Initiatives And Organisations

Arts Catalyst is a visual arts organisation and charity based in Sheffield, UK. It is an activated space for people to think differently about the world around them using art to explore social and environmental issues, provoke debate, and to test out alternative ways of learning.

In 2001, David Buckland established Cape Farewell. The combination of arts and science working in close collaboration to highlight the urgency of dealing with climate change was both a novel and unknown path. Cape Farewell turned out to be a trendsetter.

Connect4Climate is a World Bank Group Multi-Donor Trust Fund powered by the Italian Ministry for Ecological Transition and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. It drives climate action through advocacy, partnerships, and creative communications (film, music, and fashion). Through various initiatives, competitions, events, and extensive public outreach efforts, Connect4Climate effectively consolidates experiences, knowledge, and solutions pertaining to climate change. The organisation conducts a series of youth-focused virtual dialogues, empowering competition among young creatives, multilayered social media strategies, and a renewed commitment to the cultivation of meaningful partnerships, cementing its status as a powerful partner and youth ally in the climate space.

Creative Carbon Scotland is an organisation that started in 2011 as a project initiated by Edinburgh’s Festivals with the Federation of Scottish Theatre and Scottish Contemporary Art Network key partners. First dedicated to helping arts organisations report their carbon emissions, the organisation now focuses on exploring the sector’s role in transforming society to address climate change. They work with three key sector stakeholders: individual artists, cultural organisations, and influencing organisations which shape the landscape through their policies, their funding, the premises or resources they provide, and the regulations or guidance they shape. CCS provides Scottish arts organisations with carbon measurement, reporting, and reduction training, for which they developed carbon counting tools and resources. They support nearly 120 key organisations in mandatory carbon reporting to Creative Scotland while also working with Creative Scotland to develop their environmental sustainability policy for the organisations they support.

Culture Declares Emergency is a growing movement of individuals and organisations involved in arts and culture, declaring a climate and ecological emergency. This means telling the truth, taking action and seeking justice.

Culture for Climate is a grassroots initiative aimed at greening the cultural sector. The group comprises employees of cultural institutions, NGOs, local authorities, and independent artists and curators. Its aim is to promote pro-environmental attitudes without shaming and making accusations that what is done is insufficient or inadequate.

Ecoprod is the leading initiative on sustainable film production in France, promoting and highlighting films and crews working towards reducing the environmental footprint of the film and TV industry. Ecoprod is a non-profit association created in 2009 whose ambition is to support the environmental transition of the film and TV industry. The founding members of Ecoprod are Audiens, the CST, Film Paris Region, and the broadcasters Canal +, France TV and TF1. Ecoprod brings together more than 280 companies representing all industry stakeholders: production companies, broadcasters, service providers, unions, film schools, and public institutions. As an independent platform for cooperation and exchange, the association is pushing the subject of green production on a national and international level. Ecoprod is also a resource centre providing free tools for the film and TV industry, such as Carbon’Clap, a carbon calculator certified by the CNC, green production guides, studies, etc. Ecoprod also provides training in green production for film professionals and students. 

The European Philanthropy Coalition for Climate is an initiative of Philea that was co-initiated by the PEXcommunity. It connects diverse philanthropy infrastructure organisations, foundations (also active in arts and culture) and other partners, to accelerate transformational change. It aims to foster a powerful movement for change by mobilising the philanthropy sector to address climate change as a cross-cutting, societal issue. The Coalition established peer exchanges for foundations and philanthropy infrastructure organisations around several topics. It has also mapped the climate philanthropy networks active in Europe and connected them through regular peer exchange to encourage coordination and collaboration across the climate and philanthropy ecosystem.

Europe for Festivals, Festivals for Europe – EFFE is an action initiated by the European Festivals Association (EFA), supported by the European Commission and Parliament. EFFE brings the arts to the attention of festival audiences through a searchable database, FestivalFinder.eu. Since 2023 they have published stories about festivals under a [GO GREEN] – UP TO GREEN label which highlights festivals dedicated to green practices in their work, in order for audiences to know them better.

Fossil Free Culture is a collective of artists, activists, researchers, and critics working at the intersection of art and climate activism. Its goal is to confront oil and gas sponsorship of public cultural institutions in the Netherlands. They are committed to eroding the fossil fuel industry’s public image and their social licence to operate. Through disobedient performances and interventions in institutions that accept such sponsorship, they expose the ecological and social devastation that the fossil fuel industry inflicts on the planet and expose the ways in which these cultural institutions actively sanitise the reputation of companies like Royal Dutch Shell. They also organise training, give workshops and lectures, throw memorable parties, make soup with and for the community, and set up a Disobedient Art School.

