Culture & Climate Action Policy 

Marshmallow Laser Feast - Sanctuary of the Unseen Forest, 2022 Courtesy of MLF and Sandra Ciampone

Artistic and cultural practitioners, communities and organisations are already taking climate action around the world. Despite this, there is a lack of recognition for culture’s contribution, and this is reflected in climate policy and funding, limiting the potential that culture has to drive change.

We work in collaboration with key national and international partners to unlock policy frameworks to put culture at the forefront of action on the climate, nature and justice crisis.

“The culture grants and climate change work is a standout example of how the Council can demonstrate leadership and influence on this agenda, in no small part thanks to the excellent work of Julie’s Bicycle. “

– David Houliston, Strategic Lead Policy and Partnerships, Manchester City Council

Why work with policy?

Cultural policy sets the terms on which governments organise, fund and promote bodies responsible for arts and culture. To achieve system change, cultural policy needs to speak to environmental policy. We work with critical enablers of change; policy makers, funding bodies, councils and networks, to integrate culture into their climate commitments. This will enable culture to reach its potential – inspiring audiences, shifting hearts and minds, and allowing us to imagine and realise a low-carbon, just, and climate-resilient future.

Seven people in front of a presentation: Culture: The Missing Link
COP26 – Julie's Bicycle on the 5th of Nov 2021. Photographer: Gaelle Beri

How can we work together?

We work strategically with National cultural funding bodies, on multi-country collaborative policy projects, with cities and networks, and on international campaigns. We are keen to work on projects where we can leverage the power of policy-making for transformative impact, and where the learning can be shared with the wider sector to accelerate climate action. We also encourage approaches from networks or groups of organisations who would like to work together. This enables those groups to pool resources to explore a common issue. Explore our policy work below, or get in touch to talk about how we could work together.

Get in Touch

International

Read more

National

Read More

Cities and Networks

Read More