A recent study conducted by an international team of conservation scientists and artists examines the potential benefits of integrating the arts into conservation efforts. Published in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, the research highlights how collaborations between these fields can lead to innovative solutions for persistent environmental challenges.
“These collaborations can generate new knowledge, attract funding, boost visibility, and even catalyze behavioral change,” stated Ivan Jarić, a researcher from the University of Paris-Saclay and the Czech Academy of Sciences, who led the study. “By working together, artists and conservationists can co-create ideas, uncover new perspectives on conservation challenges, and develop more innovative, effective solutions.”
The arts can significantly contribute to conservation by inspiring creativity, fostering innovation, enhancing well-being, and offering new avenues to understand complex issues. Artists can also bolster scientific communication and education, improve publishing and marketing strategies, and aid in fundraising efforts while shaping public attitudes and social norms.
Conversely, conservation can provide artists with essential resources, including expert knowledge, scientific data, natural materials, funding, and guidance on sustainable practices. Despite the growing collaborations, challenges remain, including limited funding, institutional barriers, and narrow perceptions of career paths in both fields.
Some conservationists may hesitate to engage with artistic methods due to perceptions of a lack of scientific rigor. Additionally, the emergence of generative AI adds complexities that necessitate open dialogue and shared ethical standards among collaborators.
Art has the potential to influence public perceptions of nature, but it can also misrepresent biodiversity through oversimplified or sensationalized depictions, potentially marginalizing local and Indigenous perspectives. Christina Lux from the University of California, Merced emphasized the importance of respectful, reciprocal partnerships that treat artists as equal contributors rather than mere tools for outreach or fundraising. “We argue that embracing creative approaches requires conservationists to advocate for collaboration on artists” terms, valuing the depth and diversity of knowledge that art can bring to conservation,” she said.
Enhancing collaborations between the arts and conservation necessitates increased funding, institutional backing, and acknowledgment of the unique contributions artists can make to interdisciplinary teams. Establishing clear, shared language and tools to evaluate the effectiveness of these partnerships is critical.
Conservationists are well-positioned to work alongside artists, driven by mutual commitments to public engagement and social action. Stephanie Januchowski-Hartley from Florida International University urged academic and conservation institutions to foster this collaboration through initiatives such as artist-in-residence programs and integrated interdisciplinary projects. “Ultimately, deeper synergies between artists and conservationists can lead to broader public support—benefiting not just conservation and the arts, but the health of the planet as a whole,” she concluded.
For more information, refer to the study by Ivan Jarić et al, “Bridging worlds: exploring synergies between the arts and biodiversity conservation,” published in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment.
