welcome

This post is also available in: French

Hi,

Welcome to the conscient podcast web site.

The conscient podcast is a bilingual series of conversations and monologues about arts and the ecological crisis.

The third season of the conscient podcast was launched on October 4, 2021 is an ongoing investigation of the arts and the ecological crisis with a focus on à ‘radical listening’. Season 4, on ‘sounding Modernity’ is scheduled for 1 January 2023.

Recent activities and publications:

  • August 27, 2022 : I decided that season 4 will start on 1 January 2023 on the theme of ‘Sounding Modernity’
  • June 6, 2022 : I posted this statement on social media ‘I’m not sure if or when I’ll produce more conscient podcasts. I don’t see the point of sharing more info or awareness. What interests me now, inspired by Dr. Vanessa Andreotti, is how to transition out of modernity through metabolic connections. Not sure what that sounds like, yet…’
  • February 15, 2022, é100 (b) journal d’hiver revisité – hommage à r. murray schafer (composition seulement), is the French version of e99 (b), see below.
  • February 15, 2022, é100 journal d’hiver revisité – hommage à r. murray schafer (introduction 25′ + composition 40′ + crédits 3′) is the French version of e99, see below
  • February 9, 2022, e99 (b) winter soundscape revisited – homage to r. murray schafer (composition only), this is the ’40-minute composition only’ version of episode 99 . See e99 winter diary revisited – homage to r. murray schafer (25′ introduction + 40′ composition + 3′ credits) for details on winter diary revisited – homage to r. murray schafer. It is intended for those who want to listen to the composition only without the 25′ introduction and 3′ of credits.
  • February 8, 2022, e99 winter diary revisited – homage to r. murray schafer (25′ introduction + 40′ composition + 3′ credits), e99 winter diary revisited – homage to r. murray schafer (25′ introduction + 40′ composition in 12 parts + 3m credits) is a 68-minute episode that closes season 3 and features a soundscape composition of mine based on an unpublished essay that composer R. Murray Schafer wrote after a 10-day field recording trip that he and I undertook in rural Manitoba in February 1997 to produce a radio program on winter soundscapes for the Westdeutscher Rundfunk Köln (WDR). In this episode, I ‘revisit’ this trip by illustrating Schafer’s text with new winter soundscapes recorded in Ontario and Quebec in 2022 as well as archival soundscapes. The final mix was realized and presented as part of a residency at the New Adventures in Sound Art (NAISA) in South River, Ontario. e99 (b) winter diary revisited – homage to r. murray schafer (composition only) is the 40-minute composition only (without the introduction or credits). The French language version is cons conscient episode 100. I’ll be back with season 4 in the spring.
  • January 17, 2002, e98 epilogue – perspectives on season 3, a reading of my January 2022 #conscientpodcast blog about some of the high and lows of season 3 of this podcast and my interest in layering words and soundscapes that create new contexts for listening, with excerpts from episodes 65, 69, 81, 86, 96 and a preview of e99 Winter Diary Revisited.
  • January 10, 2022, e97 chantal chagnon, kevin jesuino, melanie kloetzel – climate art web, my conversation with indigenous artist Chantal Chagnon multidisciplinary, artist Kevin Jesuino and performance maker & educator Dr. Melanie Kloetzel of the climate art web project about decolonization, networking, mapping and growing the climate arts movement. 
  • January 8, 2022, e96 joan sullivan – the liminal space between what was and what’s next, my conversation with photographer and writer Joan Sullivan whose work is focused exclusively on climate change and the energy transition. We spoke about her roots in science, her work as a columnist for Artists and Climate Change, how we are the climate emergency and liminal space between what was and what’s next.
  • January 7, 2022, e95 charles c. smith & kevin a. ormsby – IBPOC arts in planetary renewal, my conversation with Cultural Pluralism in the Arts Movement Ontario (CPAMO) Executive Director Charles C. Smith and Program Manager Kevin A. Ormsby on Dec 10, 2021 about the Gathering Divergence Multi-Arts Festival & Conference Fall 2021 | Art in the Time of Healing: The Importance of IBPOC Arts in Planetary Renewal. 1 of 6 episodes recorded at this event.  
