“Festivals for the Climate” is a joint initiative of more than a dozen organisers of festivals in Krakow. Knowing that some ventures are not inherently green, we want to support and develop sustainable pro-climate solutions that are feasible for events.
We met for the first time in late 2022 to exchange experien- ces and ideas on sustainable production, planning and staging of concerts, events or film screenings. Starting with small elements and simple production solutions, we want to strive for systemic changes in the functioning of entities that organise cultural ventures.
The first result of the green initiative’s ac- tivities is the creation of a brief collection of good practices, available to all associa- tions, institutions and foundations that wish to benefit from the solutions developed. “Festivals for the Climate” is one of the first steps toward a sustainable culture. With the examples included in the manual we want to open a catalogue of initiatives and good practices, and invite all cultural organisers who have not yet joined us, to get involved in creating a new, sustainable dimension for cultural events.
The organisers of the Krakow festivals recognised the need for collective action through:
- sustainability – including the collective responsibility of Krakow festivals to climate change,
- social inclusion – in the context of current and future migration crises,
- equality and rights – in the context of minority rights, strengthening the role of women in public life, equality policy and the anti-discrimination policies of the city.
When working on pro-environmental measures, consider anti-discrimination and equality issues, and pay attention to countering social exclusion, discrimination and hate speech, as important parts of the context for the collective activities of the festival sector. This process should take place in parallel.
Best practices implemented by members of the initiative:
- green, local, low-carbon catering
- redesign of gadgets
- replacement of paper application forms, tickets and invitations with electronic versions
- gender parity
- educational activities raising awareness, e.g. amongst children
- upcycling of branding materials
- co-operation with NGOs operating in the area of ecology
- training for employees concerning climate change
- promotion of tap water, e.g. at press conferences
- promotion of eco-friendly commuting to work
- promotion of behaviour that gives objects a second life, e.g. Second Life of Books
- calculation of carbon footprint
- demands for a common storage and sharing resources by Krakow’s festivals
Festivals for the Climate – manual
