This post comes from Creative Carbon Scotland

Back in 2007, while on tour with cult singer-songwriter Vashti Bunyan, sitting on her third aeroplane of the day in a holding pattern above an American city, Jo Mango had a revelation about the potential impact of her itinerant job on the world and on herself. That moment led to some serious decisions about her lifestyle and an ongoing fascination with exploring the unsustainability of the musical life.

The EP’s title is an extension of those thoughts into a research project for which Jo enlisted the help of leading Scottish singer-songwriters Rachel Sermanni, RM Hubbert, Louis Abbott (Admiral Fallow) and The Pictish Trail. The songs they have written together explore a gamut of emotions related to travel, the environment and music.

The title “Wrack Lines” refers to the name given to the waving line of detritus that is left on the beach when the tide goes out. It calls to mind images of travelling across the ocean, but also the unmistakable residue of waste that is left behind us when we do. It is also an image of the creation of music (which itself is made from waves).

There are songs that are an expression of the need to keep moving and to keep finding new audiences to gain the kind of catharsis that makes life worth living. Others explore the off-kilter rhythms of living on the road. There is the tension between the material and the ephemeral: loneliness and exhaustion of constant travelling versus the uplifting glories of musical performance; the concrete and objective nature of the resources that we use up in order to reach audiences versus the unmeasurable and immaterial aspects of the music that is given back in return.

Each songwriter was tracked as they travelled across the 2015 festival season. Maps of their movement were used as the basis for the artwork (created by illustrator and designer Helen Kellock).

It was in snatches of time between those miles that the EP was recorded, wherever the artists’ paths could cross. Between the five of them they travelled approximately 118,000 passenger miles and generated 19,314kg of CO₂ emissions. It’s a carbon footprint for the songwriting quintet which will leave its mark, in song and in Wrack Lines.

Wrack Lines will be released on CD and on digital format through Olive Grove Records on 15 January 2016. Rachel Sermanni, Louis Abbott, RM Hubbert, The Pictish Trail and Jo Mango celebrate the launch of the new EP with a one-off performance at Platform in Glasgow on 21 January 2016 as part of Celtic Connections. Find out more and order tickets here.

All profits from the sale of this EP will go to the charity Creative Carbon Scotland in their work to put culture at the heart of a sustainable Scotland.

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The EP forms part of a research project called Fields of Green: Addressing Climate Change Through Music Festival Communities. It aims to explore what audiences, organisers and musicians can do to encourage environmentally sustainable behaviour around music festivals. The project was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (Grant Number AH/M009270/1) and is a collaboration between researchers at the University of the West of Scotland, Edinburgh University, Lancaster University and the charity Creative Carbon Scotland.

www.creativecarbonscotland.com/project/fields-of-green/

For further media information, press photos and interview requests please contact

Lloyd Meredith on 07967037755 or lloyd@olivegroverecords.com

The post Fields of Green Launches EP at Celtic Connections appeared first on Creative Carbon Scotland.

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Creative Carbon Scotland is a partnership of arts organisations working to put culture at the heart of a sustainable Scotland. We believe cultural and creative organisations have a significant influencing power to help shape a sustainable Scotland for the 21st century.

In 2011 we worked with partners Festivals Edinburgh, the Federation of Scottish Threatre and Scottish Contemporary Art Network to support over thirty arts organisations to operate more sustainably.

We are now building on these achievements and working with over 70 cultural organisations across Scotland in various key areas including carbon management, behavioural change and advocacy for sustainable practice in the arts.

Our work with cultural organisations is the first step towards a wider change. Cultural organisations can influence public behaviour and attitudes about climate change through:

Changing their own behaviour;
Communicating with their audiences;
Engaging the public’s emotions, values and ideas.

Go to Creative Carbon Scotland

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This post comes from Creative Carbon Scotland

This summer, four Scotland-based singer-songwriters, Rachel Sermanni, RM Hubbert, Louis Abbott (Admiral Fallow) and The Pictish Trail, worked with Jo Mango to explore the themes of travel, the environment and music in their songwriting practices. Together they created a new EP of songs titled Wrack Lines released today and which will be performed at Platform in Glasgow on 21 January 2016 as part of Celtic Connections. 