  • January 6, 2022, e94 devon hardy – data is a powerful thing, my conversation with scientist and project manager of the Creative Green Tools Adaptation project, Devon Hardy, on December 10, 2021, at a CPAMO panel about art and climate and walking the back alleys in Montreal on December 16, where Devon talks about the importance of measurement tools for the arts sector in the climate emergency.
  • January 5, 2022, e93 anthony garoufalis-auger – national cultural climate policy, my conversation with climate emergency organizer Anthony Garoufalis-Auger on Dec 10, 2021, at a CPAMO panel about art and climate where Anthony talked about our need for massive culture change and how lessons from the past can inform national cultural climate policy. 
  • January 4, 2022, e92 santee smith – about SKéN:NEN and interconnectedness, my conversation with indigenous multidisciplinary artist Santee Smith, artistic director of Kaha:wi Dance Theatre on Dec 10, 2021 in Tkaronto at a CPAMO panel about art and climate where Santee talks her new post-apocalyptic work in progress ‘SKéN:NEN’, ecological calendars, permaculture and more.  
  • December 29, e91 keith barker – telling a really good story, my conversation with indigenous playwright, actor & director Keith Barker, artistic director of Native Earth Performing Arts on Dec 8, 2021 in Tkaronto about indigenous theatre & storytelling including a reading of his ‘APOLOGY, MY’ 5 minute play for the 2021 Climate Change Theatre Action with voice actors Riel Schryer and Sabrina Mathews. Also with excerpts from e92 santee smith and e44 bilodeau.
  • December 15, e90 shannon litzenberger – state of emergence : why we need artists right now, a conversation with dance artist, choreographer, director and embodiment facilitator Shannon Litzenberger on December 8, 2021 in Toronto with Shannon reading her ‘State of Emergence: Why We Need Artists Right Now’ essay at the Gathering Divergence Multi-Arts Festival & Conference Fall 2021 | Art in the Time of Healing: The Importance of IBPOC Arts in Planetary Renewal organized by Cultural Pluralism in the Arts Movement Ontario (CPAMO) led by executive director Charles Smith and artistic programmer Kevin Ormsby.
  • December 9, e89 excerpts from ben okri’s ‘artists must confront the climate crisis’, this episode features quotes from Artists must confront the climate crisis – we must write as if these are the last days by Nigerian novelist and poet Ben Okri from the November 12, 2021 edition of The Guardian newspaper. Here is the first quote from Ben Okri’s article: ‘Here we are on the edges of the biggest crisis that has ever faced us. We need a new philosophy for these times, for this near-terminal moment in the history of the human. It is out of this I want to propose an existential creativity.’ This episode includes an excerpt from episode 87 kendra fanconi.
  • December 8, e88 robin mathews – on radical listening & political poetry, my conversation with my father-in-law, the poet and educator Robin Mathews, which combines a 2021 recording about radical listening with a 2004 recording about political poetry and the role of the artist on society, including Robin reading 3 of his poems: at the Café Lenin, The Lady From Iraq and Unmarked Graves.
  • November 28, e87 kendra fanconi – on the artist brigade, ben okri, eco-restoration, eco-grief & reauthoring the world, my conversation with theatre artist and art + climate activist Kendra Fanconi in Robert’s Creek, BC about the ‘Artists Brigade’, Ben Okri, eco-restoration, eco-grief, eco-anxiety & reauthoring the world, with excerpts from e43 haley, e30 maggs & é37 lebeau.
  • November 25, e86 arts policy, equity and activism class at centennial college, conversation with Robin Sokoloski, Janis Monture and their students as part of a class in Art Policy, Equity and Activism at Centennial College in Toronto. This episode includes quotes from e40 frasz, e82 washable paint, e05 carruthers, e73 judith marcuse – finding the energy to keep moving and e85 tracey friesen – narratives of resilience for a post carbon world.
  • November 18, e85 tracey friesen – narratives of resilience for a post carbon world, my conversation with media producer and cultural impact leader Tracey Friesen of Vancouver about increasing the power of media to affect social change, her book and organization Story Money Impact, and the good work of Good Pitch. Including quotes from e26 klein and e54 garrett.
