The Arts Wiki

Flyers, posters and other ideas provided by rebels all around the UK

• Contributing arts resources to the Rebel Toolkit
• XR Cymru bilingual endangered species posters
• Action Design - XR Arts
• 3 Positive Solutions Creative Actions (suitable for Lockdown)
• XR Cymru bilingual endangered species posters

Contributing arts resources to the Rebel Toolkit

If you have resources, templates, graphics, guidance about anything successful that you have done - that isn't already in this part of the Rebel Toolkit, then please do get in touch. You can send the content by email or via a google doc - any way you wish - and we'll weave it in to the Rebel Toolkit for you in for you, either in this wiki or as part of the other books on The Arts shelf.

There is some guidance to help you consider what is appropriate here

To submit content you can email LGsupport@extinctionrebellion.uk or post in the mattermost reception for the Rebel Toolkit

XR Cymru bilingual endangered species posters

Bilingual posters for XR Cymru asking people to support both CEE Bill and Six Principles campaigns.

Action Design - XR Arts

See the original doc in this link

ACTION IDENTITY

Creative actions can have incredible power and impact.

Working closely with your Arts, Action & Messaging teams from the outset of action planning to decide on your Action Identity.

Who is the action aimed at and does it align with our demands?

• Create a narrative and make it clear to the public through cohesive visuals and choreography such as banners, flyers, placards, mobile structures, music, drama or speeches.

• Balance framing the action visuals with radical participation: space for rebels to bring their own creative expression.

• Consider the look & feel of the action. Less is more. Think about visual framing for photographs and footage. The life of an action spreads online like a ripple effect. The press will respond best to well designed actions with clear messaging and powerful imagery.

• Make sure your action promotes XR’s core demands and the action design rather than your own artistry or brand. Balance your own creativity with service to the movement. Aim for sustainable, recycled materials to embody the change.

• Consider a colour scheme from the XR design programme, 3 colours is good. Also consider a dress code. It’s important we are seen as members of society, as they will try to cast as extremists when in reality we are the outliers! For example, Hi-vis for stewards (ideally yellow) and legal advisors (orange). We don’t usually hide our faces (no masks etc, although this has changed for Covid, where masks are used).

• Consider the weather and how it will affect your materials and staging. Eg. vinyl banners and waterproof placards hold strong in the rain and have a longer life.

Watch this masterclass in Art Activism John Jordan Youtube video

PRINT & DESIGN

• Use the XR Design Guidelines for graphic design files and the XR colour scheme. It has been designed to try and avoid overt political associations (eg. Tory blue and left wing red).

• Contact xrdesigngroup@gmail.com for support and link to the XR Design Programme.

• Start the process for designing print materials (flyers, posters) as far in advance if possible. Build an outreach team to hand them out. More information about printing can be found here.

• Paint The Streets: flyposting, murals and other street art information can be found in this: Paint The Streets - Info Pack Link Here

• Digital designs also need to be created in the correct format for Facebook banners, logos and flyers. Once the designs are ready please send them to xrsocialmediaevents@gmail.com to check and link up with XR London / UK etc.

• Use the Fucxed font with logotype and / or symbol in your designs for consistency.

• Everyone loves patches and badges! They are great for making people feel that they belong whilst also giving us a cohesive visual identity.

• Frame key people in the action with patches, flags or placards. Direct the cameras to well made objects only.

FLAGS & BANNERS

• Standard flags, additional flags and banners should be available for actions from your local

• XR Art Group (Factory) or Art Blockers.

• To request existing flags and banners through our arts assets team please give a month to minimum 2 weeks lead time, in some cases we do 48hrs rapid response actions.

• More info on ART ASSETS flags & banners and how to order existing ones can be found in this Art Assets doc and / or contact artblockers@gmail.com

• Standard logo flags could make up 70% of the total flag count e.g. if you have 50 flags in total, 35 of them should have symbol or Citizens Assembly. The strong visual design of the flags helps to bring together the diversity of the handmade placards. This depends on the action, if it is a collaboration with movement of movements the use of symbols might not be desired front and center, so it’s important to discuss the action design with those groups.