Coinciding with the writing of songs, each musician kept a log of their summer touring schedules as they travelled across the 2015 festival season. Maps of their movement were used as the basis for the artwork created by illustrator and designer Helen Kellock, published today which reveals the visual patterns arising from their different travel routes.

Read more about the Wrack Lines EP here.

Wrack Lines will be released on CD and on digital format through Olive Grove Records on 15 January 2016. Rachel Sermanni, Louis Abbott, RM Hubbert, The Pictish Trail and Jo Mango celebrate the launch of the new EP with a one-off performance at Platform in Glasgow on 21 January 2016 as part of Celtic Connections. Find out more and order tickets here.

If you’re interested in keeping track of your travel, whether your an artist or working within an organisation, you can do so using ClaimExpenses.com. This free, easy to use travel tool keeps track of your expenses whilst calculating the associated carbon footprint.

The post New Infographics Mapping Summer Touring Patterns appeared first on Creative Carbon Scotland.

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Creative Carbon Scotland is a partnership of arts organisations working to put culture at the heart of a sustainable Scotland. We believe cultural and creative organisations have a significant influencing power to help shape a sustainable Scotland for the 21st century.

In 2011 we worked with partners Festivals Edinburgh, the Federation of Scottish Threatre and Scottish Contemporary Art Network to support over thirty arts organisations to operate more sustainably.

We are now building on these achievements and working with over 70 cultural organisations across Scotland in various key areas including carbon management, behavioural change and advocacy for sustainable practice in the arts.

Our work with cultural organisations is the first step towards a wider change. Cultural organisations can influence public behaviour and attitudes about climate change through:

Changing their own behaviour;
Communicating with their audiences;
Engaging the public’s emotions, values and ideas.

Go to Creative Carbon Scotland

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This post comes from Creative Carbon Scotland

So what is the Sustainabilty in Production Alliance (SiPA)?

Back in September 2015 Fiona MacLennan spoke to Andy Purves and Craig Bennet, the founders of the Sustainability in Production Alliance to find out more about the alliance. Both Craig and Andy are members of the Association of Lighting Designers and have worked for many years in the live production industry. They have become concerned at the direction the industry is moving in and the lack of sustainable thinking. Their concerns encompassed financial, environmental, and social sustainability and between them they decided it was time to do something about it.

At PLASA 2014 a panel assembled by the Association of Lighting Designers debated sustainability. It was recognised that each facet of the industry working disparately could not effect the necessary culture change. This ultimately led to the creation of Sustainability in Production Alliance (SiPA). The alliance is formed of representatives from all sectors of the industry.

The SiPA network

“We will only move forward as an industry if we communicate and work together to change our culture”.

A large number of those at the event expressed an interest in being involved and during 2014/15 a group of those interested professionals got together and agreed on a set of goals covering Social, Environmental and Economic sustainability.

The goals cover an initial 10 year period from 2015 to 2025 and are intended to form a framework to stimulate individual, collaborative and industry-wide action.

• The pillars of sustainability – social, environmental, and economic each support three SiPA goals, facilitated by a group of goal guardians.
• Goal guardians work with a team of goal allies (you) to ensure communication and collaboration will reach all sectors of the supply chain.
• Each goal group will collect information, form agreements, and embed outcomes into daily practice.
• Practice is the key here; SiPA is practical. The SiPA initiative removes the cultural boundaries to sustainability that are naturally present within the industry. Understanding the needs and actions of others will create a combined force to tackle some of our biggest issues.
• The goal groups will work transparently and present progress on an annual basis.

