Julie’s Bicycle

UK Based Event to Inspire Urgent Action on Climate Change

Julie's Bicycle

The Season 2018 (working title)

A creative season celebrating the environment and inspiring action on climate change.

What is it?

From June 1st to December 1st 2018 a UK based, internationally connected ‘Season’ will unite the Creative and Cultural Community in a global chorus celebrating the environment and inspiring urgent action on climate change. It is programmed to coincide with the landmark COP24 global climate talks due to take place in November 2018.

The Season will celebrate the widest (and wildest!) range of creative responses to climate change and the environment across arts, design, broadcast, film, fashion, music and in museums, galleries, theatres, venues, cinemas, festivals, parks, schools, and on the streets.

What can you do?

You can choose to do any number of things, including:

  • Programme special events, commission a piece, organise debates, curate an exhibition, provide space for spontaneous performances, host open calls…We just ask that you put climate change and the environment centre stage in whatever creative way you can!
  •  Turn your organisation or practice inside out and tell audiences about what you’re doing to work more sustainably behind the scenes.

The most important thing is that you speak out. All together this season will champion change, showcase sustainable practice, and inspire urgent climate action. If you want to be inspired by what others have done, browse through case studies below or visit: http://www.juliesbicycle.com/the-season-2018-brief

Who can take part?

Everyone is welcome – individuals as well as organisations, large and small-scale, local and national, commercial to community.

JOIN IN

Take part between June 1st to December 1st 2018:

1. Tell us if you are interested in joining. Sign up here to register your interest in taking part: http://eepurl.com/ctcwp5

2. If you are an NPO, or planning to apply to the portfolio this February, it would be fantastic for you to include environmental sustainability and mention ‘The Season 2018’ in your submission, operationally or artistically. Even if you are not sure how you will engage, we encourage you to mention it via a simple phrase such as:

{Organisation name} is participating in Julie’s Bicycle, Artsadmin and Battersea Art Centre’s ‘Season 2018’ taking place between June – December 2018 celebrating the environment and inspiring action on climate change. (Please do adapt to suit you)

The Season Team

Judith Knight Artsadmin, Alison Tickell Julie’s Bicycle, David Jubb Battersea Arts Centre, Lucy Wood and Olivia Gray. If you have any queries get in touch: theseason2018@gmail.com

What do we want to achieve?

The Season originated during an industry discussion about the arts and climate change. When the provocation question arose ‘What if the UK cultural and creative sector were to come together in a collective moment focusing on climate, raising profile and awareness to such an extent that it could not be ignored?’ countless organisations in the room said they wanted to join in, and the idea took on its own momentum.

We want to:

• Put the issue of climate change higher up both personal and political agendas and rethink our relationship to the environment.

• Celebrate the vibrant green movement already taking place across the arts and creative industries, and inspire others to join.

• Make positive change feel achievable for all.

• Inspire creativity and unleash new design to construct a low-carbon world.

• Raise our voices to policymakers to show them that they have the support to make ambitious political decisions for a sustainable future.

• Create spaces for people to intellectually and emotionally engage themselves with climate change and what it means to build a sustainable, equitable future.

Next steps

A steering group currently comprised of Artsadmin, Julie’s Bicycle, Battersea Arts Centre and London Theatre Consortium is talking with organisations across the UK who want to take part. The conversation to date has been about creating regional networks by identifying a champion in each region, with organisations supporting each other to be part of this national season. Organisations and individuals are encouraged to take their own lead, but will be brought together by a central website and major social media campaign.

Early champions committed to the project represent a range of art forms, geographic spread and size to ensure diversity and inclusivity, including: Curzon Cinema Group, Manchester International Festival, Lyric Theatre Hammersmith, Free Word, Artsadmin.

Why does it matter?

Powered by human activity, climate change is wreaking havoc on average global temperatures, weather patterns, ocean levels, land and water ecosystems, disrupting natural equilibriums that have sustained life for over 800,000 years with potentially disastrous consequences on communities, habitats, and biodiversity across the globe. We need to rapidly control greenhouse gas emissions, rethink our land and water use, and completely reshape the way we use and employ resources and technologies.

The creative community has a vital role to play in meeting global sustainability challenges. Climate change is not just a problem of science or technology: many (although by no means all) of the solutions we need are well known and understood. But action to date has not been commensurate with our knowledge. That makes climate change, at its core, a cultural challenge. And at the heart of culture sit the arts and creativity: the stories we tell, how we tell them, and elusive matters of the heart – how we feel about things – but also how we design, craft, and build the world around us, demonstrating positive solutions and stimulating imagination.

