Capacity-Building Programmes For Cultural Adaptation

Akademie Zero provides professional support to cultural institutions and organisations that receive funding through the Zero Fund programme. The programme offers regular sessions (comprising workshops, specialist colloquia and training opportunities) to ensure the effective implementation of climate balances and to enhance their ecological practices. These one-day or multi-day meetings are held multiple times yearly, and foster networking and knowledge exchange among participants. The academy encourages the involvement of climate officers, project managers, and representatives of cultural institution management, ensuring comprehensive engagement and expertise in driving sustainable practices within the cultural sector.

This programme is designed to empower Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisations (NPOs) and Investment Principle Support Organisations (IPSOs) to embed environmental ambitions and responsibilities within their governance (governing bodies, such as Boards, advisory groups, or equivalents). Through this programme, Boards can effectively integrate environmental responsibility at the governance level, and elevate their sustainability plans, reduce environmental impact, and inspire peers and audiences. Recognizing that board members often have limited time, the programme is crafted to be self-paced, inspiring, and unintrusive. It provides comprehensive support to board members, empowering them to become environmental champions by enhancing their knowledge, skills, and confidence. This free programme offers a simple framework, training, and peer networking opportunities. Its main objectives are establishing effective Board Environmental Champions and promoting best practices in governance and leadership. Developed in consultation with the sector, it aims to upskill Boards, instil confidence in supporting their organisations to deliver Arts Council England’s Environmental Responsibility Investment Principle, foster ambition, emphasise governance (not just management), and remain practical and approachable.

In 2021, the German Federal Cultural Foundation collaborated with material initiatives from Hamburg, Leipzig, Dresden, and Berlin to organise a series of events focused on circular economy as part of its EMAS activities, advancing ecological management in the cultural sector. Embracing circular economy principles leads to cost savings and environmental benefits. The essence lies in transforming waste from theatres, museums, trade fairs, and cultural productions into valuable resources with temporary or permanent use. This approach yields substantial financial savings, benefiting independent cultural scene artists and private users. Cities and metropolitan regions, known for rapid growth and intensive resource use, are ideal for implementing circular systems. They regulate material and energy circulation, becoming exemplary locations for a circular economy where discarded materials find new life through social, artistic and ecological applications. Material initiatives in German-speaking cities are leading this paradigm shift. Workshops have been organised for various actors from cultural institutions, local material initiatives, and municipalities, to enhance infrastructure and establish new networks, thus fostering improved material cycles.

The Climate + Philanthropy online short course addresses the pressing need for increased funding in climate mitigation, as currently only 2% of funding is dedicated to this crucial cause. This course is designed explicitly for philanthropic institutions to empower them to respond proactively to climate change and promote positive societal change. Led by over 20 industry experts, the course equips participants with invaluable insights to drive change and contribute to a regenerative and prosperous future within foundations and beyond. It delves into aligning grantmaking, operations, and investments with climate action, enabling participants to become catalysts for change within their networks. The course is thoughtfully structured with multimedia components, including texts, videos, visuals, and infographics, presented in easily digestible modules. Additionally, participants benefit from five interactive Zoom sessions that complement their self-paced learning. By completing this transformative course, philanthropic institutions can bolster their commitment to climate mitigation and actively shape a sustainable and thriving world.

In 2021, the digital climate workshop focused on exploring aesthetic and structural aspects related to narratives, formats, and production conditions within the performing arts amidst the backdrop of climate change. This workshop addressed several key questions: What can artistic mobility and (international) theatre work look like in the future? What artistic concepts are found there? What are the relevant operational ecological levers in the theatre? What does sustainability mean in a holistic sense for the cultural sector? The event engaged participants in diverse formats, including international perspectives and the presentation of best-practice models. Comprehensive documentation, including the programme details and video footage, is accessible online, allowing a broader audience to benefit from the insights and discussions generated during the workshop.

Creative Climate Leadership (CCL) empowers artists and cultural professionals to address the climate crisis with impact, creativity, and resilience. Designed to mobilise a creative climate movement, CCL offers a five-day intensive programme for 24 participants, fostering collaboration and cultivating cultural leadership on climate action. By exploring the multidimensional challenges of the climate crisis, and recognising the role culture plays in response, participants learn diverse approaches and practical solutions promoting equitable collaboration, innovative problem-solving, and cultural ecosystem reorientation. This course equips them to lead climate action at the individual and collective levels and to translate their insights into tangible CCL Action projects.

Creative Climate Leadership (CCL) is an international training and transformation programme to empower artists and cultural professionals to proactively address the climate and ecological crisis with creativity, resilience, and impact. Rooted in a commitment to justice and inclusivity, CCL strengthens the exceptional climate leadership found across the creative and cultural ecosystem, fostering positive change. The programme welcomes applications from artists and cultural leaders representing diverse creative disciplines and art forms. CCL offers both in-person and online courses held at various locations worldwide. The immersive five-day intensive course equips participants with environmental frameworks and practical tools to meaningfully integrate sustainability targets into their work. Since its inception in 2017, Creative Climate Leadership has been delivered by Julie’s Bicycle in collaboration with various partners and funders, each contributing their unique perspectives, expertise, and contextual knowledge to continually adapt and refine the programme. In the first seven years, 175 people from 26 countries have participated in the programme. The alumni join an evolving international network of creatives, to take action and mobilise other people in their own field through events, workshops, creative work and projects.

