‘A testament to change’: Arts Council England report details ways in which UK cultural sector is addressing climate challenge

Desi Carnival, a festival taking South Indian performance styles as its inspiration, is one of many events staged recently by Greater Manchester-based organisation Global Grooves. The organisation recently worked with its local community to install a small hydro turbine to generate renewable energy for its venue
Courtesy of Global Grooves
Arts Council England has published its annual report detailing what the cultural organisations they fund are doing to improve their environmental sustainability and tackle the climate crisis.
The report is published as nations are meeting at the Cop29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, to negotiate how the world is going to decarbonise its energy system and provide funds for those most affected by the climate crisis. On Tuesday, the World Meteorological Organisation announced that 2024 is expected to be the hottest year on record.
The Arts Council’s publication consists of self-reported data from 591 grantees, which make up 60% of its portfolio. Of those, 90% have an environmental policy in place, 72% have taken steps to save energy and be more energy efficient while 59% have their environmental action overseen at governance level.
The environment also featured in the creative work of nearly three-quarters of those who responded. 72% of the organisations produced, programmed or curated work exploring environmental themes to raise awareness and inspire discussion and behaviour change.
Alison Tickell, the founder of the environmental arts charity Julie’s Bicycle, which helped produce the report, was encouraged by the findings. She said in a statement: “The case for culture and climate is no longer in any doubt, but how it is done is the real challenge. And here it is, testament to the abundance of creative content, organisational change and outspoken narratives on climate, nature and justice from National Portfolio Organisations [a group that receives regular funding from the Arts Council]. This report is a celebration of steady and progressive cultural transformation.”
The report also includes 50 examples showing the practical steps that the cultural sector are taking to address the climate emergency. For example, the art and culture charity Creative Folkestone looked at finding ways to reduce energy consumption at their performing arts venue, Quarterhouse. Through grant funding they were able to install 87 solar panels, reducing electricity costs by 40% in the first month. The panels have produced over 32,000kWh of clean energy in a year, saving around £17,000. The group estimates that these energy savings are equivalent to driving a car around the world six times and the investment will have been paid off within just one and a half years.
In Greater Manchester, Global Grooves, an arts organisation that draws on worldwide cultural art forms to deliver carnival experiences, worked with its local community to install a small hydro turbine to generate renewable energy for its venue. The machine uses the water that runs off the nearby Pennine Hills.
Suzanne Dhaliwal, a climate justice creative and strategist, told The Art Newspaper: “We are in a critical moment for culture and the arts in response to the climate crisis. Governments and policy makers are urged to understand that the arts and creatives do not only illustrate and communicate the climate crisis to wider audiences, they are [also] on the forefront of developing the solutions, pathways and blueprints for the future. I hope that this report adds to this vast picture of how globally creatives are leading the way in demonstrating commitment to climate action—and that Cop29 will lead us to the most ambitious commitment yet to centering cultural solutions as part of climate policy.”

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