Further information and inspiring case studies can be found here: http://www.juliesbicycle.com/the-season-2018-brief

And remember to sign up simply go to: http://eepurl.com/ctcwp5

Image courtesy Norfolk & Norwich Festival 2014, The Voice Project

Event by Julie’s Bicycle: Energising Culture – March 9th, London.

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Energising Culture
Thursday 9 March 2017, 11.00 – 17.30

Frobisher Room 1, Level 4, Barbican, London.

ORDER TICKETS HERE!

Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

(Registration from 10.30, networking drinks reception and performance from 17.30)

Join Julie’s Bicycle for this first event in a series of conversations focusing on energy, ethics and finance for the cultural sector.

The ability to tap into the reserves of millions of years of solar energy concentrated in fossil fuels has driven and shaped our civilisation over the past few hundred years. But this relationship is also having profound impacts on our climate.

To keep climate change under 2°C, better yet 1.5°C, as mandated by the Paris Agreement, means we have to limit the amount of Carbon we put into the atmosphere – and that means limiting the amount of fossil fuels we burn and phasing out their use in the next couple of decades.

This urgency and pressure has already taken hold and is driving a shift in social, financial and cultural values. Experts in the financial markets are increasingly concerned about a ‘Carbon Bubble’ as ‘unburnable’ fossil fuels are at risk of losing value if we are going to meet our climate commitments.

In the meantime, investment funds committed to divesting from fossil fuels have doubled to over $5 trillion in the past year, global investment in renewable energy in 2015 increased by 5% reaching $285.9bn, and renewables supplied 10% of global electricity in 2015. Both the divestment movement and the call for a zero carbon transition to using only clean, renewable energy to power our societies have gained international backing and momentum.

What are the opportunities and risks for the arts and creative industries in the contexts of these growing movements? What is the role of the arts in this shift?
How can cultural organisations build their financial resilience to growing risks, while helping to build a more sustainable world?
What actions will have the greatest impact?

This event will be the first of several to bring together the cultural and creative sector with experts in the clean energy and ethical finance sector to discuss what new partnerships are needed to unlock this huge potential for new collaborations and approaches.

Be a part of the conversation – Reserve your free place now.


Venue Information and Access

The Barbican Centre is a vast building comprising many different venues. There is ramped access from the main entrance at Silk Street to the Level G Foyer where lifts service all levels. Our event space, Frobisher Room 1 is located on Level 4.

This event will be livestreamed and live subtitled. When booking please inform us if you require any additional access arrangements and we will be happy to accomodate these as far as possible.

Photo Shambala Festival 2012. Photo © Andrew Whitton.

This event is part of a wider programme of Julie’s Bicycle events supported by funding through Arts Council England and is held in association with our partners Good Energy and Innovate UK.

Sustaining Great Art: Arts Council England Environmental Report 2015/16

Julie's Bicycle

Arts and culture sector acting on climate change

Arts and culture engagement with environmental sustainability is the highest it has ever been, according to a report released today by Julie’s Bicycle, a leading charity that supports the creative community to act on climate change and environmental sustainability.

Julie’s Bicycle has been working in partnership with Arts Council England since 2012 to inspire environmental action across the arts and culture sector, with a focus on National Portfolio Organisations. This report demonstrates the success of the programme in supporting the sector to act on national and international climate targets.

Key report findings include:

• The sector continues to reduce its environmental impacts; notably greenhouse gas emissions from energy use decreased by 17% between 2014/15 and 2015/16 despite a growth in cultural activity.

• Environmental action is making the sector more resilient, avoiding £5.1 million in energy costs during 2015/16 (compared to taking no action), and improving staff wellbeing in 71% of reporting organisations.

• The sector is taking action in multiple ways, engaging audiences and other stakeholders in the process. 37% of organisations have produced, programmed or curated work on environmental themes, with a further 28% planning to do so or exploring possibilities.

• People are increasingly working together to address environmental issues, with 45% of reporting organisations having found their environmental action plans useful for developing new partnerships.

• The sector’s work is having an international impact, with more knowledge-sharing taking place between cultural organisations internationally, and other funding bodies considering policy interventions inspired by Arts Council England.

