12th Annual SEEA Conference & Research Symposium

This interactive session explores how Gyotaku, the traditional Japanese art of fish printing, serves as a powerful tool to bridge the gap between entertainment and environmental education. Participants will engage in hands-on activities that demonstrate how art can captivate diverse audiences while fostering a deeper understanding of ecological and cultural topics. By using a non-traditional location for the workshop, people that would not normally engage in environmental education are reached.

Aligning with the conference strand of integrating creativity into educational practices, this session highlights the versatility of Gyotaku in teaching about fish biodiversity, river basins, water quality, and both place-based and Japanese cultural history. Attendees will learn how this art form connects participants to environmental and cultural heritage while sparking curiosity and engagement.

Key takeaways include methods for using Gyotaku to align with environmental education goals, strategies for integrating it into lessons on aquatic ecosystems and cultural history, and techniques for promoting community engagement through interdisciplinary, interactive learning. Participants will leave with tools to make education both impactful and memorable while inspiring environmental stewardship in audiences that may not have thought about it, through the connection of art and nature as entertainment.