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Holà. I decided to begin my conversation with the brilliant Mexican-Canadian cultural worker and climate communicator Julia Matamoros in Spanish so that she could introduce herself in her first language :
‘Bienvenida Julia al podcast consciente. Mi español no es muy bueno pero quiero empezar nuestra conversación en este idioma. Antes de pasar al inglés, ¿por qué no empiezas con una introducción en español y luego un breve resumen de tus antecedentes en inglés y luego hablaremos sobre el arte y la crisis ecológica? ¿VALE?
It worked. Gracias Julia.
I first met Julia in 2022 while I was chair of the board of SCALE and she was the communications lead. I was impressed by her strategies and insights on how to further engage artists in the climate emergency for example :
As you can hear, Julia integrates her diverse background in arts, culture, social work, and community development with a focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and complex and urgent issues like the climate emergency.
Julia believes these areas are interconnected and essential for societal transformation and she talks about her work with a passion and a type of serenity that is contagious, in a good way.
Our conversation explores a range of environmental challenges such as water scarcity in her native Mexico and highlights innovative climate solutions like rainwater harvesting, the permaculture movement, Mexico’s recent ban on GMO corn, and 'Energising Artivism', a new project that Julia is involved in that elevates the role of arts in social and environmental activism.
Julia also underscores the need for building networks to increase resilience in addressing climate issues, noting that many initiatives lack adequate community-building infrastructure and she explains this gap and how to address it throughout our exchange.
Among other issues, Julia observes a disconnect between climate change understanding and action in the arts and culture sector, particularly among cultural leadership, and she does not hold her punches in her observations of the status quo:
This section of our conversation brought me back to episode 183 about cultural leadership where we heard how the arts sector is exploring many of the root causes of the ecological crisis however, ironically, the arts sector is not yet in climate emergency mode.
This is a complex dilemma but I like the way Julia suggests ways for us to move forward. I want to thank Julia for her cultural leadership and vision for the role of the arts.
Julia wrote this note to me after our conversation which I think summarizes her concerns and aspirations:
I agree. Let’s make it a common project, everyone, together. Hagamos que sea un proyecto común, todos juntos.
Julia recommends the following publication
Projects mentioned in the episode:
Other links from Mexico
*
Chapters (AI generated)
Introduction
Julia Matamoros introduces herself, sharing her journey from Mexico to Canada and her extensive background in arts, culture, and community development. She reflects on how she has integrated her passions for social work and the arts throughout her career.
The Intersection of Art and Climate
Julia discusses the natural transition from focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion to addressing climate issues, emphasizing their interconnectedness. She shares her belief that the arts play a crucial role in making connections between these causes.
Art as a Necessity
Julia elaborates on her lifelong relationship with art, describing it as a necessity that has always been integral to her life. She highlights her diverse interests in various forms of artistic expression, from literature to film and beyond.
Perspectives on the ‘End of the World (as we know it)
The conversation shifts to the theme of the end of the world as we know it with Julia sharing her perspective shaped by her experiences in Mexico. She discusses how the concept varies globally and the creative responses emerging in communities facing crises.
Note: Julia noted afterwards that ‘I think William Gibson's famous quote summarizes what I'm trying to say “The future is already here – it's just not evenly distributed.’
Engaging with Climate through Art
Julia shares her belief that the arts must engage with pressing societal issues, including climate change and inequality. She discusses her work with various projects aimed at fostering collaboration and participation within the arts sector.
Energizing Artivism
Julia introduces the concept of ‘Energising Artivism,’ a new project focused on uplifting the role of arts in addressing environmental and social challenges. She highlights the upcoming Artivism Conference in South Africa as a platform for collaboration.
Building Networks for Resilience
The importance of building networks within the arts community is emphasized as a means to foster resilience and collaboration. Julia discusses the need for a centralized infrastructure to connect artists and cultural organizations effectively.
Challenges Facing the Arts Sector
Julia and Claude discuss the various challenges artists face, including housing issues and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and how these challenges can be reframed as opportunities for deeper engagement for the arts with societal issues.
Cultural Transformation through Art
Julia argues for the necessity of a cultural transformation to address the climate emergency, asserting that artists are uniquely positioned to lead this change, emphasizing the importance of questioning existing narratives and imagining new possibilities.
