The EU project "GREENSTAGE" addresses the pressing challenges of environmental sustainability in the performing arts, in particular the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the transition to resource-efficient and circular practices. The aim is to empower the performing arts sector in Europe to integrate environmental protection into its practices and make the transition to a circular economy.
For this purpose, the project team of the Wuppertal Institute is developing and testing a self-assessment instrument tailored to the cultural sector, the SAPA tool (Sustainability Assessment for the Performing Arts Sector), in a participatory process together with practice partners from Italy, Slovenia, Latvia, Austria and Germany. In addition, a zero-waste toolbox is being developed, which contains, among other things, concrete measures for waste prevention and circular theatre production as well as guidelines for their application.
The project also includes testing the acquired knowledge under practical conditions: Two zero-waste productions, a zero-waste festival and material flow and logistics plans will be developed in so-called zero-waste labs. The acquired knowledge will be made available on the GREENSTAGE online platform so that it is easily accessible to the sector.
In order to achieve systemic change and transform the performing arts sector towards sustainability, policymakers are involved from the outset: At local and transnational policy meetings, urgent problems are identified, corresponding policy measures are defined and policy recommendations are developed.
GREENSTAGE is funded by the European Union's Creative Europe Programme. The coordinating project partner is the Oberhausen Theatre. Alongside the Wuppertal Institute, other project partners are the cities of Oberhausen and Mantua, the Bunker Theatre in Ljubljana, the Volkstheater Wien and the Latvian National Theatre. Other associated partners are the NRW Kultursekretariat, the cities of Ljubljana, Riga, Vienna, Dortmund, Gelsenkirchen and Wuppertal.
