Practical Support for Arts Organisations

Arts organisations are under growing pressure to demonstrate environmental responsibility. Arts Council England requires National Portfolio Organisations to report on environmental data annually; sustainability is not just a values question but a funding condition.

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The challenge for most arts organisations is not appetite for sustainability, it is knowing where to start, who is responsible, and how to turn good intentions into a programme that stands up to scrutiny from funders, boards, and audiences alike.

 

Art and Sustainability: More Than a Policy Commitment

Sustainability in the arts cuts across every part of how an organisation operates - how a venue is heated and lit, how productions are designed and toured, how supply chains are managed, and how audiences travel to and from events. Getting it right requires more than a policy document. It requires systems, measurement, and people who understand both the creative sector and the sustainability landscape.

 

The carbon footprint of a single touring production can be significant. Audience travel alone is typically the largest source of emissions for most performing arts organisations and yet, it is also one of the hardest to address without changes to programming and production.

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What Good Looks Like

Arts organisations building genuine sustainability programmes are:

• Measuring their carbon footprint across venues, productions, travel, and supply chain - and using that data to set meaningful targets.

• Building sustainability into production design from the outset, including set materials, freight planning, and reuse.

• Engaging their supply chain by commissioning suppliers with sustainability credentials and writing environmental criteria into contracts.

• Training their teams so that sustainability is embedded in day-to-day decision-making, not just in a policy document.

• Reporting transparently in line with Arts Council England environmental benchmarks and funders' expectations.

• Pursuing certification - ISO 20121 for events and productions, ISO 14001 for the wider organisation — to demonstrate credible, independent verification of their approach.

 

How Worlds Better Helps

We work with arts organisations - venues, producers, festivals, and touring companies - to build sustainability programmes that are practical, credible, and aligned to the requirements of Arts Council England and other major funders.

 

Sustainability in The Arts isn't just a statement of intent. It requires systems, data, and people who understand both sustainability and the unique constraints of the creative sector. That's what we bring.

 

What we offer:

• Carbon measurement for venues, productions, tours, and events

• Sustainability strategy and net zero roadmaps tailored to arts organisations

• ISO 20121 and ISO 14001 implementation and support

• Operational audits - reviewing policies, supply chains, and existing sustainability activity

• Sustainability training for artistic, production, and administrative teams

• ESG and sustainability reporting to meet funder and Arts Council England requirements

• Procurement frameworks for sustainable set building, touring, and venue operations

 

Ready to build a sustainability programme your funders, audiences, and board can be proud of?

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Get in touch and one of our team will get back to you.