In 2006, Alison (not Julie) got on her bike to meet some music industry friends at a restaurant called Julie’s. Over dinner, they dreamt up a future vision where festivals were powered by solar, flower-covered venues were off-grid, museums were community energy providers and artists were united as beacons for change.
This vision became Julie’s Bicycle, and 18 years later, we are a thriving organisation serving the creative community.
Story Timeline
2023 highlights
- For COP28, JB campaigned with Climate Heritage Network (CHN) to establish the ‘Group of Friends of Culture-Based Climate Action’ – it is a historic moment recognising the key role of culture for transformative climate action.
- Launch of the Creative Climate Charter.
- JB was awarded the contract to deliver Arts Council England’s Environmental Programme for 2023-26, including new offers for Transforming Energy, and supporting Board Environmental Champions.
- New partnership programmes include the BFI Sustainable Screen Programme, and Creative Ireland.
- New music projects and research: Raising the Bar, Zero Waste Festivals, Cultura Circular.
- JB alongside Attitude is Everything and A Greener Future started research on a programme to examine how access to events for disabled people can become environmentally sustainable.
- We delivered Creative Climate Leadership programmes in the UK, Benelux and Australia.
2022 highlights
- For COP27, JB joined forces with Climate Heritage Network (CHN) and International Indigenous Women’s Network (FIMI) to present a series of events as part of Resilience Hub’s Arts, Culture, Antiquities and Heritage theme.
- We welcomed over 400 attendees to join us for JB’s flagship summit We Make Tomorrow which returned.
- JB launched the Climate Justice Hub.
- JB helped publish the UK’s first review of the Creative Industries and Net Zero.
- We delivered our first Creative Climate Leadership programme in Canada.
Ed Hawkins and Love Sssega at COP26 – Photographer: Gaelle Beri
2021 highlights
- JB delivered the Culture: The Missing Link to Climate Action event at the COP26 climate talks.
- We partnered with the British Council’s Climate Connection programme in the lead up to COP26.
- Julie’s Bicycle Europe in partnership with Native Events, Ireland, was launched.
- Our CG Tools were licensed in Canada and Ireland.
- We delivered our first Colour Green Lab training programme for people of colour working in the arts.
- We published the Manchester Arts Sustainability Team MAST 10 year report.
- We supported IMPALA to launch their sustainability programme and climate charter, which became a cornerstone of the Music Climate Pact.
WMT_photographer James Allan
2020 highlights
- JB ran the We Make Tomorrow summit.
- The Art of Zero carbon footprint study of global visual arts was published, thanks to AKO foundation.
- We launched our Creative Climate Chats series during the first COVID-19 lockdown.
- Vision2025 The Show Must Go On report on UK festival industry impacts, (2nd edition) was published.
- We delivered a letter to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport advocating for a green and just recovery from COVID-19.
- In collaboration with University of Bristol, we executed an in-depth digital artwork footprint study for Olafur Eliasson’s EarthSpeakr.
CPT_Photo Angela Dennis
2019 highlights
- We launched The Colour Green podcast series, hosted by Baroness Lola Young.
- Music Declares Emergency (MDE) began, with JB as part of the working group.
- Onassis Stegi Cultural Centre, Athens, was awarded Best Newcomer at our Creative Green awards and launched Onassis Stegi Goes Green, a series of green practices to reduce its carbon footprint.
Season for Change illustration by Lily Kong
2018 highlights
- Two new strands of our Arts Council England environmental programme began: Accelerator and Spotlight.
- Season for Change, a campaign and programme inspiring urgent and inclusive climate change action launched, in partnership with Arts Admin.
- In collaboration with World Cities Culture Forum and as an EU ROCK project partner, we created a city-support programme.
- Lyric Hammersmith became one of the first theatres to achieve our 5 star Creative Green certification rating.
- Our Seven Creative Climate Trends of innovative practice launched.
CG awards 2017_photo James Allan
2017 highlights
- JB launched the Creative Green Awards to recognise creative organisations’ outstanding commitment to sustainability.
- We published the Manchester Arts Sustainability Team MAST 5 year report.
- Our Museums’ Environmental Framework was produced.
- Extending our policy work, JB launched its first programme with World Cities Culture Forum.
- The Powerful Thinking Smart Energy Guide for events (2nd edition) went live.
CCL Sholeh – photograph Studio Cano
2016 highlights
- JB launched the first Creative Climate Leadership development programme, receiving over 200 applications from 40 countries. The first courses took place in Wales and Slovenia in 2017, with subsequent courses in Arizona, and Sweden
- Together with the Europe Jazz Network ‘Take The Green Train’ programme, we supported an ‘action research’ green train tour for saxophonist Evan Parker.
