Illustration as a participatory tool for diverse discussions on the climate crisis

This submission explores participatory strategies that enhance the responsiveness of illustration as a research tool, particularly in fostering climate solutions and amplifying marginalised voices. As a form of artistic research, illustration moves beyond visual representation to become a process for listening, reflecting, and co-creating meaning within communities. Drawing on my doctoral research, this submission investigates how illustration can enhance the representation and inclusion of LGBTQ+ voices in climate narratives through participatory workshops. Historically, climate activism has been influenced by dominant discourses that frequently overlook intersectional perspectives, especially those of queer communities. My research explores how participatory illustration can integrate queer identities into climate discussions, reflecting lived experiences while envisioning alternative futures. Through collaborative storytelling, illustration can articulate these tensions, creating spaces where differing experiences and histories intersect. This approach considers how artistic research can act as a catalyst for inclusive climate narratives that challenge mainstream structures. Within the contexts of colonial legacies and ecological crises, illustration can serve as an archive of lived experiences and imagined futures. My research examines how participatory illustration can reclaim overlooked histories, engage with ecological grief, and develop new narratives of joy that reshape the present in inclusive, hopeful, and transformative ways. By prioritising tactile, embodied, and community-driven artistic practices, this research explores how illustration cultivates a sense of agency amid uncertainty, thereby fostering inclusive climate dialogues.