Climate change is not only an issue of environmental conservation, but also an issue of justice and human rights. Climate change does not affect all people equally – people who already face the greatest burdens are often the ones affected most by it.

While minimizing global warming is critical to limiting the harm of climate change, humanity must simultaneously learn to adapt. Migration is one adaptation to climate change. As more places become unlivable, dislocations and relocations will become much more common and necessary. While climate change impacts everyone, climate-related displacement does not affect all populations equally: people who are displaced by climate disasters often face other structural challenges as well, such as economic marginalization, and/or racial or ethnic discrimination.

Unbound Philanthropy’s long-term vision for climate and migrant justice is to make climate-related migration a choice, rather than an option of last resort. It is essential to support adaptation in place and the freedom of people to stay in their homes, where it is possible and they choose to do so. It is however also key to establish safe, regular, and equitable migration pathways that can bring great opportunities not just to the people who move but also to the places they go to, as well as their place of origin. And it is crucial to strengthen belonging – building welcoming communities where all people can fully participate in social, civic, and economic life.

Migration has always been part of human existence. Racism, bigotry, and “othering” have also been present throughout. Today, some people seek to divide our societies, and to exploit people’s anxieties and suffering. Simultaneously, there is an unprecedented coalescing around a “larger us”, and a yearning and propensity for universal compassion, caring, and connection.

When communities proactively plan to make room for their new neighbors, it enables everyone in these communities to thrive. By equipping communities to harness migration as a positive tool for resilience, we make possible a vision for a just and vibrant society where we can all flourish.

We seek illustrations that envision societies where climate-related migration is embraced and harnessed as a positive tool for resilience.

We need to move away from dangerous stereotypes – people depicted as burdens, security threats, or cultural disruptors. We also want to avoid visual clichés such as overcrowded boats, makeshift camps, or anything that focuses on suffering, victimhood, desperation, and peril.

Instead, we want to tell a different story – one that emphasizes that we are all in this together, for the better. Climate-related migration should be seen as an opportunity for societies and a choice for individuals, rather than a threat or a last resort.

To build this new narrative, we need visuals that reframe the “us vs. them” conversation and highlight the advantages of nurturing common bonds and mutual opportunities. We want to depict a world where people are celebrated, and their rights are upheld and protected. We want to show a future where people are working together to solve problems and bridge divides, and where values such as belonging, solidarity, compassion, and community are at the forefront.

We do not look for works that only show the problems, without a hint of a solution. Аccording to science, when we only show the grim situation, people begin to fear the future and start to believe that we live in a world of crisis with no alternatives. To flip the narrative, we need more visual imagery focused on hope, the future we want to see & the solutions to get us there.

We must imagine a future where we are both slowing climate change and adapting to it. A bold new vision – for a just and vibrant society where we can all flourish, uphold human dignity, value diversity, and embrace our common humanity – is possible. There is a movement in the making, and we seek works that inspire people to join us.

Please only submit standard size posters: 18”x24”, or 3:4 ratio.

Posters should be high-resolution files – acceptable formats are EPS, PDF, PSD, AI, TIFF.

Vector files are preferred, 300+ PPI.

You can submit up to 5 works.

Unbound Philanthropy is an independent private grantmaking foundation that invests in leaders and organizations in the US and UK working to build a vibrant, welcoming society and just immigration system, as part of a pluralist and inclusive democracy. Unbound works in three distinct, interconnected areas: activating public support for an immigration system rooted in justice and a welcoming society; seeking systems and policies that honor the dignity of all people and advance the common good; and striving for welcoming communities where all people belong and can fully participate in social, civic, and economic life.

Fine Acts is a global nonprofit creative studio for social impact. We work at the intersections of advocacy, art, tech, and science, and practice playtivism – creating multidisciplinary spaces for play and experimentation in activism. Our work – from public art interventions, through videos, installations, books, board games and illustrations, to experimental formats – is rooted in hope, joy, and openness. Fine Acts’ campaigns and art actions aim to foster public understanding and engagement on a vast range of social and environmental issues; we also work to support and empower organizations across the globe through bespoke trainings, open resources and tailored creative work.