In this [Campfire Talk] we speak with Dani, an artist-activist comrade who is part of the Artivist Network. We learn why it's important to plan our climate actions and protests also in a visually creative way and how the Artivist Network can help with that, exemplified through some amazing actions and installations that our guest helped co-create during COP30. The [How to] section describe in detail one basic action - hacking bus station ads - that any climate group can do in their very early and growing phases, including where to find online tactics manuals and how Artivists can help with planning and equipment.

[Campfire Talk] What is artivism? Being creative in our climate actions

What does art have to do with activism? Does it matter if you have a giant inflatable puppet or just a message written on a banner with a sharpie? Learn how to get you message out to more people by thinking like an artist when planning a climate action, guided by Dani from the Artivist Network.

[How to] Organise a bus ad hack campaign

An early, relatevely low-risk action that you can do when you are starting out with climate activism is so-called "brandalism", in particular changing bus stop ads with your custom messages. We learn how to create a giant poster in a low-cost way, how to access the ad spaces, and discuss the roles and logistics involved in the action.

Resources

The Artivist Network

web: https://www.artivistnetwork.org/

ig: @artivistnet

yt: @artivistnetwork2793

Radish Radio

https://www.radishradio.org/

https://soundcloud.com/radish-radio

Actions at COP30 with support from Artivists:

i) Kick the suits out! (action against the presence of fossil fuel lobbyists at COP) [ref.as 'huge corporate puppet with burning globe as head']

https://www.instagram.com/p/DRDDrE4jnc7/

https://www.instagram.com/p/DRDUg0UDmB4/

ii) You wouldn't invite the tabacco industry to a health conference [ref.as 'huge inflatable cigarette']

https://www.instagram.com/p/DRNLl1ADuiX/

iii) YES to Life, NO to Dirty Coal! (action against Adani Group) [ref.as 'huge piece of coal']

https://www.instagram.com/p/DRQRWOmjrzp/

https://www.instagram.com/p/DRQAhaJDmi-/

iv) Fire and smoke dresses

https://www.instagram.com/p/DRUqnzbDly_/

https://www.instagram.com/p/DRcfsqyjkWi/

Giant inflatable life ring made with Greepeace Bulgaria

(en) https://greenpeace.at/cee-press-hub/sos-black-sea/

(ro) https://www.romaniacurata.ro/protest-international-pe-plaja-din-vama-veche/

"End the siege, end the genocide" action in Bonn, with artwork made by Artivists

https://www.instagram.com/p/DK9l-mRI_-N/

https://demandclimatejustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/1ee11094-cab5-4de8-bdd7-67ff2078ba9c.jpg

Ad hack campaign

• Artivist's Tactics manual (pg.40): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19I3y7qUyD30WXKANY8EOBq6y-VF4onmy
• Brandalism's Subvertising Manual: https://brandalism.ch/take-action/
• Rasterbator: https://rasterbator.net/
• Worldmap with the ad companies operating in some major cities: https://www.publicadcampaign.com/PublicAccess/participate.html

Ad-hack examples:

• #CleanGasIsADirtyLie; ad-hacks by Gastivists Collective: https://gastivists.org/projects/adhack/
• Ad-hack in Manchester against Shell company and their lies: https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/activists-hack-billboards-across-manchester-29170309
• Ad-hack in Timișoara against OMV Petrom and its fossil gas project in the Black Sea called Neptun Deep: https://www.tion.ro/stirile-judetului-timis/artisti-clandestini-infrunta-companiile-de-petrol-si-gaze-afise-satirice-aparute-in-piata-700-din-timisoara-1820166/

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Hosted & Edited by: Robi & Ani

Sound engineering by: Marius

Montage: Ioni

Theme music: Teo

Graphic artist & illustrator: Mina

Social media: Grc

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