“As the first national council in the world to introduce environmental reporting for its regularly funded organisations, the Arts Council has been a major driver for unlocking the sector’s contribution to environmental responsibility. This report demonstrates the response taking place, and the sector’s potential to engage the public, design solutions and initiate a shift in cultural values to support a more sustainable future.” – Alison Tickell, CEO, Julie’s Bicycle

“We see sustainability as being intrinsic to resilience. It’s not only environmentally responsible but it makes economic sense. Our collaboration with Julie’s Bicycle is introducing us all to new ways of working. Our funding supports not only the mechanics of compliance – the environmental reporting tools, help and support but also thought-leadership. We all believe that art and culture can make the world a better place; this programme shows how our actions can make a real difference.” – Darren Henley, Chief Executive, Arts Council England

“This important partnership is a beacon of international best practice and shows how our arts organisations are leading the way in building a more environmentally responsible industry. The report demonstrates that a sustainable sector can also have a positive financial impact and improve staff wellbeing.” – Matt Hancock, Minister of State for Digital and Culture

Read the full report here.

Apply now for Creative Climate Leadership Training

Julie's Bicycle, Open Calls

Julie’s Bicycle is launching Creative Climate Leadership, a new leadership development programme.

Creative Climate Leadership is a pan-European programme for artists, creative professionals and policymakers to explore the cultural dimensions of climate change, and take action with impact, creativity and resilience.

Through a series of events, policy labs, flagship training courses and an alumni network, the programme will put culture at the heart of the international response to climate change.

Find out more

The first Creative Climate Leadership Training Course will take place 27 – 31 March 2017 in Wales, UK.

This five-day intensive course is for artists and creative professionals who want to take a lead on tackling climate change.

The week will:

  • Explore the role of culture and creativity in responding to climate change and environmental challenges;
  • Bring together a range of expert guest speakers to share case studies, research, approaches and practical solutions for achieving environmental sustainability in the cultural sector;
  • Enable each participant to develop their leadership and ideas;
  • Prepare participants to apply their learning and new skills when they return home, and support ongoing learning and exchange through an alumni network.

The course is facilitated by Julie’s Bicycle (UK) and PiNA (Slovenia), two pioneering organisations in the fields of culture, climate change and sustainable development in Europe. It will take place at the Centre for Alternative Technology in Machynlleth, Wales, an education centre demonstrating practical solutions for sustainability.

Applications will be considered from all creative disciplines and art forms. We will also consider applicants from organisations that work directly with the cultural sector, such as networks, associations, funding bodies and policymakers.

The course will be conducted in English, and costs are £1,000 for UK applicants and €1,200 for international applicants. A limited number of bursaries are available for freelance applicants.

Apply

For more information and application guidelines visit: www.creativeclimateleadership.com/apply

The deadline for applications is 10am (GMT) Monday 16th January 2017.

Join our Twitter Q&A

Want to learn more and talk to the course facilitators?

Join CCL programme partners for a Twitter Q&A Live from 11.00 – 13.00 (GMT) on Thurs 1st December via @JuliesBicycle #ccleaders

Spread the word

Share this programme with your networks to help us grow the creative climate movement!

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Fit for the Future Building a resilient, environmentally sustainable cultural estate

Julie's Bicycle

Weds 21st Sept, 11.00 – 18.00
Lyric Hammersmith, London
Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

Our cultural buildings are more than inanimate walls: they shape the performances they house and the experiences of their visitors, physically transmit values, and become symbols of their time and community.

Join us at Fit for the Future to explore the environmental sustainability of your buildings – the day will focus on capital projects and the opportunities and challenges of climate change adaptation and mitigation for buildings, including renewable energy, energy efficiency, heritage conservation, innovative design approaches and team engagement.Taking place at the recently redeveloped Lyric Hammersmith, the day includes a tour of the building and is being held in association with Fit for the Future Network.
Image courtesy Lyric Hammersmith. Photo: Jim Stephenson.

Book Your Free Place

The day will offer:

  • inspiring panels featuring leading sustainability practitioners
  • networking and peer-to-peer learning
  • in-depth and diverse case studies with those who have worked on capital (re)development projects
  • break out sessions on energy efficiency, large-scale refurbishment and new venue design, and financing models and opportunities for greener buildings

The full event agenda will be announced soon.

This event is for strategic decision makers, CEOs, executives, facilities managers, heads of operations, and anyone responsible for the upkeep, operation, design, and/or refurbishment of cultural and heritage buildings; as well as funders of capital works.

Find Out More

Culture & Sustainability International Intensive Summer Course in Thessaloniki

Conferences, Julie's Bicycle, Open Calls

5 – 10 June 2016 | Thessaloniki, Greece

The importance of tackling climate change and promoting environmental sustainability has been accepted at the highest levels of government, from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change through to the EC’s European Climate Change Programme. In December 2015, a new international treaty on climate will be negotiated setting a path for the next decades to come.