• Road banners are essential for protection on a road block and give clear messaging. They are often the first thing people see when approaching an action.

• Human sized banners are hand-held and fabric. If you use only one make it ‘NONVIOLENT’ or ‘WE ACT IN PEACE’.

• If you make or order new banners make the messaging universal, so it can be reused.

• Share key messaging with rebels, to make new placards for your action.

Using Flags

• Please hold your flags upright and sure the flag poles are 6ft long. Anything shorter ends up in eyes and looks sh**

WORKSHOPS & CREATIVITY

• Run creative workshops to make materials for your action and build the community at the heart of your action. Workshops are great for engaging rebels and help teach the value of artworks, community and teamwork.

• Aim for consistent, handmade quality in all you make and DIT (do it together) to galvanise your rebel community.

• Use recycled and up-cycled materials and make things durable.

• Block printing on rebels and the public is great for outreach and as a listening space. Nothing shows who we are more than the gift of breaking bread and talking face to face. If you do not have a local blocker group contact artblockers@gmail.com to find your nearest group.

• 3D structures and artworks can make a great impact if used as a roadblock. Aim to make sculptures modular or in transportable pieces & weatherproof. They require a long lead time to make, budget and a logistics team to come full circle.

• Treat objects like people. Handle with care and get them safely back to base.

• Think about which chants and songs carry the message. Contact xrmusicandsounds@protonmail.com who are working on the UK songbook, chants and connecting musicians. Be mindful of your outward facing message. Consider inviting musicians or spoken word artists to help raise the energy.

• If you are bringing music, drumming or samba to your action consider the vibe and feel, who your audience is and any potential soundclashes. Do you want to raise energy or keep peace? Drummers can unite and also be a great decoy action. Always cultivate nonviolence.

• XR performance and dance groups have a valuable role in story-telling, outreach, movement building and de-escalation. Think about flow and choreography. A dance group can be powerful leading a march or blocking a road. Think human architecture.

• Arts are at service to the movement, not a service centre. Invite artists into the creative process. Be mindful that making objects takes time and energy and some objects are artworks not products. Many artists and makers are volunteers, so make sure you plan for a regenerative process.

CONTACT & SUPPORT

XR Arts - Groups & Campaigns database is an evolving list of XRUK contacts and links

Please contact artsxr@gmail.com if you want to connect on a project.

3 Positive Solutions Creative Actions (suitable for Lockdown)

Positive Solutions Arts

In December 2020 we asked XR Scotland rebels to make and photograph art representing a positive climate solution and to write something about this including examples of where it is already being put into practice. It was very popular and the calendar filled up quickly. We posted one solution on social media each day of December as an advent calendar.

We made a PDF of the art which you can view here

We wanted to continue the positive theme as a regenerative action to counter all the depressing news we're bombarded with. We also wanted to reach out beyond our social media followers and into the community. So in this document we have three projects we have on the go that people can do at home during lockdown (or anytime!). If you have any problems with any of the links in this document or questions please message Peach on Mattermost

1. Positive Solutions Fabric Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces (for wall hanging)
2. What If… (posters)
3. (Making It Personal) My Hope For… (photographs)

1. Positive Solutions Fabric Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces (for wall hanging)

UPDATE: There has been interest from across the UK to make a large wall hanging together and to take it to COP26. So If you're interested in being a link for this work in your area please email xredinburghmakers@gmail.com

Embroider, applique, paint, draw, glue a positive solution to the climate and ecological crisis. It can be something, global, national or local. You can print this template (it’s A3 size so you may need to print over two A4 sheets and tape together) and cut your own material. (It can be useful if someone can pre-cut some puzzle fabric and post out to those who don’t have access to a printer).

IMPORTANT DIRECTION: All puzzle pieces must face the same way when completed so they can fit together as a giant wall hanging jigsaw.

Template can be found here

If you’re not sure how to print the template at home if you have an A4 printer, follow these instructions

When collecting puzzle pieces it could be useful to get name, age, location, contact details (MM, email) and a short blurb describing the design if you want to write a descriptor for the pieces when on display. Once all pieces are collected fit them together to create a large wall hanging/ banner. Can display and use to interact by inviting people in your local communities to add their own pieces (once lockdown ends).

