“Mapping the path to net zero for c\a\n\a\d\a’s Arts and Culture Sector”
We took a very deep dive and assessed the current landscape, challenges, and opportunities for adopting climate-responsive practices – ranging from waste reduction to climate justice – in c\a\n\a\d\a’s arts and culture sector. We did a wide literature review, looking at c\a\n\a\d\a stats (shout out to Hill Strategies’ Kelly Hill), existing frameworks in other jurisdictions, interviewed funders and bureaucrats, and held conversations with artists, administrators, and cultural workers across Turtle Island. This research presents a baseline understanding of where the sector stands in terms of climate action as 2024 comes to a close, highlighting barriers and enablers that impact sustainable transformation. Below is a breakdown of the high-level findings, insights gathered from cross-country conversations, and key recommendations for driving change in the arts sector’s approach to climate resilience.
Here are the high level findings:
- Lagging Behind International Peers: c\a\n\a\d\a’s arts and culture sector is significantly behind its global counterparts in establishing a unified framework to address the climate emergency. This includes the lack of accurate measurement of the sector’s carbon footprint and recording carbon reductions.
- Lack of Environmental Policies: Only a small percentage of arts/culture/entertainment organizations in c\a\n\a\d\a measure their environmental footprint (6%) or have a written environmental policy (4%).
- Challenges in Decarbonisation: Various sub-sectors within the arts face unique challenges in decarbonising. For example, performing arts, museums, and public galleries need substantial investment to decarbonise historical venues, while the live music sector faces challenges in shifting away from diesel generators and mitigating emissions from audience travel and touring.
- Post-COVID Recovery: The sector is still dealing with post-COVID recovery, which hinders sustainable investment.
- Existing Tools and Frameworks: There are numerous tools, expertise, and frameworks available that can be adapted to the arts sector. However, there is a critical gap in unifying these diverse initiatives into a cohesive strategy.
- Lack of Comprehensive Carbon Reporting Framework from Public Art Funders: some federal, provincial, and municipal art and culture funders have begun collecting data over the past couple of years, however, there is no timeline how this data will inform any future mandates impacting the sector.
When discussing these findings with colleagues across the sector, two major barriers emerged: the absence of leadership and a lack of capacity in an already overburdened workforce. These discussions very much underscored the need for stronger leadership and clearer guidance to unify the sector’s response to climate change impacts.
Other common themes emerging in all conversations were:
Environmental Impact & Carbon Footprint
The environmental impact of touring is a pressing concern for artists and arts organisations. There’s an urgent need for in-depth research comparing the carbon footprint of touring artists to that of audience travel. Mitigation strategies such as building longer, more purposeful tours and maximising community engagement at each stop are being discussed. However, reducing travel-related carbon emissions remains a complex challenge, with a clear tension between the need for on-the-ground artistic work and the environmental consequences of that travel.
Adaptations & Sustainability
Adaptations are key to the sector’s long-term sustainability. Organisations are beginning to shift by moving festival dates to more favourable times, developing partnerships with local communities, and analysing sustainable practices from other regions. However, health, safety, and sustainability must be approached holistically. Many organisations with limited budgets struggle to balance these priorities. Learning from successful global models of sustainability could provide valuable lessons.
Cultural shifts are also crucial. Arts organizations need to prioritize sustainability, move away from transactional artist relationships, and focus on local collaboration. This redefinition of success—beyond revenue or audience size—demands new rituals and ways of working.
Funding Challenges & Ethical Considerations
Funding poses significant challenges, particularly around ethical considerations. Arts organisations face tough decisions about discontinuing sponsorships from entities tied to the climate crisis, all while navigating funding setups that don’t always support sustainable initiatives. Smaller organisations are hit hardest, with limited resources to cover the high costs of retrofitting buildings or accessing the latest green technologies. Transparency in grant rejections and funder priorities remains a key concern, as organisations wrestle with how to balance environmental work, reconciliation efforts, and financial stability. Exploring alternative funding sources becomes critical, especially when major sponsors pull out.