There has been considerable interest and growing engagement around such issues in the cultural and creative industries. This has ranged from high-profile champions in fields such as film and music, attempts by leading businesses and cultural institutions to reduce their carbon footprint, environmental policies developed by funding and strategic bodies, and a plethora of artistic work engaging the public directly. These activities are generating demand for a “green” creative economy, and a supply chain is emerging that is helping to create the conditions for real systemic change.

The benefits of engaging with environmental sustainability within the arts and culture have been evidenced by research and include: 

  • Protecting the environment
  • Alignment between values and working practices
  • Efficiencies and savings
  • Getting ahead of regulation
  • New business models and audience development opportunities
  • New artistic approaches and modes of working
  • Collaboration and knowledge sharing
  • Better reputation
  • Improved wellbeing

Course duration:

Monday 5 – Friday 10 June 2016

(seminars and workshops from 09.30 to 18.00, daily)

Arrival of participants: Sunday 5 June 2016

Departure of participants: Saturday 11 June (or later)

Optional excursion on the weekend 11-12 June 2016.

Location:

Conference space in the campus of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki, Greece

(precise location of venue to be announced)

Fees for participants

The course fees is 1,000 Euros. This covers the cost of the course, accommodation (single room, in 4* hotel), breakfast and lunch-pack per day.

This is not inclusive of travel costs to Thessaloniki, or any per diem compensation.

Institutions are encouraged to undertake the cost of fees and travel for applicants.

FULL INFORMATION

ORGANIZED BY:

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Associate Partners

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Julie’s Bicycle Event – Culture and Sustainability

Conferences, Julie's Bicycle

Julie’s Bicycle and The Tetley invite you to join us for a conversation around environmental sustainability in the arts.

What does a sustainable future look like for the arts and culture? What kind of leadership do we need to galvanise change? How can we work together to create a strong and resilient sector?

Ahead of the UN climate talks (COP21) in Paris this December, Culture and Sustainability brings together cultural leaders, arts organisations and practitioners to share knowledge and experience, and discuss our collective response moving forward.

Julie’s Bicycle and Arts Council England will launch the latest results from our Environmental Sustainability partnership, sharing insights on how the arts and culture are addressing and benefiting from environmental sustainability, and what role the creative sector will play at COP21.

Event Details: 11th November 2015  - 10:00am — 5:00pm

Location: Hunslet Road, Leeds, LS101JQ

Get Tickets

We will be joined by those leading on approaches to sustainability in practice, guest speakers confirmed on the panel include:

  • Alan Lane | Director, Slung Low and The Hub - Growing and Giving – Engaging communities through their urban allotment created from 27 discarded bathtubs
  • Rick Faulkner | Director, Chrysalis Arts - Creator of the Public Art Sustainability Assessment
  • Ellie Harrison | Artist - Ellie’s Early Warning Signs are currently on display at The Tetley as part ofArtCOP21

The panel discussion and Q&A will be followed by lunch and afternoon themed breakout sessions.

Plus hear about two current campaigns combining culture and action on climate change:

  • Alan Dix | Director, 509 Arts - Instigator of the culture and climate campaign, Coming of Age: 21 Reasons to Change the World
  • Laura McFarlane-Shopes | Coordinator, Leeds Tidal - For the Love of Yorkshire festival takes place throughout November and December and is a county-wide programme of climate-related activities and events.

The day will include ample time for networking and discussion, so you can come away with a sense of purpose and action.

After the main event we are inviting ACE NPOs and MPM organisations to a free focussed surgery on environmental action planning and the reporting requirements and process for April 2016.

Julie’s Bicycle Fit for the Future Guide: Investing in Environmentally Sustainable Buildings

Julie's Bicycle

A guide for directors and managers of arts organisations developing capital projects.

This guide will help you to integrate environmental sustainability in capital projects from conception through to completion. It focuses mainly on larger capital projects and redevelopment of existing buildings and infrastructure, but is also relevant to smaller capital projects and new builds. Case studies cover a range of capital projects in terms of scale and type of investment, art form and location, and environmental solutions. It also provides an overview of environmental technologies and of key sources of environmental funding and finance of relevance for capital projects.

It has been developed by Julie’s Bicycle with the support of Arts Council England, whose capital grants programme is a key strategic programme linked to its goal of “arts, museums and libraries which are resilient and environmentally sustainable”.

Case studies include Chichester Festival Theatre, Everyman Liverpool, Ikon, Lyric Hammersmith, National Theatre, Nottingham Playhouse, SPACE studios, Tate Modern and The Whitworth.