  • November 17, e84 viviane gosselin + mauro vescera of the museum of vancouver, my conversation with Viviane Gosselin, Director of Collections & Exhibitions, Curator of Contemporary Culture and Mauro Vescera, Chief Executive Officer of the Museum of Vancouver (MOV) about greening their operations and addressing the climate emergency and issues of climate justice through their exhibitions.
  • November 15, e83 the greatest mass movement in history, is my narration of a November 13th, 2021, tweet by British writer and climate activist George Monbiot about ‘raising the scale of civil disobedience until we have built the greatest mass movement in history’. I agree and thank George. 
  • November 13, e82 washable paint, is an unedited, 20-minute soundscape recording, without narration, of a climate emergency rally and march on Friday, November 12, 2021, in Vancouver and an incident with police. The recording includes songs, speeches and chants about climate action and social justice.
  • November 10, e81 – inspiration, are excerpts from all my #conscientpodcast conversations up to today, November 10th, 2021. I chose short excerpts where the tone and emotion in the voice of each person inspires and uplifts me every time I listen to it and I hope they will inspire and uplift you too (because we need it). Thanks to all those recorded for this fragmented reading of our conversations.
  • November 8, é80 manifeste – accélérer l’action climatique grâce au pouvoir des arts, de la culture et du patrimoine, e80 is my #conscientpodcast reading of the manifesto ‘Accelerating Climate Action through the Power of Arts, Culture and Heritage’ developed by the Climate Heritage Network to summarize the key cultural messages of COP26 and activate the arts, culture and heritage sector. More information on the origins and co-authors of the manifesto can be found at cultureatcop.com.
  • November 8, e79 manifesto – accelerating climate action through the power of arts, culture and heritage, is my #conscientpodcast reading of the ‘Accelerating Climate Action through the Power of Arts, Culture and Heritage’ manifesto developed by the Climate Heritage Network to summarize key cultural messages for COP26 and activate the arts, culture and heritage sector. You can find more information on the origins and the co-authors of the manifesto at cultureatcop.com.
  • November 3, e78 milena droumeva – art needs to get on the street, is my conversation with acoustic ecology colleague Dr. Milena Droumeva on November 3, 2021 in Vancouver about multiple points of ‘listening’, thoughts about radicality, that imagination can lead to crafting things that we will actually need for survival and how to address profound disconnections.
  • November 2, e77 seth klein – identifying a shared vision and a set of actions, my conversation with seth klein (see e26 klein) where we get an update on the Climate Emergency Unit and a suggestion on how the #arts and #culture sector can identify a shared vision and set of actions that constitute a true climate emergency agenda and how to create a joint campaign. This episode includes an excerpt from e41 rae, with Jen Rae, in response to e26 klein.
  • November 1, e76 kim richards – seeding a green new theatre in canada, is my conversation with Dr. Kim Richards, a post-doctoral fellow in public energy humanities at the University of Alberta, about the role of theatre in the climate emergency during a soundwalk around Trout Lake Park in Vancouver on Monday, November 1, 2021. With excerpts from e44 bilodeau, e59 pearl and e36 fanconi
  • October 31, conscient podcast blog, October 2021, is about feedback. I was fortunate to get feedback about episodes 63 and 64 from a colleague who said: ‘This approach—the fictional classroom of the future discussion 2021 and your podcast—is brilliant. The writing is engaging, and it is an excellent way to revisit the fine content you were able to gather and then to provide some analysis. Thank you for this work you are doing. It is deep and vital for the climate movement. You are making a significant contribution and you are doing it so gracefully.’
  • October 30, e75 radical listening as climate action, is my presentation and Q&A period at the FKL’s Unheard Landscapes Symposium on October 29, 2021 about ‘music as acoustic ecology’ and ‘radicality’ in the context of listening and the climate emergency, with excerpts from e54 mahtani, é55 trépanier and e22 westerkamp 
  • October 26, e74 letting go – laisser aller, recorded on Tuesday, October 26, 2021, at 6.40am. It’s a bilingual monologue about how I’ve come to realize that the main barrier to my re-education is… ‘me’, and that the solution, simply, is to let it go… A soundwalk around the neighbourhood follows.