Collaboration & Knowledge Sharing
Collective action and resource sharing are seen as essential tools in addressing climate change within the arts. Participants stressed the need for cross-sector collaboration, leveraging existing platforms, and fostering networks to fill gaps in resources. Small arts organisations, in particular, voiced the need for capacity-building support through toolkits and resources to address practical issues like conducting carbon audits or retrofitting buildings. Cross-provincial collaboration was a popular suggestion for strengthening knowledge-sharing and building a united front against climate challenges.
Local Partnerships & Community Engagement
Local partnerships and community engagement are emerging as a solution to many of the sector’s environmental and cultural challenges. By working closely with local communities, arts organizations can remain connected to pressing local issues, tailor their responses to community needs, and find innovative, community-based solutions to both environmental and cultural concerns.
Political Engagement & Systemic Changes
Political engagement is necessary to push forward systemic changes in the arts sector. Engaging with politicians and political bodies was seen as crucial for influencing policy and securing support for the arts. To support a just transition, we need systemic shifts in funding models, the promotion of holistic wealth and well-being, and the restructuring of operational practices to align with environmental goals.
This isn’t just about adjusting budgets and policies—it’s about rethinking the entire system to ensure that the arts can thrive in a climate-impacted world.
Looking forward, based on the findings, six key recommendations emerge to make sure that the arts sector will be an empowered player in c\a\n\a\d\a’s climate response:
- Create a National Arts and Climate Strategy Much like the EU’s Green Deal, c\a\n\a\d\a needs to develop a unified, national strategy that embeds the arts into the country’s climate goals. This framework should not only ask the arts sector to contribute but provide it with the necessary tools, funding, and legislative backing to do so. The arts must be seen as central to climate action, with a clear mandate to integrate sustainability into all aspects of cultural production, programming, and operations.
- Mandate Comprehensive Carbon Reporting and Measurement
To ensure accountability and progress, c\a\n\a\d\a’s arts organizations must be required to measure and report their carbon footprints. Public funders should mandate carbon tracking as part of their funding criteria, with a clear timeline for how this data will inform future policies. Transparency in carbon reporting will drive meaningful change and allow the sector to contribute effectively to broader environmental targets. - Fund Environmental Policies and Sustainable Practices in the Arts
Developing and implementing environmental policies within cultural organizations should be a priority, but this requires sustained funding. c\a\n\a\d\a must allocate resources to help organizations, particularly smaller ones, adopt and execute sustainability plans. Financial support should be directed at helping the arts sector transition to low-carbon operations, ensuring that environmental goals are achievable and not hampered by a lack of resources. - Invest in Sustainable Cultural Infrastructure
Major investment is required to decarbonise arts infrastructure. Retrofitting historical venues, reducing reliance on diesel generators at festivals, and supporting sustainable touring are key steps to lowering the sector’s carbon footprint. Public and private funders should collaborate to create dedicated green infrastructure funds, enabling arts organisations to modernise their operations and contribute to long-term environmental goals. - Integrate Sustainability into Post-COVID Recovery Plans
As the arts sector continues to rebuild post-COVID, sustainability must be integrated into recovery efforts. Funding and resources should be directed toward green recovery plans that prioritize climate action alongside financial recovery. This ensures that the sector doesn’t face competing pressures between rebuilding and investing in sustainability—both goals can and should go hand in hand. - Foster Cross-Sector Collaboration for Climate Leadership
Collaboration between arts organizations, public funders, local governments, and communities is essential to driving climate action. Cross-sector partnerships can help pool resources, share knowledge, and implement effective climate strategies. By fostering collaboration, c\a\n\a\d\a’s arts sector can collectively address the challenges of climate change, build resilience, and lead by example in the broader national climate effort.
To make meaningful progress, it’s crucial that everyone in the arts sector—artists, administrators, public funders, local governments, and communities—steps up to address the climate crisis together. We can’t afford to work in silos anymore. Let’s develop a unified strategy, invest in sustainable practices, and integrate environmental policies into our cultural production. By collaborating and sharing resources, we can strengthen our collective impact. It’s not just about future goals; it’s about what we can do now.