WESTMINSTER ART FESTIVAL
Our 2021 Theme:
"What Country Do Rains Come From?"
What tongue does the wind talk?
What nationality is a storm?
What country do rains come from?
What color is lightning?
Where does thunder go when it dies?
~ from Something Wicked this Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
Ray Bradbury's poem reminds us that the weather doesn’t observe political borders. The impact of climate change is global. Taking care of the earth can’t be accomplished by just taking care of “our little corner.” Wild fires in California, more frequent and severe hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, sea level rise threatening the existence of island nations and seacoast habitats. For better or worse, human activity is impacting not just local environments but the global ecosystem.
​
We asked artists and poets to help us see and hear the weather in a global context. To help us expand our vision and commitment to a healthier earth. To give us images and ideas that show the changes taking place in habitats, ecosystems, and/or human communities. To give us a message of hope: where are people and communities working to slow the impact of climate change? Or perhaps, a warning: where we are failing? We asked them to help us see our interconnectedness, the importance of taking a global view, of protecting our water, of understanding the impact of our choices. And they did just that!
​
Thank you to all of our participating artists and poets who helped make the 2021 Westminster Art Festival a great success!