RATIONALE 2: Changing arts priorities in Canada: a pragmatic rationale and inspiring examples

Funders across the country are identifying the need for climate action in the arts. At the federal, provincial, and municipal levels, funders have already included a need to outline a climate plan in their application process. For example: the Canada Council has included mitigating the effects of climate change in the activities of the arts sector as part of their strategic priorities^[1]; the Manitoba Arts Council listed Environmental Sustainability as a priority in their 2021-2023 strategic plan and continued their commitment in their 2024-2026 strategic plan, but have gone beyond simply stating this priority by asking all of their operation grant applicants to identify tangible actions they are taking in the area of environmental sustainability^[2]; and in 2022 the Conseil des Arts de Montreal has committed to eco-responsible criteria in 100% of their programs following the vision of the Montreal Climate Plan by 2025 and created a $10,000 eco-responsibility award in 2024.^[3]

One possible path forward that many are anticipating is that companies will either adopt the Creative Green Tools or be required to do so for future funding.^[4] This practical resource, inspired by Julie’s Bicycle, and redeveloped for a Canadian context by the Centre for Sustainable Practice in the Arts, is a free set of carbon calculation and reporting tools that allow organizations in the arts and culture sector to record, measure and understand the impacts of their work. They were implemented by Arts Council England, resulting in a successful program to engage the arts and culture sector, and are now used by over 5,000 organizations in 50 countries worldwide.

The Professional Association for Canadian Theatre (PACT) has been actively supporting and tracking initiatives through its Environmental Stewardship Committee. “The Environmental Stewardship Committee researches, identifies and promotes the adoption of best practices around Environmental Stewardship for PACT’s operations and the theatre sector at large, to facilitate activation of the sector’s unique responsibility to respond artistically to the urgency of the climate crisis, and to promote the sector’s profound ability to inspire societal change.” One initiative has been establishing the Green Award in 2023 with a future goal of showcasing the incredible initiatives already being enacted by theatre companies and individual artists. Moving forward they are also promoting member companies actions through Greenlighting, sharing specific practices in regular media releases.

Two professional theatres in Canada have dedicated positions recognizing the importance of building climate action into their operations and reflecting this in budgeting and human resources. In 2023, the National Arts Centre in Ottawa launched Walking Gently on the Land, an environmental sustainability action plan (2023-2026), designed to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% by 2026. They hired Judi Pearl as Associate Producer, Artistic Programming and Environmental Projects in 2023, a portfolio which considers environmental issues from the perspective of artistic practice, a first for a large arts institution in Canada^[5]. The position builds on the 2022 innovation of Caravan Farm Theatre in Armstrong, B.C., where Vicki Stroich was hired in the role of Artistic and Environmental Programs Manager.

In addition, a PACT partnership with Associated Designers of Canada is underway with multiple pilot projects across the country launching in 2023. “Old Dogs, New Tricks: What is Sustainable Design?” includes ten professional theatre companies, including the Calgary-company Lunchbox Theatre, which has aimed to work within the following limitations for one of their productions in order to soften their footprint:

The Only Animal, a B.C. based company and winner of the 2023 PACT Green Award, adopted the following “Community Agreement” in September 2022:

Within all of our current contracts, we have eased the use of arbitrary and employer-weighted language and include the following.

The Only Animal creates immersive work that arises from a deep engagement with place. Our work seeks to re/connect our human nature with Nature. Here we forge new ways of understanding how to be on earth.

The Only Animal strives to make theatre in a way that is sustainable, joyful and treads lightly on the earth. We work for inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility in our organization, with our artists, and our audiences.

We act on huge stages; the forests, the ocean, human possibility. There we find enormous challenges of the times, including the climate challenges that threaten our existence as a species. We seek creative ways forward and solutionary actions. We have broad shoulders and the ability to undertake ambitious projects. We love the impossible. We make work to thrill the blood, stir the soul and revitalize the planet.

Our values include Urgency, Solutionary Action, Climate Justice, Creativity, Generosity, Earth Care, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, Aligning with the Science, Carbon Budgeting in line with 1.5°C temperature rise, Buying Nothing New, No-Flying, Local Focus, Global Responsibility.

Additionally, in their Healthy Workplace policy they include a statement on Climate Change Awareness alongside Worksafe, BC Employment Standards and Human Rights codes:

The Only Animal acknowledges we live in a climate emergency and its effects on our Staff, Board and Artists health and wellness. All contracts and communications with workers reflect this awareness in the workspace to reduce stress and anxiety related to the Climate Emergency and our participation and contribution to Climate Change. All projects are conceived, planned and executed with this awareness, reflecting our core values as a no-fly company, our buy-nothing-new aesthetic and integrating carbon budgeting in all projects.

Performance companies outside of Canada also offer inspiring examples of sustainable performance practice rooted in local ecological thought. Working group member Dennis Gupa shared that in Southeast Asia, the Khao Niew (Sticky Rice) Puppet Theatre based in Vientiane, Laos PDR established by Lattanakone “Toh” Insisiengmay brings modes of ecological performance that draws on myth, legends, and contemporary issues using puppet and object theatre. Here, the principles of organicity are most important in communicating and engaging with communities pertinent to ecological stewardship in performance making and circulation. The theatre company is known to use available materials in crafting their puppets found within the local environs where audiences have clear relations with them. Another artist that has strong ecological stewardship embedded in his practice of performance making is Agung Gunawan of Indonesia trained in classical Javanese dance and theatre. Agung uses rituals and land based performance creation. In traditional performance forms in Indonesia, costumes and masks are used regularly and the theatricality of performance depends on the act of storytelling. Here the technique of performance transcends the material world of the theatre. The performance practice of Agung and Toh exemplifies the mitigation of excessive use of material resources.

the strategic prioritization of climate change and environmental responsibility in federal, provincial and municipal arts funding necessitates that students leave our programs with an understanding of the environmental and climatic impact of arts activities These examples provide inspiration for diverse ecologically-informed professional practices and performance cultures that we can highlight in our classrooms, particularly as we work to expand and diversify our eco-arts awareness. Moreover, the strategic prioritization of climate change and environmental responsibility in federal, provincial and municipal arts funding necessitates that students leave our programs with an understanding of the environmental and climatic impact of arts activities and familiarity with environmental tracking tools (like CG Tools) and practices of sustainable design and material practice from Canada and beyond that effectively reduce or mitigate said impact.  Educators will need to undertake additional research into local and provincial arts policies to stay abreast with the funding landscapes their students are most likely to enter into, and the specific requirements of key programs therein, as well the particular impacts of environmental and climatic changes in those regions. Community-based research projects like the Future Prairie Theatre, co-led by Taiwo Afolabi, Christine Brukbaker and Yvette Nolan, are incredibly valuable for bridging gaps between the academy and the profession and re-imagine and re-build regional theatre in the face of the climate crisis, and concomitant social and political upheaval.^[6]