The press launch of SiPA – The Sustainability in Production Alliance took place on 8th September 2015, at the Unicorn Theatre and this was followed up by the successful launch of the initiative at PLASA 2015 in London, Creative Carbon Scotland is keen to promote their message in Scotland and will be presenting a seminar on the Goals at:

PLASA Focus Glasgow

Igniting Sustainable Culture Change in the Live Production Industry

Thursday 21 January 2016 14:00-14:45 pm (Alsh Room)

You can help

SiPA would like to hear from anyone interested in becoming involved. They are recruiting goal guardians. To find out more check out the SiPa website where you can find information on what’s involved and how to contact the Alliance

NOTE: SiPA is 100% unfunded but has been supported in-kind by:

• Entertaining Sustainability – for sharing of their web space and forums
• PLASA – for provision of space and a show stand at the PLASA trade show
• The Association of Lighting Designers – for initiating the debate
• The Theatres Trust – for provision of meeting space
• White Light Ltd – for support and provision of materials

SiPA is a voluntary group. The group will use social media to spread their message to manufacturers, product designers, hire, sales and events companies, designers, stage managers, technicians and engineers, production managers, producers, architects and theatre consultants, students, educators, directors, choreographers, venue managers… the live production industry

The post Sustainability in Production Alliance needs you appeared first on Creative Carbon Scotland.

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Creative Carbon Scotland is a partnership of arts organisations working to put culture at the heart of a sustainable Scotland. We believe cultural and creative organisations have a significant influencing power to help shape a sustainable Scotland for the 21st century.

In 2011 we worked with partners Festivals Edinburgh, the Federation of Scottish Threatre and Scottish Contemporary Art Network to support over thirty arts organisations to operate more sustainably.

We are now building on these achievements and working with over 70 cultural organisations across Scotland in various key areas including carbon management, behavioural change and advocacy for sustainable practice in the arts.

Our work with cultural organisations is the first step towards a wider change. Cultural organisations can influence public behaviour and attitudes about climate change through:

Changing their own behaviour;
Communicating with their audiences;
Engaging the public’s emotions, values and ideas.

Go to Creative Carbon Scotland

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This post comes from Creative Carbon Scotland

In collaboration with the Carbon Trust, The University of Edinburgh & University of Strathclyde

The Energy and Carbon Audit programme is provided free to selected small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Glasgow and Edinburgh areas by a partnership between the Carbon Trust, University of Strathclyde and University of Edinburgh.

It will help you to understand and reduce energy and other costs in your business, providing a clear assessment of your organisation’s carbon footprint and a practical action plan to make savings and take positive steps towards environmental sustainability.

Postgraduate students from the respective universities are trained by the Carbon Trust to complete an audit at an SME site, as part of their studies towards a Masters degree in engineering, carbon management or other related discipline. They will be selected to work with your business, backed by the support and experience of the Carbon Trust. This is highly valuable practical experience, carried out to professional standards, benefitting the students’ development and helping to produce a much-needed future generation of skilled technical specialists in business sustainability.

The link below gives a clear summary of how the programme works for the prospective businesses and what you need to do to participate:  http://www.carbontrust.com/media/560352/free-energy-and-carbon-audit-for-smes-glasgow-edinburgh.pdf

To confirm interest in participating in this free programme please send an email with your contact details and brief description of your business to: paul.wedgwood@carbontrust.com.

The post Free Energy & Carbon Audit for SMEs appeared first on Creative Carbon Scotland.

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Creative Carbon Scotland is a partnership of arts organisations working to put culture at the heart of a sustainable Scotland. We believe cultural and creative organisations have a significant influencing power to help shape a sustainable Scotland for the 21st century.

In 2011 we worked with partners Festivals Edinburgh, the Federation of Scottish Threatre and Scottish Contemporary Art Network to support over thirty arts organisations to operate more sustainably.

We are now building on these achievements and working with over 70 cultural organisations across Scotland in various key areas including carbon management, behavioural change and advocacy for sustainable practice in the arts.

Our work with cultural organisations is the first step towards a wider change. Cultural organisations can influence public behaviour and attitudes about climate change through:

Changing their own behaviour;
Communicating with their audiences;
Engaging the public’s emotions, values and ideas.

Go to Creative Carbon Scotland

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This post comes from Creative Carbon Scotland

ArtCOP Scotland is currently in full swing, with over 50 events responding to climate change and the UN COP21 summit taking place across the country. However, making work about environmental sustainability is often only part of what these arts organisations are doing to effect their impact on the planet. Several of our ArtCOP Scotland partners are members of the Green Arts Initiative (the GAI): a Scotland-wide arts community striving to become more environmentally sustainable.

