Sponsored by Supercool, this sector wide research took place throughout July 2023, with 86 organisations gathering 17,500 responses. The full report explores the role of cultural organisations and their audiences in tackling the climate crisis.
The 17,500 survey responses told us that:
- 87% of cultural audiences are worried about the climate crisis and 93% have made changes to their lifestyle to help tackle it.
- Audiences and visitors think organisations are not doing enough or feel that they are not communicating what they are doing effectively. 77% of think cultural organisations have a responsibility to influence society to make radical change in response to the climate emergency.
- Younger respondents are even more likely to think organisations have a responsibility to influence society to address the climate emergency.
- Audience members have high expectations of cultural organisations. 93% expect organisations to ensure their buildings are as energy efficient as possible, while 94% expect organisations to be reducing and recycling waste.
- 3 in 4 audiences want information from organisations about how they can act more sustainably. 66% want more information about how to travel sustainably.
- Audiences and visitors want to play their part to help organisations fulfil their sustainability goals but need information and infrastructure to help them do that.
Methodology
Cultural organisations in the UK, including theatres, arts centres, festivals, touring companies, museums and galleries, were invited to participate in the Act Green research. The research was open to all cultural organisations in the UK, and it was free for organisations to take part.
Organisations were each provided with a unique link to send out to a recommended sample of around 3,000 - 5,000 of their previous attenders. They were provided with a link to see the results from their own organisation in real time, and the results from all organisations were then aggregated to form the baseline data set.
The survey ran throughout July 2023 and during that month, 17,479 complete responses were gathered through 86 cultural organisations.
Indigo CEO Katy Raines says:
"The results of this year’s Act Green clearly show what audiences and visitors perceive the role of cultural organisations to be in tackling the climate emergency. They have high expectations for what organisations should be doing to reduce their own carbon emissions, and how they should be facilitating conversations and inspiring action in their communities.
"There is a challenge for organisations to effectively communicate what they’re doing and engage audiences to help them reach their sustainability goals through provision of information and infrastructure.
"We are so grateful to the 86 cultural organisations who took part in Act Green 2023, and to research sponsors Supercool whose sponsorship meant we could offer the research free to the sector.
"This was a collective effort, and we hope the results will benefit the whole sector."