Act4Food Act4Change celebrates visions of food activism
Today marks three months – a quarter of a year (wow!) – since we launched Act4Food Act4Change. It’s been quite the journey so far, with over 10,000 people taking the pledge, and 2000 votes from youth under 30 from 87 countries on the Actions4Change.
We’re gearing up for another busy three months to come, but today we wanted to celebrate our call-out to artists, in partnership with the wonderful KidLit4Climate, as it draws to a close. We would like to thank the artists who participated and to applaud the engagement we’ve had from this very supportive network of talented people.
Earlier this year, on Sustainable Gastronomy Day, June 18th, one month after the launch of our global Act4Food Act4Change campaign, we issued this call to artists, and we hope you like the response as much as we did. Here we share some highlights.
A number of artists chose to feature fruits, vegetables and pulses – or plant-based alternatives in their work, and we really can’t argue! One of our #Actions4Change – Promote plant-based diets – focuses on just this area.
Check out some work by artists including Fhiona Galloway and Archita Khosla from the UK. Archita accompanied her drawing with this great reminder: “I want to remind you all that even a small change is a progress in the right direction – If from eating an animal based diet 7 days a week you can reduce that to 3-4 days, the impact will be significant. Vegetables are healthy, good for our planet and my three favourites have to be carrots, fennel and aubergine.”
Fhiona Galloway’s positively perfect pulses!
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Archita Khosla’s three favourite vegetables on a climate-friendly mode of transport!
Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/CRbFF2ZHwkP/
Berlin-based artist known as Abstrusa Abstrakta also highlighted vegetables, while Lily Baron shared veggie-themed art from Germany too (Düsseldorf) while reminding us about eating veggies of different colours. Finally, we see Switzerland-based Yelena Wysling who describes the beauty of the tree-like structure of broccoli.
Abstrusa Abstrakta created this delicious-looking salad and Disney-inspired seed!
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Lily Baron’s character with her arms full of vegetables
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Yelena’s Broccoli on the go
Source : https://www.instagram.com/p/CRgb3TZnwmr/
Some artists shared works around the theme of producing food, which links well to our #Actions4Change including Create employment for young farmers and agri-preneurs and Back sustainable farming to regenerate our soils and reduce damaging chemicals.
Calina C, posting from Iceland, shared a cow growing vegetables, while JiaJia Hamner, based in the United States, shared an illustration of some children working in a soil-friendly vegetable garden.
Calina’s cow trying some vegetable gardening
Source : https://www.instagram.com/p/CQvzDfNDWnD/
JiaJia’s tips for growing kids growing vegetables!
Source : https://www.instagram.com/p/CQjhuAmHMFL/
Italian illustrator Michela Negri, or Meriodoc on Instagram, reminded us of the importance of growing our food in a sustainable manner, while Tatiana Kamshilina shared a local-vegetable eating character and some food rules that she personally tries to follow: “༓ eat more plants ༓ eat more variety ༓ eat seasonal produce from local farm (when it possible)”. Tatiana also animated her illustration to make it extra dynamic and exciting (follow the source link for a treat!). Another wonderful artist Anita Bagdi highlights the importance of supporting, protecting and recognizing food workers and farmers as essential workers.
Michela’s Avocado Activist at work!
Source : https://www.instagram.com/p/CRhA1HbHE3m/
Tatiana’s tomato-chewing young harvester
Anita’s summer family harvest
Source : https://www.instagram.com/p/CR2R2uHnVFZ/?utm_medium=copy_link
We also felt that a lot of these illustrations could speak to another one of our Actions4Change – Use advertising to promote healthy food and restrict junk food advertising. This illustration of an Alphonso mango by California-based artist Adel Rodricks certainly made us hungry for mango!
Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/CRVuEd4B8IO/
The climate crisis has an immense impact on our food systems and the #Actions4Change highlight many elements of how we can combat the growing issue, which includes– Ban Single Use Plastics. Anna Terreros-Martin from the UK’s piece emphasises the need to be conscious of our plastic use and depicts ways of incorporating reusable materials into daily life.
Anna’s showing us how to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
Source : https://www.instagram.com/p/CSXB5cHKtwG/
The final artwork we wanted to highlight today is this powerful illustration by UK artist Sarah Jane Docker, who shared a scene inside a food bank. She noted that between April 2020 and March 2021, “a record breaking 2.5 million food parcels were given to people in crisis across the UK.” With food bank use on the rise, we need sustainable solutions for all. Sarah Jane’s illustration really speaks to one of our most critical #Actions4Change – Everyone should be able to afford healthy and nutritious food.
Sarah-Jane’s food bank scene – food bank use is on the rise
Source : https://www.instagram.com/p/CR3bwV_n6_s/
A huge thank you to Emma Reynolds at KidLit4Climate and all the artists that participated. Together we can #Act4Food #Act4Change!
Spread the word, tell your friends
We have the power to take action ourselves and the right to demand urgent large-scale action from decision-makers in government and business to defeat hunger, improve sustainable healthy diets and improve our planet. #ACT4FOOD #ACT4CHANGE