Imagine the earth is dreaming…

Because if we want to repair our relationship with the planet, we must attune ourselves through body and consciousness to the frequencies of the earth, listening to the transmissions being broadcast, both near and far

Because the world around us often seems inaccessible and whether its by human device or through emotional and physical distance, we’ve separated ourselves from the earth, earth bodies, and earth elements to such an extent that we’ve become estranged from the world around us

Because dreaming can be the bridge that restores and transforms our relationship with nature and the planet

Dreaming is something we all share…

Whether knowingly or not, we all dream. Even if we cannot recall our dreams, they are part of the human journey, containing both universal and personal meaning-making throughout time. But dreams are not ours alone. These collective stories and individual myths arise too from the psyche of the earth in which we inhabit. We’ve seen our beloved fur family members dream, curled up on their favorite chair, dreaming of a chase, or of a favorite toy.

But what about the earth, the tree in the park or your backyard, the oceans or natural ponds formed after a rain, or the bird that perches upon your railing singing its morning song. What do they dream? 

This Dreaming Earth bridges our relationship to nature through dreams

Dreaming is a way to establish empathy. This Dreaming Earth seeks to discover the universal themes that emerge in our exploration and imagination of what the earth and all its elements are dreaming. We are often encouraged to connect with the natural world by walking, driving, or meandering through the boundaries we’ve created for nature in our modern world. Nature has become a place we go to or have to seek out. But in This Dreaming Earth we are curious about how we can break those boundaries and rectify our estrangement from the earth through actively identifying with nature, dialoguing and embodying what we imagine the natural world would share with us about its dreams and nightmares.

participate in this dreaming earth

In-Person

There are many opportunities for you to participate in This Dreaming Earth during my month-long September artist-in-residency. All workshops and open studio hours will be held at the CATALYST, a Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance creative collective art space located at the Tucson Mall. All activities and events are free and all ages are welcome! Not able to participate in-person?  Check out the Virtual section on how to contribute to the project from afar. Please revisit this page for additional events, workshops, and open studio hours as they become available.

Looking forward to being in the studio with you! I’m Delaney, a multidisciplinary artist and dreamwork practitioner. My work focuses on the intersection of imagination, creative embodiment, and dramatic play and uses dreams as the lens by which we can experience and transform our world. This Dreaming Earth arose from one of my dreams. Learn more about how I came to dreamwork, the inception of the Mythic Playhouse, and my experience in facilitating healing arts workshops.

Experience This Dreaming Earth Installation

The residency will culminate in an installation during the performance shows of The Climate Project at the University of Arizona School of Theatre, Film, and Television’s Tornabene Theatre, September 25 - 28. Admission is Free.

The Climate Project is a collaborative physical theatre creation of the Theatre of Metamophosis. This physical theatre production will expand the exploration that began with Requiem for a Reef which premiered in 2024 in Minneapolis, Tucson, and San Francisco. The Climate Project branches out from Requiem to explore climate change impact in the Sonoran Desert and the evolution of life’s metabolic footprint from microbes to humans.

Visit The Climate Project for more information and the Tornabene for performance times and ticketing.

Virtual

This Dreaming Earth offers a virtual opportunity for participants of all ages to contribute submissions to the project and installation. Your participation is welcome and necessary for the success of the project.  Submissions will be screened as part of the installation and showcased during the pre-show programming of The Climate Project. Your contribution may be included in the installation itself.

Submissions can be directly uploaded in the Padlet below where more information about This Dreaming Earth is provided within the pinned posts, including directions for uploading, prompts for reflection, and other inspiration. Educators that would like to engage their class in the project and need access to the full Padlet please click here. Thank you for your contribution!

This Dreaming Earth was made possible with the support of:

Art State Arizona (SAACA) CATALYST Creative Collective
Recipient of September 2025 Artist-in-Residence