As part of our Artist Investment Program, the Arizona Commission on the Arts is pleased to offer a pair of free workshops presented by award-winning ecologist and choreographer Jame McCray, PhD, founder of Ecotonic Movement. Artists working in all disciplines are encouraged to register!
Workshop 1
Cross-Pollination: Cultivating Successful Artist-Scientist Partnerships
May 15, 2025, 6:00 – 8:00 pm
This interactive 90-minute workshop equips artists with practical tools for developing meaningful partnerships with scientists and environmental education centers. Participants will learn strategies for finding scientific collaborators, communicating effectively across disciplines, and establishing mutually supportive partnerships that honor both artistic vision and scientific integrity. The session includes guidance on navigating institutional structures, crafting compelling project proposals, and securing appropriate resources and support. Through hands-on exercises, case studies, and networking opportunities, artists will gain confidence in approaching scientists and organizations to develop projects that advance both creative and ecological goals.
Participants will walk away with a Scientific Collaboration Planning Template
Workshop 2
Environmental Art as Community Engagement
June 7, 2025 11-1
This interactive 90-minute workshop provides practical strategies for creating environmental art projects that meaningfully engage communities. Using a real-world case study as inspiration, participants will explore methods for incorporating local ecological knowledge, designing educational components, and measuring project impact. The session introduces a comprehensive planning framework that complements the Community Engagement Design Worksheet—a valuable tool for developing participatory art initiatives that address environmental concerns. Through guided small-group activities, attendees will apply these concepts to their own project ideas, making this workshop ideal for artists, educators, community organizers, and environmental advocates interested in collaborative ecological art experiences.
Participants will receive a Community Engagement Design Sheet
Workshops are facilitated by Dr. Jamē McCray of Ecotonic Movement.
These virtual sessions will not be recorded, but the worksheets will remain available for use on our website.
Register
About Ecotonic Movement
An ecotone is a place where two different ecosystems meet.
This is a place where you can find species that live in both ecosystems as well as unique species that only live in the intersections. Interestingly, you often find a more diverse group of organisms in the place where the two ecosystems come together than in the respective ecosystems themselves!
At Ecotonic Movement, the ecotone is the place where science and performing arts meet, where diverse groups gather to engage with ideas and with each other.
Ecotonic Movement brings together curiosity, fun and movement as a means for posing the question: How do we move toward a future where all creation thrives? We invite you to join us in engaging in dialogue through dance, theater, research, and conversation to ask more questions and discover answers. Together we will create ecotonic movement.
About Dr. Jame McCray
Jame McCray, PhD, founded Ecotonic Movement in 2020. She is an ecologist and choreographer whose work explores questions of place through three forms of inquiry: research, movement, and community engagement.
Currently serving as the Managing Director at the Alliance for Watershed Education, Jame’s research focuses on environmental education and management of natural resources. Her scientific interests reflect a lifelong fascination with how people move through and interact with their environments. As a dancer, collaborating artist with the Dance Exchange, and founding board member of the Superhero Clubhouse, Jame works with artists and community members to create engaging performances and workshops firmly grounded in science.
A Brooklyn native, Jame earned a B.S. in Biology from the University of Maryland Baltimore County, a M.A. in Marine Policy from the University of Miami, and a Ph.D. from the University of Florida in Wildlife Ecology.
Details
Organization/Company: Arizona Commission on the Arts
Website:
Location: Online
Deadline: May 15 and June 7, 2025
How to Apply: Register at
Yuma, we’re coming to town!
We want to hear from everyone — artists, community members, and anyone passionate about the arts!
Be sure to RSVP using the link in our bio or by scanning the QR code.
And don’t forget to follow along — more Community Conversation stops are
Upcoming Stop Alert!