone counterpart, balado conscient, I I publish free ‘a calm presence' Substack see https://acalmpresence.substack.com.

Your feedback is always welcome at [email protected] and/or on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Threads, BlueSky, Mastodon, Tik Tok, YouTube and Substack.

Share what you like, etc

I am grateful and accountable to the earth and the human labour that provided me with the privilege of producing this podcast, including the toxic materials and extractive processes behind the computers, recorders, transportation systems and infrastructure that made this production possible. 

Claude Schryer

Latest update on July 8, 2025

• Even being confronted with something that is weird or uncomfortable: it’s character growth. You have to ask the question: why is this person doing this weird thing? It's a good exercise in empathy, to be perfectly honest. Why is this person doing this thing? Why does that make me uncomfortable? What, what is it about my perception that has shaped this experience for me? I feel like those are really essential questions for us to be constantly asking ourselves, especially in an age where there's a lot of discord, a lot of dissent and a lot of disagreement. And the better we understand ourselves, the better we're able to engage with humans who are different than us.

My conversation with Meghan Moe Beitiks, assistant professor in theatre at Concordia University in Montreal. Meghan Moe is an artist and designer working with associations and disassociations of culture, nature and structure. Our mutual friend Ian Garrett thought we might get along. We did. Our conversation focused on Meghan Moe’s Angles of Consequence project, a season of site-specific performances with Canadian performers to create work with reflected sunlight in key sites of climate advocacy and destruction in Québec. Meghan Moe and I had tea in Montreal. It was a very, enlightening, conversation. 

Show notes generated by Whisper Transcribe AI:

Action points

• Recognize art’s crucial role in processing emotions and spreading information during crises.
• Explore the use of reflected sunlight in art to highlight climate change issues.
• Support Indigenous resistance against fossil fuel expansion as an effective climate action.
• Consider the impact of positionality (literal and cultural) on our perspectives.
• Utilize resources like Canada Green Tools to calculate and reduce the carbon footprint of events.

Story Preview

Imagine art that dances with the sun, revealing hidden truths about our planet’s climate crisis. Megan Moe’s ‘Angles of Consequence’ uses reflected sunlight in powerful performances, sparking dialogue and demanding action.

Chapter Summary

00:00 The Power of Empathy
01:05 Introducing Megan Moe
01:31 Angles of Consequence
03:08 Art as a Tool for Understanding
04:35 Reflected Sunlight and Climate Change
07:09 Indigenous Resistance and Environmental Impact
09:49 Collaborating with Nature

Featured Quotes

• We also need moments of digestion…to absorb and understand what we’ve experienced and what we’ve learned.
• The sun is not going to show up on your time. It doesn’t care whether you’re giving a performance.
• Being able to witness that up close and consider what that human is doing in relationship to your own humanness, I feel like makes us all clearer, more grounded and better.

Behind the Story

Megan Moe’s project, ‘Angles of Consequence’, emerged from pandemic isolation and a fascination with reflected sunlight. It evolved into a series of site-specific performances addressing climate change in Québec, highlighting both the destructive forces of fossil fuels and the powerful resistance of Indigenous communities. The project aims to create an open-access guide, encouraging global engagement with sunlight performance art.

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END NOTES FOR ALL EPISODES

Hey conscient listeners, 

I’ve been producing the conscient podcast as a learning and unlearning journey since May 2020 on un-ceded Anishinaabe Algonquin territory (Ottawa). 

It’s my way to give back.

In parallel with the production of the conscient podcast and its francophone counterpart, balado conscient, I I publish free ‘a calm presence' Substack see https://acalmpresence.substack.com.

Your feedback is always welcome at [email protected] and/or on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Threads, BlueSky, Mastodon, Tik Tok, YouTube and Substack.

Share what you like, etc

I am grateful and accountable to the earth and the human labour that provided me with the privilege of producing this podcast, including the toxic materials and extractive processes behind the computers, recorders, transportation systems and infrastructure that made this production possible. 

Claude Schryer

Latest update on July 8, 2025