Documentary Australia and Doc Society have today announced the inaugural Climate Story Lab Australia to be held from 5-7 August 2025 at Artspace on Gadigal Land in Sydney.
Over three days, the two organisations will bring together climate documentary makers with climate experts, First Nations leaders, impact strategists, political consultants, community organisers, advocates and philanthropists to workshop strategic climate storytelling.
This interdisciplinary group is charged with addressing the following questions: What climate stories does the world need now? Whose voices should tell them? Which audiences need to see and hear these stories, and how do we ensure those audiences are reached?
The Lab aims to strengthen existing climate storytelling projects and impact campaigns, spark the creation of compelling new projects, spur partnerships to mobilise strategic audiences and funding opportunities, and grow confidence in the power of social impact storytelling.
The innovative Climate Story Lab model was first piloted by Doc Society and Exposure Labs in New York in 2019, and has since been successfully rolled out with 33 events around the world – from the Brazilian Amazon to East and West Africa, South Asia, the Middle East and Europe – sparking high-quality new productions, collaborations and pathways to audience.
In collaboration with Screen NSW, Screen Queensland and Shark Island Foundation, Documentary Australia and Doc Society are now seeking applications from compelling climate storytelling projects (screen or audio documentaries) that envision a climate just future.
Documentary Australia Impact Director and initiative lead Stephanie King says, "We are thrilled to collaborate with Doc Society to launch Australia's first ever Climate Story Lab on Gadigal Lands in Sydney. As we have seen through our Environmental Accelerator and Incubator programs, documentary storytelling has a key role to play in addressing the climate crisis. As we head to a federal election and see a shift in the priorities of the climate movement, it is a critical time to re-group with the sector and spark the next generation of strategic climate storytelling."
Doc Society Director of Special Projects and initiative lead Hollie Fifer says, "Australia has the potential of being at the forefront of climate storytelling globally. Bringing the Climate Story Lab to Australia for the first time as a national event alongside Documentary Australia is a vital step in realising this. We are looking for boundary pushing, courageous, sensitive stories that don't just reflect back where we are, but can help build the world we are all in need of and seed the cultural movement that makes that possible."
Screen Queensland CEO Jacqui Feeney says, "Screen Queensland is proud to support the inaugural Climate Story Lab Australia, providing a vital opportunity for local factual filmmakers to work with climate experts on powerful screen stories. Screen Queensland is committed to supporting our state's documentary practitioners to address the big issues in ways that engage audiences with global impact. We are excited to see the outcomes from this collaboration in shaping a sustainable environment for both our planet and our screen industry."
Shark Island Foundation Executive Director Kate Hodges says, "This is a fantastic opportunity for Australian filmmakers. Doc Society's narrative strategy work with the Climate Story Unit is an inspiration to cultural organisations and foundations wanting to shift attitudes and perspectives within society to create a fairer world."
Applications are now open and close 22 April 2025.