  • October 25, e73 judith marcuse – finding the energy to keep moving, my conversation with arts for social change activist and dance artist Judith Marcuse on October 24, 2021 about ‘radical listening’ and her work as executive director and founder of the International Centre of Art for Social Change (ICASC) and the upcoming Arts for Social Change Network
  • October 22, e72 richard wagamese’s what comes from spirit, a monologue about my excitement when I found a copy of a posthumous book, What Comes From Spirit, by my favorite writer, Richard Wagamese, at the People’s Coop Bookstore in Vancouver and my reflections on Drew Hayden Taylor’s touching introduction.
  • October 21, 71 green sessions debrief, highlights from the 2021 Green Sessions organizing committee : Philippa Domville, Sandy Crawley, Robyn Stevan and Liisa Repo-Martell of Artists for Real Climate Action, Emma Stenning and Rohan Kulkarni of Soulpepper Theatre and myself from SCALE. We talked about how the Canadian arts sector can step forward with impact to address the climate emergency.
  • October 20, e70 one step at a time, a monologue that I recorded on September 28th, 2021, in one take, while walking in the forest in Duhamel Québec where I talk recite a poem that I wrote earlier that day about making choices and moving forward one step at a time in ‘radical listening’ mode, which is the theme of season 3 of #conscientpodcast.
  • October 19, e69 soundwalk in the dark, a monologue that I recorded on September 29th, 2021, from 4.56am to 5.25am, in one take, while walking around our cottage in Duhamel Québec in the dark. I talk about soundwalking, listening, reconciliation, John Cage, dancing, etc., including quotes from #conscientpodcast season 2: ‘do not listen to this episode’ and e22 westerkamp. Note: I miscalculated the time that the sun would rise and ended up walking in the dark for the entire time !
  • October 18, e68 andrew davies and no. 9 gardens, a #conscientpodcast conversation that I recorded on September 26th 2021, in one take, while in a yurt with Andrew Davies, Director of No 9 Gardens, near Kingston, Ontario. We talked about the art and environment, reconciliation, yurts, education, passing on knowledge and the joys of farming and art making.
  • October 16, e67 wanna be an ally, a reading of the poem ‘wanna be an ally’ from Towards Braiding by Elwood Jimmy and Vanessa Andreotti written in collaboration with Sharon Stein and published by the Musagetes Foundation. Used with authors’ permission.
  • October 12, e66 stillness,  a monologue that I recorded on September 14th, 2021, in one take, while sitting still in a kayak in a shallow bay on the Preston River, in Duhamel Québec where I talk about stillness, not-thinking and what I am hearing and feeling at that moment. This recording includes quotes from an unpublished episode of simplesoundscapes from 2016 and #conscientpodcast e19 reality.
  • October 11, e65 drifting into season 3, a monologue that I recorded on September 13th 2021, in one take, while drifting in a kayak on the Preston River, Duhamel Québec, that explains what season 3 of the #conscientpodcast (on the theme of ‘radical listening’) is about, including quotes from e21 (Dr Todd Dufresne), e23 (Anjali Appadurai) and a zen teaching. 
  • October 7, e64 a case study (part 2), a speculative radio play featuring Claude Schryer, Riel Schryer, Clara Schryer and Sabrina Mathews
  • October 4, e63 a case study (part 1), a speculative radio play featuring Claude Schryer, Riel Schryer, Clara Schryer and Sabrina Mathews
  • September 27, conscient podcast blog, September 2021
  • August 14, e62 compilation – season / saison 2, a compilation of excerpts from 41 conversations (31 in English, 10 in French) in season 2 of the conscient podcast. Also available in video at https://vimeo.com/587020096
  • August 10, end conversations for season 2
  • August 10, e61sokoloski, my #conscientpodcast conversation with arts leader Robin Sokoloski about cultural research, arts policy, climate emergency, community-engaged arts, creative solution making and how to create equitable and inclusive organizational structures
  • August 9, é60 boutet, my #conscientpodcast conversation with arts practice researcher Dr. Danielle Boutet on ecological consciousness, reality, activism, grief, art as a way of life, innovation and spirituality
  • 8 August, e59 pearl, my #conscientpodcast conversation with arts organiser Judi Pearl about theatre, climate emergency, collaboration, arts leadership, intersection of arts and sustainability and the newly formed Sectoral Climate Arts Leadership for the Emergency (SCALE)
  • August 5, e58 huddart, my #conscientpodcast conversation with Stephen Huddart about dematerialization, nature, culture, capital, supporting grassroots activity, innovation and how the arts can show us what is possible
  • August 1, é57 roy, my #conscientpodcast conversation with artist Annie Roy on socially engaged art, grief, cultural politics, nature, how to open our consciousness, the digital and the place of art in our lives
  • July 31, é56 garoufalis-auger, my #conscientpodcast conversation with activist Anthony Garoufalis-Auger about sacrifice, injustices, strategies, activism, youth, art, culture, climate emergency and disaster  
  • July 30,  é55 trépanier, my #conscientpodcast conversation with indigenous artist France Trépanier about colonialism, indigenous cultures, ecological transition, time, art, listening, dreams, imagination and this brief moment…
  • July 29, e54 garrett, my #conscientpodcast conversation with theatre artist Ian Garrett about ethics, theatre, education, role of art in Climate Emergency, Sustainability in Digital Transformation & carbon footprint of Cultural Heritage sector. 