JB Workshop – photo by Alick Cotterrill
2015 highlights
- Our Creative Green Tools were translated into 7 languages, as part of the European EE MUSIC project.
- We produced A Letter to Leaders, gathering over 350 signatures from creatives supporting the Paris Agreement.
- Coinciding with the COP21 climate talks, we supported the production of the public artwork Ice Watch.
- We launched Fit for the Future guide on investing in environmentally sustainable buildings.
- We also aided the Europe Jazz Network to create a Green Manifesto for its members.
- The Show Must Go On report was published, on UK festival industry environmental impacts.
2014 sustaining creativity lab_Photo James Allan
2014 highlights
- JB produced its first research report in partnership with the International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies (IFACCA).
- Our cultural sector benchmarks were recognised by The Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE).
sustaining creativity 2013_Photo James Allan
2013 highlights
- JB published the first edition of the Powerful Thinking guide to smart energy for events and festivals.
- We partnered with Live Performance Australia to licence the Creative Green Tools.
- A sustainability partnership with the BAFTA Albert consortium was announced.
- We released the outcomes from our first Creative Climate Census – a survey of 337 arts leaders.
- After consultation with set designers and production professionals, the Sustainable Production Guide was published.
- We joined the Green Art Lab Alliance (GALA) international consortium to promote sustainable interventions across Europe.
JB Leaders 24 workshop_photo James Allan
2012 highlights
- JB’s flagship Arts Council England Environmental Programme was launched and ACE became the first cultural body to make environmental reporting and policy part of its funding agreements.
- We kicked-off our Creative Green certification scheme for creative organisations.
Utopia event – Photo James Allan
2011 highlights
- JB established a partnership with the Broadway Green Alliance, USA.
- The Manchester Arts Sustainability Team (MAST) was created with funding for two-years of our support.
- We founded the International Green Theatre Alliance, an international initiative to help theatres respond to the challenges of transitioning to a low-carbon economy.
- We launched the Powerful Thinking steering group for better energy use at festivals and events in partnership with Shambala Festival, Festival Republic, and more.
sustaining creativity lab – Photo James Allan
2010 highlights
- We launched Moving Arts Volume one and Volume two comprising in-depth research on the impacts of touring for bands, theatres, and orchestras.
Norfolk & Norwich festival – Snarky Puppy performance – credit JMA photography
2009 highlights
- JB launched the Creative Green carbon calculator Tools.
- We pioneered a Green Guides series for the creative industries with the London Mayor’s Culture Office.
- Creative Carbon Scotland makes environmental reporting a funding requirement, with JB’s support.
- We published the Reducing Emissions of CD Packaging research – in partnership with Arup.
Shambala_Photo credit Danny North
2008 highlights
- Our first comprehensive resource, First Step: UK Music Industry Greenhouse Gas Emissions was released, working with over 100 companies across the music business supply chain. Our research with Oxford University demonstrated that the UK music market was then responsible for approximately 540,000 tonnes CO2e annually.
- We also announced our first consultancy project with Faber and Faber.
PHOTO credit Contact Manchester
2007 highlights
- Partnering with Oxford University’s Environmental Change Institute, our first project set out to calculate the carbon footprint of the UK music industry, establishing a partnership with Oxford University’s Environmental Change Institute.
PICTURES (from top to bottom): Header – Leonid Tishkov’s ‘Journey of the Private Moon’ c/o Private Moon Studio; // 2021: Ed Hawkins and Love Sssega at COP26 – Photographer: Gaelle Beri; // 2020: We Make Tomorrow participants – Photographer: James Allan; // 2019: Camden People’s Theatre’s Fog Everywhere performers at The Colour Green podcast launch – Photographer: Angela Dennis; // 2018: Season for Change illustration by Lily Kong; // 2017: Creative Green awards winners – Photographer: James Allan; // 2016: JB’s Sholeh Johnson leading a workshop – Photographer: Studio Cano; // 2015: JB’s Lucy Latham leading a workshop – Photographer: Alick Cotterrill; // 2014: Sustaining Creativity Lab participants – Photographer: James Allan; // 2013: Sustaining Creativity Lab participants – Photographer: James Allan; // 2012: JB workshop participants – Photographer: James Allan; // 2011: JB workshop participants – Photographer: James Allan; // 2010: Sustaining Creativity Lab performers – Photographer: James Allan; // 2009: Norfolk & Norwich festival performance – Photo credit: JMA photography; // 2008: Shambala festival performance – Photo credit: Danny North; // 2007: Puppetry performance. Photographer credit: Contact, Manchester
