Community arts and participatory engagement in a panda-themed environmental art initiative

Existing research recognizes art’s role in environmental awareness, but seldom examines participatory art as both method and engagement. This study explores how participatory art practices can foster ecological awareness in the context of wildlife tourism. Conducted at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, the research invited over 1,000 tourists to draw circles representing their perceived relationships with nature, giant pandas, and pets—an activity inspired by Schultz’s Connectedness to Nature (CNT) scale. Although the task was initially designed as a visual survey, it quickly evolved into a shared, creative experience that generated spontaneous participation, meaningful conversations, and emotional engagement. What began as a scientific investigation revealed itself to be an ecological art project. Participants were not merely data contributors but co-creators, offering their own cultural and personal narratives to the panda–human coexistence. Drawing from Timothy Morton’s theory that art can foster non-coercive, relational experiences with the more-than-human world; this paper frames the drawing activity as an act of ecological art. Here, the giant panda is not simply a passive subject but an active participant in shaping a shared affective space, prompting reflections on conservation, interspecies coexistence, and emotional entanglements. This art-based approach illustrates how cultural and affective dimensions can be integrated into environmental communication through the engagement of both pandas and tourists. It highlights the value of participatory creativity as both a research method and a meaningful form of public engagement. As environmental challenges intensify, this study suggests that ecological art offers a promising pathway for fostering inclusive, grounded, and emotionally resonant environmental discourse. It contributes not only to research on CNT but also to the broader work of reimagining human relationships with the natural world.