The programme is designed to nurture a new generation of environmental leaders, encompassing diverse backgrounds, perspectives, experiences, and ideas. Its primary objective is to empower emerging leaders with the necessary skills and confidence to become influential agents of change. Through this initiative, they will bring a wealth of diversity to the table, offering innovative solutions to address the pressing crises we face, thus becoming advocates for justice on both national and international levels.

The ENCATC Academy is an educational programme designed to equip educators, researchers, students, managers, practitioners, artists and policy makers with new skills and competencies in regards to various specific topics relevant to the cultural sector. Since 2022, the Academy has dedicated its work to sustainability and sustainable future in culture. By means of comprehensive lectures, immersive case studies, and collaborative practical exercises, participants of the Academy embark on a journey of expanding their knowledge and acquiring fresh competencies. The ENCATC Academy brings together professionals from across cultural sectors to advance the cause of sustainability in their fields, taking a holistic and interdisciplinary approach. Participants are able to deepen their understanding of how sustainability can be foregrounded and developed in the cultural sector, while building their network of cultural practitioners, experts, academics, researchers and policy makers.

The Green School was launched in 2023 by IETM in the framework of the Local Journeys for Change (LJC) training programme. The need for training related to green practices was identified through a membership survey, which highlighted the members’ lack of sufficient knowledge to start a green transition in their organisations or daily work. IETM hosted three online sessions of the Green School, focusing on greening tools, sustainable climate justice, creation and production, as well as an in-person info session at their plenary meeting and interactive Toolbox sessions to deepen the concepts. In the summer of 2023 IETM published an open call intended for IETM members only, for an extensive autumn training programme with the purpose of guiding the participants through development of their own green transition project proposals. The training programme was two-months long and consisted of a series of workshops, peer working sessions and coaching. Together with experts and through peer-to-peer learning, participants explored different aspects of green transition, received practical knowledge of how to use various greening tools, such as environmental calculators, or how to support sustainable production and creative processes, content and stories. The training was customised to the needs of selected participants’ proposals. Selected participants received a €500 stipend for the time they dedicated to the Green School, disbursed upon completion of the training.

Leading Resilience is a new training and mentoring programme designed to bolster the resilience of NPOs against future climate changes. It is divided into two distinct strands: Organisation and Place. Under the organisation strand, the initial year will see two cohorts of senior leaders acquire essential skills and knowledge to adapt and respond to climate change, then incorporate them into their organisations’ strategies and operations. In the subsequent years, the focus shifts to the place strand, where three place-based partnerships will be identified to receive valuable practical support in adapting to climate change. These partnerships will collaborate closely with local networks, seeking innovative and pragmatic solutions to the challenges posed by the changing climate.

The Danish Arts Foundation set the goal that granted institutions and projects the power to take a stand on sustainable consumption. The foundation recognises the intrinsic interconnectedness of environment, society and economy, by aligning art and culture with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The foundation is focused on sustainability and green solutions for the arts and culture industry. In 2021, it organised three webinars to explore the following central themes: The Role of Art in Society – Artistic Quality on Sustainable Terms; Art and Sustainability; Not Just a Greenwash.

The Colour Green Lab is an environmental knowledge and skills programme implemented as a pilot programme in 2021 which then returned in 2023. It supports and empowers cultural practitioners and artists of colour to lead environmental action. This digital programme aims to advance sustainable practice and co-create expertise at the intersection of culture and climate justice. The Color Green Lab, led by Julie’s Bicycle as part of the Arts Council England environmental sustainability programme, connected arts, culture, and creative practice with environmental science, policy, and justice. The series of workshops provided access to learning, inspiration from the sector, and a new community of practice. The Colour Green Lab is free to attend.

Expanding on the previous Spotlight programme, Arts Council England and Julie’s Bicycle developed the Transforming Energy programme to empower cultural organisations to embrace energy efficiency and sustainable practices. The Transforming Energy programme offers a unique opportunity for cultural organisations to take meaningful action in combating the climate crisis and becoming leaders in the sector. With a specific focus on decarbonisation for building-based organisations, the programme is structured into two dynamic strands of activity: Buildings Net Zero Energy and Capital Investment Ready. The first strand, Buildings Net Zero Energy, is designed to support building-based organisations within Arts Council England’s National Portfolio Organisations (NPOs) and Investment Principles Support Organisations (IPSOs). It caters to organisations in various stages of their sustainability journey, whether they are just beginning to work on energy reduction or eager to intensify their efforts. Participants receive expert guidance, self-service resources, assistance from technical partners (Pilio), energy management webinars and training sessions facilitated by Julie’s Bicycle to implement energy monitoring, improve controls, and upgrade energy efficiency, progressing towards Net Zero Energy. The second strand of the programme focuses on nurturing smaller cohorts of organisations that have already made significant strides in energy reduction. These forward-thinking organisations receive tailored coaching, mentorship, and peer-sharing opportunities to become Capital Investment Ready. By empowering them to transition key cultural venues to low-carbon solutions, they will be better positioned to take advantage of future funding opportunities dedicated to sustainability in the cultural sector.

This course revolves around a fundamental query: What defines contemporary writers in the context of the Climate and Ecological Emergency (CEE)? How can we aptly address the immense scale of this emergency through impactful creative writing? The weekend retreat consists of conversations and experience-sharing centred on the CEE’s impact on writers. It delves into personal, public, and literary approaches that empower participants to engage as writers. The course offers intensive workshops and personalised guidance, allowing emerging and established writers to gain from the experience. Dedicated time is provided for writing and idea development, complemented by feedback sessions through small-group readings, thus fostering a collaborative learning environment.