Responsibilities and opportunities

Despite the recent controversy in the press, there is still an overwhelming scientific consensus that our climate is changing1, that our behaviour is contributing to that change and the results of that change will have a profound impact on our society. The arts’ response to climate change could have an impact far beyond its own reduced emissions. While the direct greenhouse gas emissions of the music industry are comparable to a town the size of Bognor Regis, the impact of such a trusted and high profile sector leading the change to more sustainable practices could be disproportionately large. There is no doubt that other sectors, from science to academia to government, are looking to the arts to engage with this issue in a concerted and visible way, and that engagement should build on practical change and creative insight.

The UK Government has established a target of an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050. This target will have a significant impact across the public, and publicly funded, sector. Arts Council England (ACE) has already been consulting about how we can involve ourselves, and the sector, in future initiatives and how to implement requirements that will inevitably involve ambitious target setting and reporting2. Alongside the likelihood of more stringent legislation, energy prices are also set to increase, adding further economic pressure to reduce consumption and emissions.

PLANNING AHEAD
But how prepared are the arts for such change? Tackling climate change can seem a daunting challenge, and green retro-fitting (improving original features to reduce emissions rather than replacing things, e.g. investing in insulation and switching to low energy lightbulbs) can appear prohibitively expensive for organisations that operate on narrow margins. However, there are many low and no-cost measures that can be easily implemented by arts organisations. Looking carefully at your bills, engaging with all your staff and establishing responsibility at board level can all help quite quickly. In fact, careful energy management can reduce costs by 10–20%. ACE has worked with a range of partners to develop toolkits and advice and we will increase the availability and visibility of such support. Julie’s Bicycle’s Industry Green Framework and ACE’s own Arts Energy toolkit are just two of the many sources of support3.
It is encouraging that some arts organisations are already adopting innovative approaches to current environmental challenges. The National Theatre saved £100,000 on its annual lighting costs through an innovative partnership with lighting manufacturer Philips. Access Space in Sheffield has built a highly successful media lab that only uses discarded computers, preferring to invest in skills rather than hardware. As well as reducing landfill, Access Space has derived an income stream from its recycling business. But there is still a long way to go. How many arts organisations know what their carbon footprint is, let alone have the measures in place to reduce it?

START AT HOME
ACE has acknowledged that climate change is a key operating context for the arts. We are addressing the sustainable performance of our own ten offices and have signed up to the carbon reduction campaign 10:104. We will also will be working with others to support new models of sustainable best practice and advocating for the role of the arts in this defining debate of our time. For the arts, more than many sectors, one size does not fit all. The issues in large-scale touring will be very different from those in participatory literature, and the intelligence required for relevant and resilient business models must be sector-led. Partnership, within the arts and with other sectors, will be central to viable solutions.
There is a growing body of opinion that seeks to align the benefits of the arts with a socially minded definition of sustainability. All industries have the responsibility to do their bit, but the arts can deal with complex issues in refreshing ways. Imaginative examples have been developed that suggest how greater artistic engagement can help build creative sustainable communities, and that the innovative perceptions of artists can be of value as we find new ways of doing things5.
In the coming years, responses to climate change will develop along a number of lines, with market based, legislative, protectionist or socially defined solutions all possible6. Yet, however our future unfolds there are some important questions for the arts if we are to be part of the solution. Are we sufficiently prepared for a radically different future? As well as getting to grips with the technical challenges, are we able to identify the leadership opportunities for the arts? The challenges faced in the coming years demand innovation and responsibility. They also beg questions of how we deal with each other and how we see our place in our world. To maintain their success the arts will have to address a range of practical issues to reduce their emissions, but there is also a real opportunity for artists to contribute to how we understand our situation and how we re-imagine our lives in uncertain times.