Towards sustainable arts: European best practices and policies

A new publication by the Boekman Foundation, Towards sustainable arts: European best practices and policies explores best practice for artists, cultural organisations and policy makers. Highlighting examples from the Czech Republic, Finland, Flanders, Germany, the Netherlands, Scotland and Spain, the publication argues that arts and culture can play an important role in the necessary transition to a green and sustainable future.

The publication investigates how cultural organisations in each country are becoming more sustainable, how artists are engaging with the climate crisis, and which role culture has in the general transition towards a greener society. While each chapter contains many inspiring initiatives and ideas unique to each local context, there are also striking similarities. In most countries sustainability is lacking in national cultural policy, and culture is missing in climate policy. There is however a need for sustainable cultural policy: among other things to counter fragmentation of initiatives, to enhance collaboration or to offer funding, support and financial security. Another significant observation underlying all contributions is the importance of collaboration and of networks, which have achieved great results in the countries included in the publication.

The publication Towards sustainable arts was initiated by the Boekman Foundation, with chapters contributed by experts from the Czech Republic, Finland, Flanders, Germany, the Netherlands, Scotland and Spain whose work or research concerns the topic of culture and sustainability. 

It is available as a free download