Event planning

• For events, a “Guideline for working sustainably” improves internal communication and helps embed environmentally friendly practices in the planning process in the long term. It also provides orientation for future events.

• By clarifying with artists, guests guest artists and venues which material is available and usable ahead of time, material managers avoid unnecessary new purchases.

• Comparing digital, hybrid and in-person events helps organisers to find the most sustainable solution for each event.

• Sustainable digital platforms and software help reduce the environmental footprint of hybrid or digital events.

• Guest performances in several nearby locations reduce travel costs and emissions and extend the reach. When touring relies on funding models, coordinating strategically with funders helps make sustainable touring possible.

• Individual artists or groups of artists who want to use resources more efficiently and reduce their travel expenses can benefit from combining residencies with guest performance dates.

• Staging revivals instead of new productions conserves materials, makes stage sets usable for longer and promotes sustainable production structures.

• Taking climate-sensitive working strategies into account when selecting artists is conducive to sustainability in venues and at festivals.

Production planning

• If planning is carried out early on and with sufficient lead time – also in financial terms – everyone involved can work sustainably throughout the production process. This reduces the stress-related waste of resources and time pressure.

• It is worth setting joint sustainability goals and planning measures already at the beginning of a collaboration. Examples include a digital programme booklet instead of a printed one, the use of recycled materials or the reuse of previous stage sets.

• Venues with established sustainability strategies have a better chance of supporting artists and collectives in running their rehearsals and performances in an environmentally friendly way. They can ask whether existing materials can be used, for example.

• An evaluation of the results of the measure(s) after the end of the project by artists or the production team and venue can be helpful for the next collaboration. This evaluation can also be used for progress or accountability reports.

Support structures

• When involved at an early stage, landlords, authorities or sponsors may provide long-term support for transformation processes. With the help of external interest groups such as these, obstacles can be removed more quickly.

• Solid financing is the basis for implementing sustainability projects successfully. These relate to areas such as resource-saving infrastructure, climate-friendly event formats or educational programmes. Targeted research into funding can make a crucial contribution to successful transformation processes. Funding sources include ministries of culture, monument protection programmes, foundations or private donations.

• Architects, civil engineers, caretakers or sustainability experts: Specialists like these can help review and develop environmental sustainability measures, such as measures for buildings, energy efficiency or the use of materials. Through their expertise, bad investments can be avoided and viable sustainable solutions promoted.

• It is advisable for those responsible for materials to contact local initiatives, for example repair cafés, open workshops, theatre technicians and technical equipment rentals, city cleaning services or socio-cultural associations, at an early stage. Experience has shown that this conserves resources, promotes the culture of repairing and strengthens regional cooperation.

Sustainability strategy

• It is beneficial to appoint contact persons or teams whose working hours are explicitly (even if not exclusively) dedicated to sustainability. Ideally, they should also work in the programming department so that sustainable work practices are firmly embedded across all areas.

• It is recommended that managers and decision-makers initiate and participate in the transformation processes. This helps ensure that the processes succeed.

• The practice of holding consultations on measures for more sustainable work practices on a regular basis has proven successful in many teams, especially when several areas of work and areas of responsibility were involved. These consultations facilitate planning and promote commitment, for example by clarifying the distribution and sequencing of tasks as well as time resources.

• A sustainability strategy ensures that sustainability is firmly embedded in an organisation. It outlines the organisation’s environmental, social and cultural goals and measures.

• Documenting development progress makes them easy to track. It also makes successes visible, thereby motivating continued efforts. The documentation also helps sustainability officers to further develop their sustainability strategy.