  • July 28, e53 kalmanovitch, my #conscientpodcast conversation with musician Dr. Tanya Kalmanovitch about music, ethnomusicology, alberta tar sands, arts education, climate emergency, arts policy and how artistic practice can nurture imagination
  • July 26, e52 mahtani, my #conscientpodcast conversation with composer Dr. Annie Mahtani about music, sound art, the climate emergency, listening, nature, uncertainty, festivals, gender parity and World Listening Day
  • July 20, e51 hiser, my #conscientpodcast conversation with educator Dr. Krista Hiser on research about climate education, post-apocalyptic and cli-fi literature, musical anthems, ungrading, art as an open space and the emotional wheel of the climate emergency.
  • July 15, e50 newton, my #conscientpodcast conversation with climate activist Teika Newton about climate justice, hope, science, nature, resilience, inter-connections and the role of the arts in the climate emergency
  • July 12, e49 windatt, my #conscientpodcast conversation with Indigenous artist Clayton Windatt of about visual arts, Indigenous sovereignty, decolonization, the arts and social change, communications, artists rights, the climate emergency and hope.
  • July 11, é48 danis, my #conscientpodcast conversation with author and multidisciplinary artist Daniel Danis on sustainable art, consciousness, dreams, storytelling, territory, nature, disaster and the role of art in the ecological transition
  • July 8, e47 keeptwo, my #conscientpodcast conversation with Indigenous writer, editor, teacher and journalist Suzanne Keeptwo about Indigenous rights and land acknowledgements, arts education, cultural awareness and the role of art in the climate emergency.
  • July 7, e46 badham, my #conscientpodcast conversation with Dr Marnie Badham about art and social justice practice Australia and Canada, research on community-engaged arts, cultural measurement, education and how the arts create space for people to think through issues such as the climate emergency.
  • July 6, e45 abbott, my #conscientpodcast conversation with filmmaker Jennifer Abbott about her film The Magnitude of all Things, reality, zen, compassion, grief, art and how to ensure a more compassionate, just and sustainable livable world.
  • June 28, e44 bilodeau, my #conscientpodcast conversation with playwright and climate activist Chantal Bilodeau about theatre, cultural climate action, the role of art in the climate emergency and how to build audiences and networks
  • June 23, e43 haley my conversation with British ecoartist David Haley about ecoart, climate change as a cultural issue, speaking truth to power, democracy, regeneration, morality, creating space and listening.
  • June 22, e42 rosen, my conversation with architect Mark Rosen about what is enough, greenbuilding, how to change the construction industry, barriers and constraints in finding solutions to the climate crisis and deferred ecological debt.
  • June 21, e41 rae my conversation with artist-researcher, facilitator and educator Jen Rae about art and emergency preparedness, community arts, reality, ecological grief, arts and climate emergency in Australia 
  • June 18, attended the first meeting of the Sectoral Climate Arts Leadership for the Emergency (SCALE) initaitve as a member of the inaugural coordination circle
  • June 18, e40 frasz my conversation with researcher and strategic thinker Alexis Frasz  about ecological crisis, creative climate action, community arts, #Buddhism, #leadership and cross-sectoral arts practices. 
