Arts Council England Programme

Ben Darlington WMT

As the climate and nature crisis gains momentum, we need the arts and culture community more than ever. Together we must focus our creativity on this moment.

Our Programme

Julie’s Bicycle works with Arts Council England to deliver an ambitious Environmental Programme. It provides resources, tools, and training to support cultural organisations to take climate action. We aim to empower the sector to rise to the challenges the climate crises presents, and to accelerate and scale our collective response.

The programme is for National Portfolio Organisations (NPOs), Investment Principle Organisations (IPSOs), but if you are from the wider cultural sector we’re also here to support you. Many of the resources from the programme are free and available to anyone working in arts and culture

Sign up to the Environmental Programme newsletter Read the latest Environmental Responsibility Report

What can you do?

Many organisations are already familiar with the programme through reporting environmental data. This is a one of many great entry point for understanding your impact and reducing your footprint, but there is much more you can do.

The Environmental Programme provides access to: 

  • Resource library (featuring guides, templates, practical tips and reports) 
  • A Climate Justice Hub packed with multimedia resources
  • Carbon calculators (Creative Climate Tools) designed for the creative industries. 
  • Specialist support and guidance on using the Creative Climate Tools for NPOs and IPSOs
  • Annual programmes focussed on emissions reduction, justice, resilience and governance
  • A network of like-minded peers to share knowledge and be inspired by work from inside the sector
Resource Library Climate Justice Resource Hub Creative Climate Tools Carbon Calculators NPO Carbon Footprint Reporting Buildings Net Zero Energy Resources Arts Council England Environmental Responsibility Report

Key Programmes

Throughout 2023-26, we have new programmes you can join to support you with your environmental action. They focus on decarbonisation, resilience, justice and governance. Find out more about these initiatives below.

Reduce Your Energy Emissions

Our Transforming Energy programme is for organisations based in buildings. It will support them to decarbonise and meet their net zero targets.

There are two strands to join:

Buildings Net Zero Energy. Join this programme if you are starting out, or have begun to reduce your energy emissions but are keen to do more. Find out more.

Capital Investment Ready. For organisations already making significant progress in energy emissions reduction. Applications are currently closed and will re-open in 2024. Find out more.

Board Environmental Champions

This programme provides training, resources and a peer network for Board Members of NPOs and IPSOs. It will enable them to build the knowledge, skills and confidence to embed environmental responsibility within their organisations.

This programme is now open and you can sign up to join at any time.

Find out more

Opportunities for Individuals

In addition to organisational support for NPOs and IPSOs, we are running two programmes for individuals.

• Creative Climate Accelerator is a 6 part training programme for emerging climate leaders from diverse backgrounds, supporting them to transform knowledge into action, and implement a legacy project. Find out more.

• Creating Now for the Future is a paid opportunity to contribute to the development of new resources to support freelancers, creatives, artists, freelancer producers and community practitioners to make their practice more sustainable. Find out more.

ian MPG

Leading Resilience

This new discovery and mentoring programme will support and cultivate leadership across the portfolio, developing an understanding of resilience through practical support and upskilling. Organisations will be supported to build resilience to future changes in the climate, exploring diverse strategies for supporting adaptation and resilience within organisations and place-based contexts

New Carnival Company, photo by Tracy Curtis 2022

Support to the Portfolio

Measure your footprint with JB’s free Creative Climate Tools. By adding your environmental data, you will gain a better understanding of your impact, and can plan the next steps of your climate action and track your progress. Data collected from across the portfolio helps us to understand our impact as a sector, and to share knowledge and best practice. The reporting period for 2023-24 is Wednesday 1st May – Friday 28th June 2024.

Sign up to our upcoming webinar and drop in sessions for support with your carbon footprint reporting.

Creative Climate Tools Upcoming Webinars and Sessions
Image by Rowan Wigley

Stories from Across the Sector

Read the latest inspiring stories from across the portfolio and see how the sector has been taking action. Download the latest Environmental Programme Annual Report.

Arts Council England Annual Environmental Report
CCL Sholeh – photograph Studio Cano

The Environmental Programme’s History

Arts Council England and Julie’s Bicycle’s Environmental Programme launched in 2012 and was the first of its kind.

Through bespoke programmes such as Spotlight, Accelerator and The Colour Green Lab, it has built literacy, confidence and leadership skills. It has allowed cultural professionals the agency to act on climate change. Environmental Responsibility is one of the four Investment Principles that Arts Council England’s 2020-30 Strategy, Let’s Create, is built around

Watch the animation to find out more about the goals and achievements of the environmental programme to date.

Contact the team

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Our Work

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Resource Library

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