Climate Talks: Connecting Insects and Food Systems in a Changing Climate
October 2, 2025 | UBC Botanical Garden
Climate change affects us all, and we all share the responsibility to address it. Climate Talks: Connecting Food, Health, and Biodiversity in a Changing Climate is a one-day interactive symposium designed to engage and activate citizens, students, and scientists in understanding the global connections between nutrition, environmental change, and climate change. Beyond presenting known facts, we seek to provide knowledge, opportunities for reflection, and pathways for transformative action.The UBC Comics Studies Cluster invites applications from cartoonists and comics artists to create a graphic narrative on the relationships between insects, biodiversity and food systems as part of the day-long event Climate Talks: Connecting Food, Health, and Biodiversity in a Changing Climate at the UBC Botanical Garden.The event’s focus centers on enabling transformative change on biodiversity – both in everyday life and across society. The event will emphasize transnational exchange between Germany, France, and Canada, supporting our overarching goal of developing a joint application for the current Horizon Europe Framework Program.This gathering will feature a keynote address followed by a series of small-group conversations in which participants reflect on and respond to the keynote themes.The selected artist will document and creatively interpret the day by:
- Producing a 3-5-page comic summarizing and intertwining two separate presentations on insect biodiversity and environmental impacts on food systems. The cartoonist will be charged with creating a graphic narrative that connects these two threads of the day’s event, either through a documentary-style presentation or by crafting a story that draws together the themes of the presentations.
- Creating a series of 1-page vignette comics (approx. 5 total) that capture the energy, insights, and reflections of the participant conversations.
The final collection will comprise approximately 8–10 pages and serve as a visual record of the day’s exchange of ideas.
Compensation
The artist will receive $1,200 CAD, paid in two instalments:
- $600 upon receipt of thumbnails for the comic project.
- $600 upon submission of the completed 8–10-page work.
This compensation includes attendance at the October 2 event, participation in discussions with organizers, and the creative process leading to the final deliverable.
Timeline
- September 21, 2025 – Deadline for applications
- September 24, 2025 – Artist notified of selection
- October 2, 2025 – Attendance at Climate Talks event (UBC Botanical Garden)
- October 31, 2025 – Thumbnails due (for approval and feedback)
- December 15, 2025 – Final comic due
Application Instructions
Please submit a single PDF containing the following materials:
- Letter of Interest (max. 1 page) describing your artistic background and your interest in working with the themes of climate, food, health, and biodiversity.
- 3 examples of comic art (max. 10 pages total).
- OPTIONAL: A short creative statement about your approach to visualizing conversations and collaborative events.
Send any questions to Dr. Biz Nijdam, UBC Comics Studies Cluster: biz.nijdam@ubc.ca