Art Show, “Art as Inquiry,” (with Climate Co-lab)

Name: Art Show, “Art as Inquiry,” (with Climate Co-lab)
Start: 2026-04-02T00:00:00-04:00
End: 2026-04-29T00:00:00-04:00
Location: Arts Alliance Center – College Mall

April 2 @ 12:00 am - April 29 @ 12:00 am

Painting with science and nature elements

Artists for Climate Awareness will be hosting a show of climate art in the Arts Alliance Center in Bloomington, Indiana and online. The exhibition, named “Art as Inquiry”, is displaying 2-D and 3-D artwork April 2-29, 2026 at the Pillar Arts Alliance Center in the College Mall, Bloomington, IN. This juried show, a featured part of our Earth Month celebrations, is intended to raise awareness about urgent climate and environmental issues through artistic expression and community engagement. The show represents Artists for Climate Awareness members in several states.

Artists for Climate Awareness members display their work throughout the month at ACA’s annual Earth Month exhibition. The theme is intended to make climate-related research more accessible through the experience of art. As of April 19, Artwork produced by the Climate Co-lab, through Brushes for a Better Planet, will join the exhibition, and these artworks will be displayed alongside the Art as Inquiry works. The Climate Co-lab holds its reception on April 19.

Our Co-lab hackathon event involves collaboration of artists and Indiana University scientists in March of 2026. During the first phase, artists will shadow scientists as they collect data for their research. Subsequently, the artist and the scientist will co-create art (performance included) to represent the scientific endeavor or finding. Learn more here.

Art, especially, can turn scientific knowledge into experiences that resonate emotionally—offering insights that facts and figures alone can’t always reach. When these perspectives come together, they open up fresh ways of seeing and help people connect more deeply with complex ideas. Through this collaboration, we transform scientific research into accessible, emotional, and community-rooted narratives. The hackathon is organized by Lily Shan of Brushes for a Better Planet, and is sponsored by Artists for Climate Awareness.

The month-long event will host additional climate awareness events, including:

April 12 – “Nature Walk,” a musical and narrative presentation at the Arts Alliance Center; 2-3 pm. Music led by IU School of Music student Thejas Mirle and four composers; narrative provided by Distinguished IU Biology Professor Roger Hangarter.
Immediately followed by:
April 12 – RECEPTION for member climate artworks exhibition, 3-5 pm at Pillar Arts Center. Prizes awarded. Public invited. Free.
April 19 – RECEPTION for Climate Co-lab art 3-6 pm at Pillar Arts Center. A short introduction of artists and sponsors followed by “Nature Walk” performance, and then art reception. The Climate Co-lab is organized in partnership with the IU Ostrom Workshop , the IU Environment, Society, and Sustainability Institute, and the IU Environment, Society, and Sustainability Institute at Indiana University. Free; public invited.
Public Art Sand Art Mural in Switchyard Park on April 18: Working with the Bloomington Commission on Sustainability and a local girl scout troop, we’ll have interactive art for the public to engage with climate change in the form of a temporary sand art mural at the Switchyard Park Earth Day Event 2026
MDWST Fable along with five artists with the IU Art School creates SOLACE, an eco-health public installation in Pillar Arts Alliance Center on three dates, April 18, 25, and 26. The installation is designed to to allow the public to co-create and participate in healing art and climate awareness.

Purpose of the Show

Offering a Collective Voice: We believe that climate change is a multifaceted issue, and the more perspectives we showcase, the richer the conversation becomes. We honor all participating artists with their compelling range of ideas, skillsets, and mediums.

Honoring Excellence: While the exhibition focuses on the inclusivity of voices, we also want to celebrate outstanding contributions. Our panel of professional judges has selected works reflecting exceptional artistry and impact. These will be spotlighted within the gallery and awarded during the opening event.

Including Everyone’s Role in the Story: Each piece in the exhibition contributes to the overarching story we are telling about the urgent need to address climate change. These artistic visions play a crucial role in inspiring conversation and action.