The Festival Academy, the European Festivals Association and Culture Declares Emergency, together with numerous collaborators from all over the world, have initiated the International Festivals Declare Emergency: a movement that envisions a world where environmental and social justice are one of the pillars of cultural life and festivals, and where international festivals can make a leading contribution in helping create a regenerative future that protects the health of the planet and sustains everyone everywhere. IFDE envisions a world where festivals have internalised and influenced audiences and stakeholders to act in a sustainable manner, furthering environmental and human protection and catalysing positive change on a local, regional, national and even global level.

Julie’s Bicycle, a pioneering not-for-profit organisation, was established by the music industry in 2007. It has since expanded its mission to mobilise the arts and culture sector in addressing the crisis of climate, nature, and justice. Collaborating with over 2,000 organisations in the UK and internationally, it combines cultural and environmental expertise to drive impactful programmes and advocate for policy changes to confront the climate crisis. Rooted in a vision where artistic events are eco-friendly, venues operate off-grid, and artists serve as catalysts for change, Julie’s Bicycle offers various programmes, including those in partnership with Arts Council England and BFI, as well as initiatives like Creative Green, Creative Climate Leadership, and Creative Climate Justice. They also engage with policymakers and promote environmental measurement tools and e-learning resources within the arts and culture sector, while advocating for the integral role of arts and culture in environmental action and social justice.

The Low Emission Festivals (LEF) is an initiative led by A Greener Future (AGF) and supported by Ecotricity, LIVE, Association of Independent Festivals, and participating festivals. LEF aims to amplify good actions, tools, and resources, speed up the adoption of solutions, and identify obstacles and opportunities to change both the energy mix and the culture of powering events. In 2019, a study by Hope Solutions and Zap Concepts, with support from AGF, AIF, Julie’s Bicycle, and Powerful Thinking, showed that UK outdoor events were creating the equivalent of half a million tons of CO2 emissions in unnecessary fuel burn yearly. Since then, much work has been done to make improvements with increased guidance, awareness, and solutions, but there is still a long way to go. The first step of LEF’s new initiative is research: gathering information and data from UK festivals and power providers. The organisation is currently completing a power data survey with several early adopter festivals and power contractors to analyse the impact of actions on fuel consumption and opportunities for further reductions.

MAST – Manchester Arts Sustainability Team was established in 2011 as a network of arts and cultural organisations that came together to understand how they could contribute to the delivery of the city’s first Climate Change Strategy. In 2021 MAST became GMAST. GMAST aims to reduce the environmental impact of the cultural and creative community by working collectively to tackle the climate and ecological crisis.

The Eurocities Lille call to action is an invitation for mayors to commit to developing local cultural policies and events that are more sustainable and inclusive. The call articulates sixteen priorities in two pillars: the ecological transition of local cultural policies and events; inclusion in culture and through culture.
The call to action is a follow-up action of the Eurocities culture forum hosted in September 2022 by the city of Lille and the European Metropolis of Lille (France), which focused on “Resilient and sustainable culture – Local cultural policies supporting the ecological transition” (more information on the Eurocities website). The call to action was developed with members of Eurocities.

Music Declares Emergency is a group of artists, music industry professionals and organisations that stand together to declare a climate and ecological emergency and call for an immediate governmental response to protect all life on Earth. Classical Declares was formed in April 2021 in order to expand the Music Declares Emergency working group into the worlds of classical, opera, choral and composition.

Musicians for Climate (MFC) was initiated to focus attention on environmentalist music and its makers. MFC believes that environmentally engaged music is crucial for building climate awareness. Music can inspire, inform, motivate, and reach people on an emotional level, beyond numbers and graphs.

On the Move (OTM) is a network which supports artists and professionals in operating internationally while working to reimagine mobility as fairer, greener and more inclusive. The network was founded in 2009 (while first being created as a website by IETM – International network for contemporary performing arts, in 2002). It provides information on cultural mobility, publishes thematic reports and publications, undertakes research, and designs mentoring programmes for artists and organisations. All their work is underpinned by a commitment to engaging with the context, environmental impact and ethics of mobility. The network has a handful of working groups which focus on specific topics, one of them currently being the Green Context-specific group. The group has a dedicated subpage on the OTM’s website which offers multiple resources regarding the issues of cultural mobility and environmental sustainability.

