COP27 – 12 Stories for 12 Days of COP27  

A visual translation of climate change stories, using art, by students in Exeter schools 

Six Exeter-based schools worked with Daisi in November 2022, as part of the ‘12 Stories for 12 Days of COP27’, a bigger project about climate change, funded by the National Lottery and led by Dr Eliana Maestri – from the University of Exeter.  

Daisi’s visual art workshops, focused on translating a selection of the 12 original stories, co-written by scientists, health professionals, activists and students from the UK and Egypt in May 2022 under the theme ‘We Still Have a Chance’, to echo the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP27, which took place in Egypt in November 2022.  

art workshops for young carers

Supported by 3 Daisi artists (Jess Carvill, Simon Ripley and James Lake), the school students worked hard and thoughtfully to engage with the stories and produced a range of artworks, using techniques including cardboard sculpture, felting and printmaking.  Their work was displayed at MakeTank in Exeter and helped raise awareness of the climate emergency, echo the messages coming from COP27 and invited the city of Exeter to be part of bigger conversations on climate change and develop solutions.  

Most importantly, their artwork delivered messages of hope for a greener future. The young people invited their viewers to imagine a better world, a world more respectful of the environment where everyone has what they need to live safely and happily. 

“The students produced very powerful and personal responses to everything they had read. The students were also asked to consider how their work related to others work in the room. This allowed for some very interesting collaborations and unexpected outcomes”
Simon Ripley, Daisi Artist
environmental workshops in school

These are the six schools, the artist they worked with and an extract from the story they focused on: 

  • St James School, years 7-11 – with artist James Lake 

    “When they arrived at the bottom, the road was already a surging river, a saltless sea and the village unreachable.” Aish Baladi, We Still Have a Chance 

  • Woodwater Academy, year 4 – with artist Simon Ripley 

    “If we don’t make changes now the farm will be desert by the time Amina is as old as I am.” Adham and the Dream of Nu, We Still Have a Chance 

  • Trinity C of E VA Primary School, years 2-5 Eco Champions and St Leonards C of E Primary School, years 3-4 – with artist Jess Carvill 

    “People are killing the fish with this trash they throw in our lovely Mediterranean.” The Fisherman, We Still Have a Chance  

  • InFocus College for Visual Impairment, ages 18-25 – with artist James Lake 

    “I’m going to get to the other side of the blockages and find the clean place, where waterfalls tumble and streams run clear.” Live by the River, We Still Have a Chance 

  • St Peters C of E Aided School, year 10 – with artist Simon Ripley 

    “Mustafa knelt on the thick layer of mud where his home used to be, and wept.” Aish Baladi, We Still Have a Chance 

Artist workshops with young carers
“The project allowed me to open up my creativity and imagination, to work with new materials, whilst being around my friends.”
Year 10 Student, St James School
“The children thoroughly enjoyed the activity and learned from each other. As it progressed they felt more confident and, through support, produced artwork they could feel proud of, especially those who can feel frustrated that their art does not turn out as well as they would like. They loved getting stuck in and having the freedom to experiment. They loved the feeling of independence it gave them.”
Class Teacher, Woodwater Primary School
artist workshops for young carers