Weaving Art and Environment at Caravan Farm Theatre
A fascinating conversation with Vicki Stroich, Artistic and Environmental Programs Manager at Caravan Farm Theatre, a professional outdoor theatre based on 80 acres of unceded traditional Secwepemc and Syilx Okanagan territories.
From Dramaturgy to Ecology
Vicki shares her unique career trajectory, tracing her path from a 17-year tenure in the non-profit arts sector, including time as an Executive Director at Alberta Theatre Projects, to a four-year pivot into environmental work. Discover how her early passion for the ocean and environment rekindled through surfing, ultimately leading to her current, custom-built role that actively weaves art and land stewardship.
The Power of Collaboration and Creative Imagination
This episode delves into the urgent need for artists and creative processes in addressing the climate crisis. Vicki makes a compelling case for why artists—with their skills in collaborative process, complex analysis, and imaginative world-building—are essential facilitators and partners for change-making, not just communicators. Learn why she believes the environmental sector is hungry for the unique mindset artists bring, especially their comfort with the uncertainty and playfulness necessary for breakthrough solutions.
The Outdoor Stage: Challenges and Magic
Vicki offers a behind-the-scenes look at the unique realities of creating theatre outdoors. She discusses how the North Okanagan land is both the setting and a visceral co-star, creating unscripted, meaningful moments for artists and audiences. However, she also confronts the stark challenges of climate change—from extreme heat and wildfire smoke to intense winter conditions—and the resulting operational shifts, including the hard decisions to cancel shows and the innovative ways the theatre is striving for operational and environmental sustainability.
Narratives of Change and Deepening Connection
This series is support by the City of Whitehorse
Looking ahead, Vicki shares her vision for the future, including engaging artists in shaping the post-crisis world and expanding programs like the Audio Landwalks to deepen community connection to the land through story. She reflects on the need for new narratives that move beyond simplistic triumph and defeat, urging creators to embrace the complexity and subtlety of change, focusing on shifts in mindset and celebrating our ability to re-imagine and re-author the world that comes next.