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Monday, 19 October
Green
Environmental
International Day of Climate Action
International Day of Climate Action is an opportunity to reflect on the steps we can all take to tackle climate change and build a more sustainable future. At Live & Local, environmental responsibility is an ongoing commitment and we're continually looking at how we can reduce our impact, adapt to a changing climate and support the communities and partners we work with.
From investing in training and reviewing our environmental commitments to exploring how we can better support the wider rural touring sector, here's a look at what we've been doing.
As the climate changes, it's becoming increasingly important to understand not only how we can reduce our carbon emissions, but also how we can prepare for the impacts of rising temperatures and more extreme weather.
Our Environmental Champion, Emily, has been taking part in training opportunities with Julie's Bicycle and other arts organisations to explore what climate adaptation means for the cultural sector. These sessions have helped us build our understanding of the challenges ahead, including the risks associated with extreme heat and the practical steps organisations can take to protect their staff, artists, audiences and venues.
For rural touring, we believe this is particularly important. Our work takes place in a wide range of community spaces, from village halls to local arts venues, each with its own opportunities and challenges when it comes to adapting to a changing climate. Understanding these risks now can help us make more informed decisions and support our partners to prepare for the future.
We've also been reflecting on this summer's higher temperatures and working with Arts Council England to share information about our experiences, including the challenges we faced and the impact of extreme heat on our work. By working together, we hope to raise awareness of the challenges facing arts organisations as our climate changes, share valuable learning and help shape future guidance and support to ensure the sector is better prepared for increasingly hot weather.
Alongside developing our knowledge, we've also been looking closer to home.
We've met with our Environmental Board Sub-group to review our internal practices, revisit our environmental commitments and consider how we can continue to make meaningful progress. As part of this work, we've reviewed our Environmental Action Plan and our Environmental Responsibility Policy and started exploring how we can expand our reach and strengthen the impact of our environmental work.
This is about more than simply maintaining existing commitments. It's an opportunity to ask what more we can do, where we can make the greatest difference and how we can ensure environmental responsibility remains part of our everyday decision-making.
At Live & Local, we know that tackling climate change isn't something any one organisation can achieve alone. Collaboration, shared learning and practical support are essential if we're going to make progress across the arts sector.
That's why we've also been discussing how we can better support our promoters, artists, partners, funders and the wider rural touring sector. We want to explore ways to share knowledge, encourage achievable changes and help others understand how environmental action can become part of their own work.
For rural touring, this means recognising the unique challenges faced by community venues and volunteer-led promoter groups, while finding realistic ways to make positive changes together. Small steps can make a difference, particularly when they're shared across a network of people and organisations working towards the same goal.
International Day of Climate Action is a reminder that responding to climate change requires both action today and preparation for tomorrow. Whether that's reviewing our own practices, learning from experts, supporting our partners or finding ways to make our work more resilient, we're committed to continuing that journey.
We know there's always more to do and we're keen to keep learning, sharing ideas and finding practical ways to make a difference.
Because building a more sustainable future for the arts and our communities is something we can all play a part in.
You can read more about our journey on our Environmental Aims page, here.
Find out more
If you'd like to explore climate adaptation in more detail, these resources are a great place to start:
Julie's Bicycle: Resources, guidance and training to help cultural organisations take climate action.
Shade the UK: Research exploring shade, heat and the importance of keeping people and places cool.
A Well Adapted UK: A report exploring how we can prepare for the impacts of climate change and build greater resilience.
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