Art and Community in Mexico
Shifting focus to Mexico, Julia shares insights into how the arts community is integrating ecological concerns into their work and vice versa. She highlights various initiatives that blend art with permaculture and sustainable practices.
Reviving Indigenous Craftsmanship
Julia discusses the resurgence of indigenous craftsmanship in Mexico, emphasizing the importance of ethical collaboration and recognition of cultural heritage. She describes how this movement is intertwined with sustainability and community building.
The Role of Arts in Crisis
The conversation returns to the role of the arts in addressing crises, with Julia reflecting on how artists can contribute meaningfully to societal challenges. She emphasizes the need for connection and collaboration among artists and communities.
The Power of Self-Organization
In this section, the importance of self-organizing within communities is emphasized, highlighting how local connections can lead to meaningful exchanges and on how art can facilitate these connections and foster new relationships among individuals.
Navigating Climate Conversations
The conversation shifts to the challenges of discussing climate change within the arts community, where feelings of denial and disempowerment often prevail and the need for more open dialogue about the climate emergency and how artists can lead these conversations through their work.
Bridging the Gap in Leadership
Here, the focus is on the disconnect between the grassroots level and leadership within the arts sector regarding climate action including the necessity for arts organizations to take on more responsibility and foster collaboration to address climate issues effectively.
Creating Unity and Frameworks
This section emphasizes the need for a unified approach within the arts sector to tackle climate change, suggesting that shared frameworks can guide collective efforts. The discussion highlights the importance of collaboration and agreement on priorities to maximize impact.
Hope and Healing through the Arts
The conversation reflects upon the role of the arts in fostering hope and healing amidst the climate crisis, emphasizing the need to reconnect with the joy of living. They discuss how the arts can bridge pain and possibility, encouraging a collective movement towards positive change.
Permaculture Principles and Cultural Transformation
In this section, the conversation delves into permaculture as a framework for cultural transformation, highlighting its relevance beyond agriculture including how adopting permaculture principles can guide communities toward sustainable living and resilience.
Cultivating a Caring Culture
The concluding section emphasizes the importance of reciprocity, caring, and community in navigating the challenges posed by climate change.
*
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
5
44 ratings
Holà. I decided to begin my conversation with the brilliant Mexican-Canadian cultural worker and climate communicator Julia Matamoros in Spanish so that she could introduce herself in her first language :
‘Bienvenida Julia al podcast consciente. Mi español no es muy bueno pero quiero empezar nuestra conversación en este idioma. Antes de pasar al inglés, ¿por qué no empiezas con una introducción en español y luego un breve resumen de tus antecedentes en inglés y luego hablaremos sobre el arte y la crisis ecológica? ¿VALE?
It worked. Gracias Julia.
I first met Julia in 2022 while I was chair of the board of SCALE and she was the communications lead. I was impressed by her strategies and insights on how to further engage artists in the climate emergency for example :
As you can hear, Julia integrates her diverse background in arts, culture, social work, and community development with a focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and complex and urgent issues like the climate emergency.
Julia believes these areas are interconnected and essential for societal transformation and she talks about her work with a passion and a type of serenity that is contagious, in a good way.
Our conversation explores a range of environmental challenges such as water scarcity in her native Mexico and highlights innovative climate solutions like rainwater harvesting, the permaculture movement, Mexico’s recent ban on GMO corn, and 'Energising Artivism', a new project that Julia is involved in that elevates the role of arts in social and environmental activism.
Julia also underscores the need for building networks to increase resilience in addressing climate issues, noting that many initiatives lack adequate community-building infrastructure and she explains this gap and how to address it throughout our exchange.
Among other issues, Julia observes a disconnect between climate change understanding and action in the arts and culture sector, particularly among cultural leadership, and she does not hold her punches in her observations of the status quo:
This section of our conversation brought me back to episode 183 about cultural leadership where we heard how the arts sector is exploring many of the root causes of the ecological crisis however, ironically, the arts sector is not yet in climate emergency mode.
This is a complex dilemma but I like the way Julia suggests ways for us to move forward. I want to thank Julia for her cultural leadership and vision for the role of the arts.
Julia wrote this note to me after our conversation which I think summarizes her concerns and aspirations:
I agree. Let’s make it a common project, everyone, together. Hagamos que sea un proyecto común, todos juntos.
