Jackson Heights, Queens, is set to host the inaugural Street Works Earth festival on September 22, 2024, an event that merges art with climate action. Organized by Make Justice Normal (MJN), the free public festival will transform 34th Avenue into a space featuring 17 interactive art installations and 23 climate and civic action tables. The event aims to inspire hope and action for climate and environmental justice during the 2024 New York Climate Week.
The festival takes place on one of America's longest open streets in Jackson Heights, a community that is approximately 85% BIPOC and where over 150 languages are spoken. Anjali Deshmukh, a Jackson Heights resident and co-founder of Street Works Earth and MJN, stated: "Street Works Earth seeks to bridge art and practical climate action. By creating joyful spaces in which residents can participate in creativity while exploring climate justice, they can take action in ways that fit their priorities."
The installations were selected from over 100 entries and include works such as "Wasted Potential" by youth-led climate collective The Veggie Nuggets, which focuses on food waste impacts, and "Flood Sensory Aunty" by Sabina Sethi Unni, which explores culturally competent emergency management. Other notable installations include Nitin Mukul's Heat Maps and Bayeté Ross Smith's Hip Hop 50 Boombox.
A unique aspect of Street Works Earth is the collaboration between artists and climate experts. Artists were paired with specialists from organizations such as Environmental Defense Fund and Queens Climate Project to foster cross-disciplinary dialogue. Jonathan Camuzeaux, Senior Director at Environmental Defense Fund and Street Works Earth Advisor, noted: "There is so much that climate experts have to learn from artists and creators, and so many ways that we can enrich each other."
The festival's 23 climate and civic action tables will host organizations including ALIGN, Chhaya, Environmental Defense Fund, and WE ACT for Environmental Justice. This approach demonstrates how art in community spaces can support democracy and civic participation while reaching a diverse audience.
Street Works Earth builds upon MJN's organizing principles for justice, adding design principles for collaborating with artists and climate experts. By providing a platform for street artists outside traditional museum and gallery systems, the event hopes to inspire similar initiatives globally. Ernest Verrett, Street Works Earth co-founder, emphasized: "By reclaiming public space as a platform for creativity in collaboration with audiences, we are offering alternatives to traditional forms of art and activism."
The festival has received support from partners including the Environmental Defense Fund, the Frontline Resources Institute, the NYC Racial Equity Endowment Fund, and Pinterest. It also received public funds from the Queens Arts Fund, a re-grant program supported by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. As climate change remains a pressing global issue, Street Works Earth exemplifies how combining art, community engagement, and environmental activism can make climate action more accessible and engaging for diverse audiences, potentially serving as a model for future initiatives worldwide.