The Arts & Climate Initiative (formerly Arctic Cycle) was established in 2008 and is a pioneering organisation harnessing the power of theatre to address climate change issues. Their interdisciplinary work connects artistic and scientific communities across geographic borders by engaging hundreds of artists and scientists, and inspires many audiences. They use storytelling and live performances to foster dialogue about the global climate crisis, create an empowering vision of the future, and encourage people to take action. They organise and engage in diverse activities such as climate-topic events in NYC, Climate Change Theatre Action, a biannual short play festival on climate crisis that coincides with the UN Climate Conferences, and workshops. They were also in charge of Artists & Climate Change, a platform that gathered essays, interviews, and editorials and a list of organisations providing resources on climate and arts.

The CSPA provides research, training, and consultancy services related to sustainable development, in particular ecological responsibility, in the arts and culture sector. This includes environmental footprinting and support for theatres, museums, galleries, and other cultural organisations and arts presenters or producers. They publish associated research in this field, both electronically and in print, and organise conferences and convening on this topic for the purpose of professional and research networking, education, and professional development. They also gather information on ongoing calls, opportunities, etc. that put artistic and cultural practices in direct link with environmental demands.

The Climate Art Web (CAW-WAC) is a place of exchange for artists living in northern Turtle Island (Canada) concerned with and committed to addressing climate issues. A grassroots network, CAW-WAC supports the sharing of resources, knowledge, and best practices within and beyond the climate art community. The network works in close relationship with a group of Indigenous artists and knowledge keepers from across northern Turtle Island.

The Green Art Lab Alliance (gala) is an informal knowledge alliance of art organisations seeking to connect with each other over issues of climate justice and environmental sustainability through their creative practice. It started as an EU-funded project in 2012 and today networks institutions in Europe, Asia and Latin America.

The Green Room, dedicated to fostering environmental and social change within the music industry, collaborates with musicians and technicians to establish low-carbon tours, conduct assessments, offer training, and engage in operational studies concerning artistic practices and environmental matters. They actively participate in music conventions, network meetings, and professional events worldwide, sharing their insights and work. Their services include coaching for musicians, technicians and cultural organisations, networks, and communities. They provide workshops, training, conferences, and professional events to increase awareness of environmental impact and promote ecological transition within the industry. The Green Room focuses on the urgent relationship between humans and the environment, emphasising the crucial role the creative community plays in addressing today’s environmental challenges and inviting collaboration for a more sustainable future.

The Institute of Radical Imagination (IRI) is a nomadic think-tank that brings together experts from various fields, including political scientists, economists, lawyers, architects, hackers, activists, artists, and cultural producers, to define and implement post-capitalist zones in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean. It focuses on legalising common resources, radical pedagogy, labour commoning, rethinking citizenship, common space and architecture, and alternative economies. IRI addresses pressing issues by generating ideas, applied knowledge, and practical tools within existing academia, art, and activism networks. IRI participated in the World Congress for Climate Justice in Milan in October 2023. They aim to create a platform for discussion among anti-capitalist climate activists and intellectuals worldwide to define a common agenda in the context of eco-social struggles. They are organising an assembly to co-write the “Art for Radical Ecologies Manifesto” involving various participants from the art and activism domains. This manifesto emphasises the role art plays in fighting for climate justice and new ecologies, highlighting the potential of art to challenge extractive capitalism and to promote radical creativity within the social sphere. The workshop explores themes such as addressing climate crises through art, activist art forms, and the ways in which art contributes to redefining human-nonhuman relationships in new ecologies.

The New European Bauhaus translates the European Green Deal into a tangible, positive experience in which all Europeans can participate and progress together. By creating bridges between different backgrounds, cutting across disciplines and building on participation at all levels, the New European Bauhaus inspires a movement to facilitate and steer the transformation of our societies along three inseparable values: sustainability (from climate goals to circularity, zero pollution, and biodiversity), aesthetics (quality of experience and style beyond functionality) and inclusion (from valorising diversity to securing accessibility and affordability). The New European Bauhaus initiative has a multi-level approach, from global to local, participatory and transdisciplinary.

#PhilanthropyForClimate is a global movement of foundations committed to urgent climate change action, including arts and cultural foundations. The PhilanthropyForClimate movement includes several national philanthropy commitments on climate change and the International Philanthropy Commitment on Climate Change. WINGS and the European Philanthropy Coalition for Climate initiated the International Philanthropy Commitment on Climate Change (International Commitment) in 2021. The International Commitment is hosted by WINGS and coordinated in Europe by Philea. #PhilanthropyForClimate works with foundations and philanthropic organisations worldwide to support and encourage them on this climate journey. PhilanthropyForClimate is a growing global movement of nearly 600 foundations which, regardless of their mission, status or geographic location, are committed to taking urgent climate action through both international or national climate commitment.