About the Showcase

The XR Wordsmiths Solarpunk Storytelling Showcase is Extinction Rebellion’s first global short story contest for all ages.

The project rides the wave of the Solarpunk movement and aims to use the power of collective imagination as a tool against the climate and ecological emergency. Through radical re-imaginings of the world, we can get closer to creating a future that is positive and healthy for all life.

2021’s Showcase was this project’s first iteration. The idea was seeded by activists Lottie Emily Dodd and Alex Dickinson and given wings by XR Wordsmiths, with Lottie steering the way.

Entrants were asked to consider the following questions and write a short story of up to 2500 words: When you think about the future you want for the planet, what visions does your imagination conjure up? How would human societies interact with nature? How do you think a plant or an animal would describe its place in the world, and how it came to be so? What changes (from the smallest detail to large structural changes or technological innovations) would transform today’s world into the world you imagine?

The winning entries (3 adults, 3 teenagers, and 3 children plus some additional categories) were announced in December 2021 after being selected by a diverse panel of judges including eco-authors, scientists, teachers, and a UK Green Party politician.

Going forward, we would like the Solarpunk Storytelling Showcase to be open to any adult, teenager, or child who wants to combine their passion for writing with their hopes for the planet, regardless of the language(s) they speak. We hope that this showcase sparks similar projects in different languages around the world. Please get in touch if you would like to create a Solarpunk Storytelling Showcase in your language; we would love to help you!

This website was built by Theresa Merchant and Tega Brain of Solar Protocol. It is hosted on a solar-powered server in a network stewarded by volunteers in different parts of the world.