We deserve a livable future.
We have a brief window of time to act in order to prevent irreversible change that at best would make our future rife with suffering and death, and at worst, could set off a course of events eventually leading to human extinction (an unlikely, but possible, worst-case scenario.)

We are in an emergency and if we can wake up to that truth, we can change it.
The climate and ecological crisis is here, and yet governments have failed to pass adequate legislation to halt the disaster. We’re running out of time. We have already experienced an increase in extreme weather events like flooding and wildfires in addition to food insecurity, species and biodiversity loss, and an increased risk of future pandemics.

And things are on track to get a whole lot worse. Conventional campaigning like petitioning, lobbying, voting and small-scale protests have not worked due to the rooted interests of political and economic forces — governments will not act without massive, sustained pressure from the people. We have a moral duty to act, to do what's reasonable and necessary to avert the catastrophic impacts. It’s up to us to meet the moment.

Historically, art and the act of rebellious creation have been potent forces for igniting social transformation and shaping values. Yet artworks cocooned within dominant cultural institutions fail to break through gallery walls to become urgent beacons and agents of change. Indeed, they often serve as fig leaves hiding institutional complicity in the commodification of art and the extractive accumulation of wealth, which is the main driver of our current climate and ecological crisis.

Cultural institutions have a duty to lead public discourse and do more than merely preserve heritage. They must be disrupted as they are benefiting from business-as-usual and manifest scant concern for the future.

The primary obstacle to action on this crisis is its complexity. The public will grasp the seriousness of the predicament when these institutions, which are among our society’s most trusted bodies, become platforms for truth-telling.

We urgently call on ALL cultural institutions in New York City to reorder their priorities to organize assemblies within the next six months, to inform and engage the public on the defining issue of our time: the climate and ecological crisis.

These assemblies must provide the public with comprehensive knowledge on the science and humanities surrounding this complex topic and continue over an extended period. At these assemblies, participants must have the opportunity to engage with experts, stakeholders, and each other. Participants must be appropriately compensated for their time in order to ensure equitable participation.