Today (19 January 2026), Julie’s Bicycle and Arts Council England publish ‘Culture, Climate and Environmental Responsibility: Annual Report 2024-25’. This impactful report celebrates a creative and cultural sector that is stepping boldly into climate leadership.
This year’s findings show organisations across England accelerating environmental action at scale – including a case study of the National Centre for Writing at Dragon Hall.
Julie’s Bicycle and Arts Council England have explored how we activate shared green spaces to support intergenerational connection, wellbeing and community-led environmental responsibility. This is just one of many initiatives to improve environmental impacts and sustainability at Dragon Hall.
By sharing resources, knowledge, and heritage, NCW strengthens neighbourhood identity and fosters pride, with over 90% of audiences affirming its role in building a welcoming, connected community.
From governance to creative programming, from operational practice to community collaboration, cultural organisations are embedding environmental responsibility into the heart of what they do.
We are proud to be one of over 70 examples of stories of action and change captured in the report, the sector’s creativity, ambition and commitment has never been more visible. At a time when the climate crisis is reshaping every corner of society, this report highlights organisations already turning ambition into action, and underlines the urgent need for even more of the sector to join this collective journey towards positive change.
Alongside NCW, featured organisations include Creative Arts East (co-habitants of Dragon Hall), and literature organisations The Poetry Society and Writing West Midlands.
Celebrating a Sector Taking Climate Action Seriously
This year’s report showcases a creative and cultural sector not only responding to the climate and nature crisis, but helping to shape national narratives, community engagement, and public awareness around climate justice and sustainability. Organisations reported record levels of environmental engagement:
- 93% have an environmental policy.
- 88% have an environmental action plan.
- 86% integrate environmental principles into core strategies.
- 73% produced or programmed work exploring environmental themes.
- 71% collaborate with others to share climate solutions.
- 70% took steps to reduce energy use and improve efficiency.
These statistics, collected via Julie’s Bicycle Creative Climate Tools Beyond Carbon survey, highlight the growing confidence and maturity of environmental practice across the arts and cultural landscape.
Although the creative and cultural sector accounts for a small proportion of the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions, its ability to influence audiences and communities, shape public attitudes and drive behaviour change, mean that arts and cultural organisations have a powerful role to play in championing climate action. Arts Council is proud to be supporting the sector through our Environmental Programme.
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