Blooming Ludus is an international participatory theatre company dedicated to advocating for climate justice and a sustainable future through creative expressions and a cross-cultural focus. Established in 2015, Blooming Ludus connects people, art, and the environment through community workshops, story gathering, and devising to create performances where the audience is invited to co-author and ask questions. The company is co-led by Francine Dulong, a performance artist from Mi’kma’ki (Nova Scotia, Canada), and Haeweon Yi, a Korean theatremaker based in the UK. This unique multiculturalism allows the company to approach climate issues from a multifaceted perspective, incorporating diverse cultural perspectives and welcoming communities from different backgrounds into the discussion and audience. Since the onset of the pandemic in 2020, we have consistently hosted a series of online events called ‘Climate Justice Tea Time’, aimed at fostering international connections among artists advocating for climate justice.
Our upcoming projects include The Last Apple Pie, how the history and ecology of the apple are a road map for humanity’s entanglement with climate (Canada, UK, and South Korea); Theatre of Decomposition, Haeweon’s ongoing PhD research into mycelial networks and performance practice (University of Manchester); and The Tusket River Project, a socially engaged art project combining archival research, river ecology and participatory art practice in Kespukwitk, Mi’kma’ki (Nova Scotia, Canada, Arts Nova Scotia funded).