Note: we haven’t yet collected our pieces and fitted them together so not yet sure how exactly we’re going to do this. It might be that we use a zigzag stitch along the edges to join them or place all pieces on backing fabric and stitch them on individually.

2) What If...

This is inspired by Rob Hopkins’ Book ‘From What Is to What If: Unleashing the Power of the Imagination to Create the Future We Want’ and the podcast ‘From What If to What Next’ which you can find here or on other podcast platforms (very uplifting and hope-inducing podcast. Highly recommended)

Examples of ‘what if’ questions can be found in the titles of the podcasts or here are some from chapter 7 of the book. Use these or ask your own What Ifs. Form your question in the positive...what is it you want, rather than what you don’t want? Walk around your local area and imagine how you would like it to be different. Be curious. Be playful. Invoke longing.

Rob writes that we can view the climate crisis ‘as an historic, once off invitation to our brilliance’. What if we created a fossil free energy system within 20 years? What if every new house built generated more energy than it consumed? What if urban agriculture became utterly commonplace? What if our cities became huge biodiversity reserves? What if single use plastics were only things we saw in museums? What if you could swim safely in all the local waters? What if all residential streets were play streets? What if every street had public art? What if birdsong drowned out traffic noise? What if there were more trees than people? What if a squirrel could get from one side of the city to the other without touching the ground by jumping from tree to tree? What if you could see the Milky Way from every garden? What if we rewilded the golf courses? What if our shops were locally owned? What if we could make the city/town fully sovereign by 2025? What if we could reorient the economy to work along cooperative lines? What if we had a broad participatory democracy? What if we could create a truly equitable town/city/nation?

Make a poster or other medium asking your question. Stick this around your neighbourhood to prompt your community to start asking ‘what if?’ Invite the viewer to ask their own what if. Maybe you know of this ‘what if’ being implemented somewhere in the world- why not include this in the information, maybe a link for it so the viewers can see for themselves that it’s possible.

LEGALITY- this counts as fly posting. Technically you could be prosecuted and fined but it’s unlikely. Be careful about where you place it...not on private houses-keep it public. Or ask in shops to display it.

A poster template if you want to use it or make your own

Take photos of the ‘What if’ posters and collect these to make a collage for social media.

Bonus question: Is there something that you want to do in your local area when lockdown ends that invites your community to reimagine the space/possibilities? Examples: put a picnic bench or a raised bed garden in the street. Close off a road for a day so kids can play there. Create a map of locally owned shops selling local produce. How would you go about making that happen? What is the first step? Who do you want to get on board? Who would you need to speak to? Do you want to get permission from the local authorities or do you want to do it as a civil disobedience?

3) (Making It Personal) My Hope For...

Posts on social media starts on (we are using Spring Equinox but obviously can start any time) - photos/videos need to be emailed to (Add your local XR address) (with the subject heading MY HOPE FOR) 7 days before your scheduled date. Add your name to the calendar (create a calendar)

Take a photo or short film of a tree, flower, river, landscape, walk, animal, person/people (or symbols of those people) that mean something to you.

Write a couple of sentences/ paragraphs/ poem/ song about what it means to you and what your hope is for its future. “Charles Eisenstein looks at debates about global warming and proposes a narrative shift for the climate movement. Embracing love of nature, he writes, moves people beyond denial and passivity to the action necessary to protect life on our planet.”

In addition (if you want, and to get the message out beyond our social media community) on the day of your post- email a copy of your photo/film and writing/ link to the social media post to your local councillors, MSPs, MPs. Environment MPs (you can find out how at https://www.writetothem.com/ ). Let them know what you hope that they will do about it. If you know of similar things already being done elsewhere share a link to that too to show it is possible.

Take it out into the community- print out /or create art and exhibit nearby. Add XR logo? Address for XRScotland FB. LEGALITY- this counts as fly posting. Technically you could be prosecuted and fined but it’s unlikely. Be careful about where you place it...not on private houses -keep it public.

XR Cymru bilingual endangered species posters