Julia recommends the following publication
Projects mentioned in the episode:
Other links from Mexico
*
Chapters (AI generated)
Introduction
Julia Matamoros introduces herself, sharing her journey from Mexico to Canada and her extensive background in arts, culture, and community development. She reflects on how she has integrated her passions for social work and the arts throughout her career.
The Intersection of Art and Climate
Julia discusses the natural transition from focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion to addressing climate issues, emphasizing their interconnectedness. She shares her belief that the arts play a crucial role in making connections between these causes.
Art as a Necessity
Julia elaborates on her lifelong relationship with art, describing it as a necessity that has always been integral to her life. She highlights her diverse interests in various forms of artistic expression, from literature to film and beyond.
Perspectives on the ‘End of the World (as we know it)
The conversation shifts to the theme of the end of the world as we know it with Julia sharing her perspective shaped by her experiences in Mexico. She discusses how the concept varies globally and the creative responses emerging in communities facing crises.
Note: Julia noted afterwards that ‘I think William Gibson's famous quote summarizes what I'm trying to say “The future is already here – it's just not evenly distributed.’
Engaging with Climate through Art
Julia shares her belief that the arts must engage with pressing societal issues, including climate change and inequality. She discusses her work with various projects aimed at fostering collaboration and participation within the arts sector.
Energizing Artivism
Julia introduces the concept of ‘Energising Artivism,’ a new project focused on uplifting the role of arts in addressing environmental and social challenges. She highlights the upcoming Artivism Conference in South Africa as a platform for collaboration.
Building Networks for Resilience
The importance of building networks within the arts community is emphasized as a means to foster resilience and collaboration. Julia discusses the need for a centralized infrastructure to connect artists and cultural organizations effectively.
Challenges Facing the Arts Sector
Julia and Claude discuss the various challenges artists face, including housing issues and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and how these challenges can be reframed as opportunities for deeper engagement for the arts with societal issues.
Cultural Transformation through Art
Julia argues for the necessity of a cultural transformation to address the climate emergency, asserting that artists are uniquely positioned to lead this change, emphasizing the importance of questioning existing narratives and imagining new possibilities.
Art and Community in Mexico
Shifting focus to Mexico, Julia shares insights into how the arts community is integrating ecological concerns into their work and vice versa. She highlights various initiatives that blend art with permaculture and sustainable practices.
Reviving Indigenous Craftsmanship
Julia discusses the resurgence of indigenous craftsmanship in Mexico, emphasizing the importance of ethical collaboration and recognition of cultural heritage. She describes how this movement is intertwined with sustainability and community building.
The Role of Arts in Crisis
The conversation returns to the role of the arts in addressing crises, with Julia reflecting on how artists can contribute meaningfully to societal challenges. She emphasizes the need for connection and collaboration among artists and communities.
The Power of Self-Organization
In this section, the importance of self-organizing within communities is emphasized, highlighting how local connections can lead to meaningful exchanges and on how art can facilitate these connections and foster new relationships among individuals.
Navigating Climate Conversations
The conversation shifts to the challenges of discussing climate change within the arts community, where feelings of denial and disempowerment often prevail and the need for more open dialogue about the climate emergency and how artists can lead these conversations through their work.
Bridging the Gap in Leadership
Here, the focus is on the disconnect between the grassroots level and leadership within the arts sector regarding climate action including the necessity for arts organizations to take on more responsibility and foster collaboration to address climate issues effectively.
Creating Unity and Frameworks
This section emphasizes the need for a unified approach within the arts sector to tackle climate change, suggesting that shared frameworks can guide collective efforts. The discussion highlights the importance of collaboration and agreement on priorities to maximize impact.
Hope and Healing through the Arts
The conversation reflects upon the role of the arts in fostering hope and healing amidst the climate crisis, emphasizing the need to reconnect with the joy of living. They discuss how the arts can bridge pain and possibility, encouraging a collective movement towards positive change.
Permaculture Principles and Cultural Transformation
In this section, the conversation delves into permaculture as a framework for cultural transformation, highlighting its relevance beyond agriculture including how adopting permaculture principles can guide communities toward sustainable living and resilience.
Cultivating a Caring Culture
The concluding section emphasizes the importance of reciprocity, caring, and community in navigating the challenges posed by climate change.
*
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
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