As members, they have committed to reducing their environmental impact; often achieved in a myriad of forms, and influenced by the form of the organisation, their agency and the areas where they have the greatest effect!

Our ArtCOP Scotland GAI Member Partners

Although we’re working with a huge range of organisations to make ArtCOP Scotland happen, here are a few examples of the actions being taken by our Green Arts community:

• Gayfield Creative Spaces, host of the To Sleep Lightly exhibition, the ArtCOP Scotland launch and several surrounding events, has been exploring programming which directly aims to grow a more sustainable world, as well as focusing on greening their biggest challenges as a visual arts gallery – particularly their power supply source and more sustainable printing.
• The Centre for Contemporary Art is our Glasgow hub for a series of events at the start of December (including the Report from a Threatened City performance, Tom Bulter’s Anthem workshop, and the launch of Ellie Harrison’s Radical Renewable Art and Activism Fund). As a member of the GAI, it has a wide-ranging environmental policy, and has previously upcycled exhibition fixings to form staff bike racks to encourage sustainable commuting!
• The Church Hill Theatre, as a City of Edinburgh Council venue, and a longtime GAI member, is the current host an exhibition of The Lifecycle of Stuff Project, which worked with six Edinburgh schools to creatively explore the idea of a circular economy. Reducing energy use, resource use and waste production are all part of the theatre’s daily aims and long-term objectives – and they’re keen to make their audiences aware of it!
• Edinburgh Palette’s third annual exhibition Re:See it 3 (a selection of which is on show at Gayfield Creative Spaces in an example of some GAI collaboration!) responds directly to thematic notions of sustainability, but also works directly with recycled materials – with sustainable procurement being a major area of how green arts organisations can strongly engage with effecting their impact on the environment in a very direct way.
• North Edinburgh Arts regularly focuses its programming on working with the youth and local community to form cultural approaches to the environment and wider sustainability concerns – including its ArtCOP Scotland performance of The Puffin who knew Nuffin. However, in its year-round membership of the GAI, the organisation has also been sharing its learning amongst the community regarding improving its local physical environment in a biodiverse and ecologically sound manner.

What is the Green Arts Initiative?

The Green Arts Initiative (GAI) is a proactive network of environmentally engaged organisations aiming to build and develop a green arts community in Scotland.

Over the past year we’ve tripled in our membership across the country, conducted a members survey that’s driving our resource and event development, and hosted a full-day conference for members with 21 members presenting on their actions to date. We’re excited to keep growing in utility, size and recognition over 2016, and showcase and support our committed GAI community.

Join the Community

If you’re an arts organisation based in Scotland looking to effect your impact on the environment, join us! We’re a thriving community of 130 Scottish-based venues, companies, festivals, arts offices and artists working collectively and individually to increase their environmental sustainability.

Become a member is free and simple: just complete the very short form on our GAI webpage. We’ll then get in touch with you with ideas, events, resources, case studies and guides could support you in your efforts, as well as sending you the GAI branding for your use in your building or on publicity materials, to allow you to tell your audiences about your green work!

If you have any questions about the GAI or want to know more, visit the webpage or email Catriona at catriona.patterson@creativecarbonscotland.com.

The post Green Arts and Green Ops: The GAI at ArtCOP Scotland appeared first on Creative Carbon Scotland.

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Creative Carbon Scotland is a partnership of arts organisations working to put culture at the heart of a sustainable Scotland. We believe cultural and creative organisations have a significant influencing power to help shape a sustainable Scotland for the 21st century.

In 2011 we worked with partners Festivals Edinburgh, the Federation of Scottish Threatre and Scottish Contemporary Art Network to support over thirty arts organisations to operate more sustainably.

We are now building on these achievements and working with over 70 cultural organisations across Scotland in various key areas including carbon management, behavioural change and advocacy for sustainable practice in the arts.

Our work with cultural organisations is the first step towards a wider change. Cultural organisations can influence public behaviour and attitudes about climate change through:

Changing their own behaviour;
Communicating with their audiences;
Engaging the public’s emotions, values and ideas.

Go to Creative Carbon Scotland

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