Earth Day artist panel discussion

Earth Day artist panel discussion

The Center for the Performing Arts and Penn State’s Sustainability Institute will partner to host an artist associated with the “Small Island Big Song” project in an Earth Day panel discussion at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 22.

The free public event will be available via the Zoom conferencing app and will be followed by an open Q&A and a short artist performance. Viewing details will be sent upon registration, which is required.

Spoken-word artist Selina Leem of the Marshall Islands will discuss ocean conservation, environmental justice and the consequences of climate change, and the role the arts can play in creating change.

“Small Island Big Song” is a multiplatform project founded by Taiwanese producer BaoBao Chen and Australian music producer Tim Cole. They spent more than three years documenting artists in communities at the forefront of the climate crisis.

In addition to raising awareness of environmental issues facing island nations, the project explores a migration theory that seeks to establish musical links between cultures and accentuates similarities in regional instruments, voices and rhythm. More than 100 musicians represent waterfront countries facing climate-related challenges, including Madagascar, Borneo, Tahiti, Bali, Guam, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Taiwan.