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DCU Arts and Culture
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Dance Artist in Residence at DCU Institute for Climate and Society ‘Moving the Message: Communicating Climate Change Through Dance’

DCU is delighted to announce that contemporary dance artist Mia DiChiaro joined the DCU Institute for Climate and Society as the Dance Artist in Residence from September 2025, supported by funding from the Arts Council.

During her residency, which will run for 18 months, Mia will develop innovative choreographic works that explore climate justice, informed by the Institute’s interdisciplinary research. Through this partnership, she will not only advance her creative practice but also engage local communities in participatory workshops, using dance as a powerful and inclusive medium to spark dialogue on the climate crisis.

Mia DiChiaro is a contemporary dancer, community facilitator, and ecologically engaged artivist. Her work encourages communities across Ireland to explore imagination, empathy, and care, while examining the intersection of the moving body and climate activism. Mia has received support from the Arts Council, Dance Ireland, IMMA, and Create. She holds a B.A. in Performance and Arts Activism from New York University and an M.A. in Contemporary Dance Performance from the University of Limerick. Her recent community-led works include Dance Till Dán (2022), recipient of the Creative Lives Award UK/IRE for “Best Irish Project,” and Let’s Spraoi! (2024).

On her residency, Mia DiChiaro said:

"I’m thrilled to have begun this residency at DCU Institute for Climate and Society, where dance, climate science, and community intertwine. Over the coming 18 months, I’ll be seeding a new choreographic work, Bodies of Evidence, which transposes urgent environmental data into the body through experimental movement research in conversation with DCU climate experts. Alongside this, I’ll host three week-long guest residencies for professional dance artists working with ecological themes, and convene a symposium bringing together dance practitioners, climate researchers, and anyone curious about eco-arts practice."

Mia will also lead a creative outreach programme with five local groups and organisations, including Axis Ballymun, Drumcondra Triangle Residents Association, The Rediscovery Centre, SpunOut, and Age-Friendly University. Two of these groups will co-create small-scale dance projects. Through workshops, open studios, performances, and discussions, the residency aims to foster meaningful, hopeful, and lasting connections, bringing embodied eco-dance approaches to DCU and the wider community.

Marcella Bannon, Cultural Arts Officer at DCU, who initiated the idea for the residency with Mia and the Institute of Climate and Society in early 2025, said:

"This residency reflects DCU’s commitment to supporting artists who work at the intersection of creativity, research, and social impact. Mia’s practice sits at the cutting edge of how art can communicate complex ideas like climate change in ways that are accessible, emotional, and transformative. We’re proud to be creating space for that kind of innovative dialogue between the arts, science, and community."

Diarmuid Torney, Director of the DCU Institute for Climate and Society, added:

"We are delighted to host Mia DiChiaro as our Arts Council Dance Artist in Residence. This residency exemplifies the unique synergy between the arts and research at DCU, demonstrating how creative practice can engage communities and illuminate the urgent challenges of climate change."

This residency is proudly supported by the Arts Council.