  • June 10, e39 engle my conversation with urbanist Dr. Jayne Engle about participatory city planning, design, ecological crisis, sacred civics, artists and culture in societal and civilizational change
  • June 10, e38 zenith, my conversation with animist somatic practitioner, poet, philosopher, ecologist and clown Shante’ Sojourn Zenith about reality, somatics, ecologicalgrief, rituals, nature, performance and ecological imaginations.
  • June 4, é37 lebeau, my conversation with Écoscéno co-founder and executive director Anne-Catherine Lebeau on collaboration, circular economies, the role of art in the climate crisis, moving from ‘Take Make Waste’ to ‘Care Dare Share’ and creating regenerative art.
  • June 1, e36 fanconi, my conversation with theatre artist and art-climate activist  Kendra Fanconi, artistic director of The Only Animal about the role of the arts in the climate emergency, carbon positive work, collaboration and artists mobilization.
  • May 31, I published e35 salas, my conversation with Spanish curator + producer Carmen Salas on reality, ecogrief, artists & the climate crisis, arts strategies, curating and her article Shifting Paradigms
  • May 24, I published é34 ramade, my conversation (in French) with art historian, critic, curator and art and environment expert Bénédicte Ramade on the climate emergency, nature, music, visual arts, ecological art, etc.
  • May 21, I published e33 toscano, my conversation podcaster and artist Peterson Toscano about the role of the arts in the climate crisis, LGBTQ+ issues, religion, the wonders of podcasting, impacts, storytelling, performance art, etc. 
  • May 20, I published é32 tsou, my conversation (in French) with musician and cultural diplomacy advisor Shuni Tsou about citizen engagement, cultural action, the ecological crisis, arts education, social justice, systemic change, equity, etc,
  • May 13, I published e31 morrow, my conversation with composer, sound artist, performer, and innovator Charlie Morrow about the origins of the conscient podcast, music, acoustic ecology, art and climate, health, hope and artists as journalists. 
  • May 12, I published e30 maggs, my conversation with cultural theorist David Maggs about artistic capacity, sustainability, value propositions, disruption, recovery, etc.
  • May 8, I published e29 loy, my conversation with professor, writer and Zen teacher David Loy about the bodhisattva path, the role of storytelling, interdependence, nonduality and the notion of ‘hope’ through a Buddhist lens.
  • May 5, I published show notes May 5, 2021
  • May 1, I published é28 ung (in French), my conversation with educator and philosopher Jimmy Ung about the notion of privilege, resilience, the role of the arts in facilitating intercultural dialogue and learning, education, social justice, etc. 
  • April 26, I published é27 prévost (in French), my conversation with sound artist, musician and radio producer Hélène Prévost about the state of the world and the role of artists in the ecological crisis.
  • April 23, I gave a workshop at the BEAST FeAST 2021: Recalibration festival on Reality, Extinction, Grief and Art. You can see all of the festival presentations here: BEAST YouTube channel.
  • April 23, I published e26 klein, my conversation with climate emergency activist Seth Klein about his book A Good War : Mobilizing Canada for the Climate Emergency, the newly formed  Climate Emergency Unit and his challenge to artists to help rally us to this cause
  • April 21, I published e25 shaw, my conversation with Australian climate activist Michael Shaw about support structures for ecogrief and the role of art.
  • April 21, published the April 21 ‘show notes’
  • April 16, I published e24 weaving, my conversation with artist jil p. weaving about community-engaged arts, public art, the importance of the local, etc.
  • April 14, I published e23 appadurai, my ‘soundwalk’ conversation with climate activist Anjali Appadurai about the just transition and the role of the arts in the climate emergency.
  • April 8, I published e22 westerkamp, my second conversation of season 2 with composer and listener Hildegard Westerkamp about acoustic ecology and the climate crisis.
  • April 3, I published e21 dufresne, my conversation with philosopher Dr. Todd Dufresne about reality, grief, art and the climate crisis.
  • April 2, I published the April 2 ‘show notes’
  • March 18, I published first ‘show notes’ : Launch of season 2 of the conscient podcast
  • March 18, I published e19 reality and é20 réalité
  • May 1, 2020, launch of conscient podcast with e01 terrified (season 1 had 18 episodes)

A reminder that you can subscribe to conscient podcast on most major platforms, including : Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, RadioPublic, PocketCast.

Thanks for listening.

Claude