Addressing climate anxiety in young people

For the past 25 years, Highly Sprung has created inspiring performances and experiences for children and young people through physical theatre. Our physical and creative approach allows them to actively experience learning, helping them make informed decisions and empowering them to build better futures, for themselves and for their communities.

Many past participants have gone on to pursue careers not only in the arts, but also in law, medicine, education, aviation and beyond. This embodied learning approach has also shaped Highly Sprung’s outdoor performance work, particularly around the themes of climate change and pollution.

Outdoor theatre democratises performance. It is free to access and if people want to walk away they can, if they want to engage they can. This way of sharing performance is vital when we are dealing with the climate crisis and similar issues.

Trilogy of climate-inspired performance

Back in 2014, we launched a trilogy of climate-inspired performances, beginning with Urban Astronaut, a piece featuring a bespoke flying machine on wheels. As the astronaut bounced up to six metres in the air, the show travelled through city streets, parks and public spaces. Even before themes of clean air and pollution were introduced, audiences were captivated by the striking visuals and kinetic energy.

In 2019, CastAway followed, exploring the threat of ocean plastic. Staged on a gyroscopic flying machine, a single performer was lifted eight metres into the air, swimming above audiences in graceful arcs. The aerial choreography and soundscape gave the sensation of being submerged in a plastic-filled sea, immersive, urgent and unforgettable.

Completing the trilogy, Accelerate explored the global energy crisis and society’s dependency on power. Designed to tour to non-traditional spaces, Accelerate featured a treadmill powered by two bicycles and a tower that lifts performers via counterweighted aerial. It’s a bold, physical statement on the energy we consume and the systems we rely on.

Energy summit

What these performances have in common is our company’s instinct to tell urgent, relevant stories, where text moves and movement speaks, and our ongoing commitment to engaging children and young people. These two strands of our work came together when Accelerate toured schools, culminating in a youth Energy Summit, hosted at the Coventry Building Society Arena in partnership with E.ON.

We toured secondary schools across Coventry and Warwickshire, transforming playgrounds, car parks and school gyms into performance spaces. For many students, this was their first encounter with live performance. The shows were loud, immersive and fully engaging, often breaking traditional theatre expectations.

As performer Emily commented: “Performing in schools is a real privilege. You know what the audiences are thinking because you can hear it, nothing is held back. The young people really get excited when I fly or when something outrageous happens. It’s liberating for them, and for us, we feed off their energy and gain a real understanding of their desire for change.”

Each performance was followed by a discussion, encouraging young people to explore the theme of energy and reflect on their role in addressing climate change. These conversations revealed a recurring challenge: climate anxiety. Many young people feel overwhelmed by the scale of the crisis and uncertain about how they can make a meaningful difference.

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Highly Sprung – Accelerate. Photo: Andrew Moore

‘What can I do to make a difference?’

In response, Highly Sprung worked with the Young Producers Collective (YPC), a group of creatives collaborating with our directors, to curate the youth-led Energy Summit. We invited more than 400 children and young people to take part in workshops, panel discussions, performances and interactive sessions with professionals from the energy sector, including E.ON, Warwick Manufacturing Group, and Sustainability West Midlands.

At the heart of every session was a question posed by YPC: “What can I do to make a difference?”

The summit offered knowledge, agency and hope. It empowered young people to consider their own energy use and to think critically about solutions. One participant, Lily (15), put it plainly: “It’s obvious we need to use more renewable electricity like solar, wind and water. But we’re teenagers, so we can’t change that. What we can do is think about how much electricity we use. I’ve decided not to charge my phone every night anymore, just when it’s really low.”

Tangible impact

The impact was tangible. Teachers reported students were switching off lights more regularly and making active choices at home and school. The summit demonstrated that, with the right tools and inspiration, young people are more than ready to lead change.

As we face the climate emergency, it’s clear young people want, and need, to take centre stage. To do so, they must feel empowered, informed and equipped to imagine and shape solutions.

Highly Sprung doesn’t claim to have all the answers. But what we offer is powerful: performance as a tool for change. Our work shows that embodied learning and the arts can inspire not only awareness but action, from individuals, communities and the wider public.

To learn more, visit: www.highlysprungperformance.co.uk