Sustainable Touring

  • Members of an orchestra performing
  • Members of an orchestra performing

    Sustainable touring as the norm, not the exception

    Through international touring, Askonas Holt facilitates cultural exchange, enriches creative work, allows groups to grow together, and builds the profile and reputation of orchestras and ensembles. However, we recognise that touring is responsible for significant greenhouse gas emissions which contribute to both the global climate crisis and climate injustice, as well as increasing ecoanxiety. We believe in using the power of the arts to create change and to combat the climate emergency. We are leading new collaborative initiatives to ensure that together we are doing things better and doing better things. Containing climate change must now be at the core of every touring decision.

    ‘TOURING & ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY’ TRAINING PROGRAMME

    In 2023, members of the Tours & Projects team participated in Julie’s Bicycle’s 10-week training programme alongside 20 arts organisations from the UK and Denmark. It built our knowledge of the environmental impact of international touring, and we shared experiences of sustainable touring practices. The programme has inspired us to develop innovative ways to tour ecologically, and provided us with tools to begin.

    GREEN RIDER

    We have developed a Green Rider for our touring partners to encourage and facilitate the practices of slow touring with travel and transport choices that minimise carbon emissions. We are consulting with all our touring partners to challenge traditional touring policies. Askonas Holt facilitates deep touring, helping our partners develop ways to connect more with local communities through workshops and outreach work, with longer stays in each city. We are working with our touring clients and partners across the globe to encourage them to join us in becoming leaders in sustainable touring, by investing finances differently and changing patterns to play our part in the fight against the climate crisis.

    CONSULTATION

    Our team are leading and participating in panel discussions on sustainable touring to bring the topic to the forefront of the industry. We recognise that tackling the issue can be overwhelming; we are offering bespoke consultation services to find practical solutions at a micro level, and to inspire new collaborative initiatives to change the nature of traditional touring.

Case Studies