Fit for the Future Guide

  • 35 Pages
  • 6.79MB
  • Language: English
  • Published: 2015

This material was first published in 2015 and the rights in the material are owned by or licensed to Julie’s Bicycle. You may download and share this material free of charge for non-commercial purposes only. Although steps have been taken to ensure the accuracy of these resources, Julie’s Bicycle cannot accept responsibility or be held liable to any person for any loss or damage arising out of or in connection with this information being inaccurate, incomplete or misleading. This material may not be used for commercial purposes or to endorse or suggest Julie’s Bicycle’s endorsement of a product or service. If you wish to use this material for any commercial purpose or to reproduce, republish or otherwise use these materials you must request permission from Julie’s Bicycle. If you believe that any information is incorrect or if you would like more information please contact Julie’s Bicycle:info@juliesbicycle.com

DOWNLOAD the Guide

Julie’s Bicycle Now Recruiting: Programme Coordinator

Announcements, Julie's Bicycle

From Julie’s Bicycle:

This is an exciting time for Julie’s Bicycle, as we embark on an ambitious nation-wide programme to raise the profile and impact of cultural leadership on climate change and environmental issues over the next few years. We are looking for an exceptional person with ambition, love of the arts and culture, creative flair and commitment to environmental sustainability to join a thriving team at the heart of the cultural response to environmental sustainability.

The Programme Coordinator will be an important member of the Arts Team, focused on delivery. The role will be involved with coordinating our annual programme of events and workshops, developing resources for the Julie’s Bicycle website, writing case studies and website content, and supporting the delivery of consultancy projects designed to increase engagement in environmental best practice across the music, festivals, theatre, dance, visual arts, museums, literature, and other creative and cultural communities.

Download the full job description here or by clicking the link below.

Terms and conditions

Contract: Full time, fixed term until September 2016
Salary: £24,000 (pro rata) depending on experience
Location: London

Applications

Send a CV and cover letter to sophie@juliesbicycle.com by 9am, Monday 10th August 2015. Please direct any enquiries to Sophie at the email above or 020 8746 0400.

Interviews will take place the week commencing 17th August 2015.

Julie’s Bicycle is committed to being an Equal Opportunities Employer.

Julie’s Bicycle and IFACCA release D’Art Report 34b – The arts and environmental sustainability: an international overview.

Julie's Bicycle, news

A global review of developments in policies and programmes related to culture and environmental sustainability has been published this week by key international organisations Julie’s Bicycle and the International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies (IFACCA).

The aim of the report, D’Art Report 34b – The arts and environmental sustainability: an international overview, was to inform international arts leaders about good practice and resources in this key policy area, and how such policies impact on national arts and cultural organisations.

This ground-breaking international overview is the result of surveys and interviews with arts funding agencies from around the world carried out by Julie’s Bicycle and IFACCA between November 2013 and May 2014 and supplemented with additional research. It follows D’Art Report 34, released jointly in 2009 by IFACCA and Arts Council England that presented examples of good practice in the arts and sustainability.

D’Art Report 34b provides a snapshot of arts and cultural engagement with environmental sustainability with an emphasis on policies, not on artistic content or wider arts practice. The report shows varied preoccupations and priorities according to social, economic, political and geographical context of the respondents.

The findings demonstrate that most respondents believe environmental sustainability to be relevant to arts funding agencies and funded organisations and that there is widespread interest in future development in this direction. However, tangible and applied mechanisms to support environmental sustainability both within agencies and in the organisations they fund are still uncommon and there is little practical and focused guidance for arts funders, workers, or practitioners.

The report, which financially supported by the Canada Council for the Arts and Arts Council Ireland, includes early examples of good practice; identifies agencies already embedding environmental sustainability in their country or region; and makes recommendations for enhancing the level of inclusion of environmental sustainability in cultural policymaking and action.

“The arts and cultural sector, in the main, has well-articulated values that promote equality, inclusion, diversity and community and strong arguments around social and financial sustainability. The sector is well-placed to integrate the environmental dimension with the social and financial dimensions: in part, the narratives have already been written. It is up to the sector itself to take up this leadership opportunity, developing greater cultural environmental literacy and an evidence base to articulate its contribution and value to sustainable development and the shaping of our future.”

– Alison Tickell, CEO, Julie’s Bicycle

“This report is particularly pertinent in the context of the current campaign to include culture in the post-2015 sustainable development goals, championed by IFACCA and five other international networks in consultation with UNESCO. It highlights the potential benefits of giving greater attention to culture’s fundamental role in achieving development outcomes.”

– Sarah Gardner, Executive Director, IFACCA

The full report is available at: www.ifacca.org/topic/ecological-sustainability/and http://www.juliesbicycle.com/resources/ifacca-dart-report .