CCL is a training program designed for arts, cultural, and other workers interested in using creative methodologies and collaboration to address climate and environmental challenges. It has been held in different parts of the world, providing a week-long intensive residential program of leadership development, learning, and peer-to-peer knowledge exchange delivered through talks, workshops, floor mapping exercises, guest speakers, group and peer-led activity, and new tools, based on JB’s research and development since 2008.

For CCL-USA, 24 participants from across the country and Canada were selected through an adjudicated application process, including artists, producers, presenters, funders, and cultural policy makers. The program took place at the extraordinary Biosphere 2, an Earth science research facility in the midst of the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, with exquisite rocks, cactus, and sunsets. Participants were given a guided tour of the air-locked facility, originally designed to measure survivability in different biomes, and given first-hand experience with resident king snakes and javelinas. In addition to those activities provided by JB, CCL-USA participants offered up others as well, including ecotarot readings of climate futures given by artist Adriene Jenik.