A Postcard from “The Dear Green Place”Harnessing the power of Glasgow’s local arts sector

Jean Cameron, Glasgow LifeGemma Lawrence, Creative Carbon Scotland

7th June 2013

Setting the scene

• Glasgow – “Dear Green Place”• City of culture • Green capital of Europe• Commonwealth legacy

• What is it?• What does it do to achieve this?• How does it need to change in

order to achieve it?

What is it?– National charity – Work with over 80 cultural organisations – Training, Green Arts Portal, special projects

What is its role in achieving the outcome?– Intimate knowledge of the arts– Expertise in sustainable practice– Trusted by both sectors– Promoting attitudinal and behaviour change– Research into impact of commissioning public art works

How do we facilitate the change we want?– Practical support– Facilitate networks– Big picture thinking

What do GA and CCS want to achieve together?

• Understanding cultural organisations within complex networks

• Understanding how art might shift the city• Applying that understanding: – Glasgow Arts is a big player with gravity and

momentum – can we harness that?

Complexity

City of Glasgow

Glasgow Life

Glasgow Arts

Cultural Sector

Glasgow City Council

GALA in GlasgowTwo components

• What’s its role? – Contribute your ideas, apply your knowledge and

experience – 17 heads are better than one– Spread the word

• What’s the benefit?– New knowledge for you to apply to your own

context

How will we do this?• Theoretical background from CCS and GA:• Cultural organisations within complex networks

• Specific knowledge/different backgrounds of participants

• Development of methodology for working:• Working title – ‘Green Mondays’• Potential for series of workshops?• Sustainability and culture can have wider

influence

So what’s the outcome from our workshop?

• Working together in a way that…– That not only allows commissions/practice in the

arts to be sustainable…– But also fosters wider awareness of sustainability

in the city – Disruption and innovation – not compliance with a

standard

Outcome of final meeting?

• Using key knowledge and learning from meetings, labs and working

• Reflecting upon our ambitions• Celebration• …?

Questions and volunteers!

http://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/arts/Pages/home.aspx

Jean.cameron@glasgow2014.com

www.creativecarbonscotland.com

gemma@creativecarbonscotland.com

Username: info@creativecarbonscotland.comPassword: CreativeCarbon1

Developing a triple bottom line approach to running an arts festival

Background to EAF.S• Collaboration between cultural and

environmental organisations in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland

• Biennial festival that focuses on contemporary relationships between culture and land

• “bringing the unique spirit of the South West to a national and international audience”

• Year 1: four public art commissions which showcase 3 national and 1 international site-specific artworks

Where do we fit in?• Three way collaboration, three way approach:

Triple Bottom Line• An impact assessment of the festival itself - artists,

venues, visitors

• Methodology for measuring social, environmental and economic impacts of public art commissions

• Methodology for measuring social, environmental and economic impacts of the festival as a whole

• Seeking engagement with artists, venues and audiences

• Feedback loop – outcomes of research driving second iteration of festival

Defining Indicators

Social considerations (led by CCC)Artists, Venues, Visitors, Communities– Community engagement– Accessibility of installation– Visitor engagement– Level of acceptance by community

Defining Indicators

Economic considerations (led by EAF.S)– Reason to visit the region– Length of stay in the region– Number of people in group– Amount spent during stay– Type of accommodation

Defining Indicators

Environmental considerations (led by CCS)– Travel and transportation of

artworks– Materials used– Waste and recycling– Energy and water consumed– Other environmental impacts– Lifespan of artworks

Public Art Commissions

• Chrysalis Arts: Public Artworks Sustainability Assessment– www.chrysalisarts.org.uk/

• ixia: Public Art - A Guide to Evaluation– http://www.publicartonline.org.uk

Communicating Results

Overcoming potential barriers

• Challenges for artistsThree step process of data gathering:– User-friendly helicopter survey– 30 minute phone conversation with

artists before project– Artists keep weekly diary during

production of artwork• Outcomes?– Engagement of artist…and festival

Outcomes• Filling current knowledge gap of environmental impact of public

artworks

• Understanding of social, environmental and economic impacts of art festival– Is there a relationship between these impacts?

• Leads to potential for:– Benchmarking – Spreading of knowledge and best practice– Shaping the way future festivals are run - international works?

• Wider research project into environmental impact of commissioning public art – Glasgow Arts, Edinburgh Art Festival