Tackling the Art World’s Carbon Footprint

A conversation with Heath Lowndes, of Thomas Dane Gallery and Founding Committee Member of the Gallery Climate Coalition

In October of 2020, a series of London-based galleries launched the Gallery Climate Coalition, out of a shared concern that ‘not enough was being done across the commercial art world to tackle the impacts of its activity on climate change.’ According to Heath Lowndes one of the founding committee members.

The concept was Initially developed by a group of London-based galleries – Thomas Dane Gallery, Kate MacGarry, Lisson Gallery and Sadie Coles HQ – to have a one-day event to discuss the impact of the art world and address the issues. Due to the UK lockdown in March, it was evident that a physical conference would not be an option. ‘At the same time enthusiasm for the project was building and the sense of urgency from within the community lead us to take the project in a new direction. From what would have been a one-off event the GCC developed into a not-for-profit organisation with a mission to proactively build and distribute industry specific resources not just in the UK but for galleries and art workers internationally.’ Though the public institutions have worked to reduce their carbon footprint and controlled waste for some time, the commercial sector has not made the same strides.

The group’s core mission, to develop a greener and more sustainable art world which is aligned with the Paris Agreement, to cut the art world’s carbon footprint by more than50 percent over the next ten years, the GCC developed theGCC Carbon Calculator with the team at Artlogic.

The group’s core mission, to develop a greener and more sustainable art world which is aligned with the Paris Agreement, to cut the art world’s carbon footprint by more than50 percent over the next ten years, the GCC developed theGCC Carbon Calculator with the team at Artlogic.

‘The carbon calculator is specifically designed to enable art galleries and artist studios to get a reliable picture of their carbon footprint in the major areas of their business. We worked with environmental advisors, Danny Chivers and Dr. Harris Kuemerle, to map out the different scenarios in which galleries and artist studios might build up their carbon footprint, putting a strong emphasis on international travel and shipping – a major part of emissions from today’s global art world. The calculator has an intuitive user interface, designed for busy teams to enter data quickly in a consistent and accurate way. The ability to compare transportation options such as air freight vs sea freight for shipping artworks or flying vs taking the train to an art fair will help members make better choices in the future so we can achieve our collective goal in reducing emissions by 50%.

‘Since the GCC’s launch in October, more than 170 members have joined, 56 are galleries with the remainder comprised of artists, art organizations and individuals. They are actively recruiting supporters from across the art industry worldwide with the launch of their website being the starting point to build a community database and resources including a range of issues including shipping and travelling, packaging, energy and building management, recycling and more. ‘Our aim is to raise awareness, and to educate others, contributing to making informed operational decisions that will help to cut carbon emissions across the sector. As more members use the GCC’s carbon calculator over time, and hopefully share the data from their results (which they can do anonymously), this will help to build up sector-wide knowledge and measure our progress across the industry in cutting carbon emissions by 50%.

’Reviewing and reducing carbon emissions is not new in the art world. Frieze Directors Matthew Slotover and Victoria Siddall are founding committee members of the GCC.Frieze conducted the first carbon audit on its fairs more than a decade ago, and ‘have since made the switch to using biofuel which has achieved a 60% reduction in carbon emissions.’

The group is continuing to look to the future and their goals of reducing the artworld’s carbon footprint and remain focused on the commercial art sector and though it was founded by a group of London-based galleries and art professionals, ‘we believe that we can be more effective and bring about greater change if we work together to form a coalition of active members from across the art world.’ The GCC has already increased their membership base and have members joining the initiative from across Europe, North and Latin America and Asia, and the GCC is collaborating with several parallel international initiatives to align targets and share resources. There could be some cross-over with other industries such as events, fashion and film and ‘no doubt the knowledge and resources we are growing, and sharing may be relevant to other sectors as well.’

To become a member of the Gallery Climate Coalition, you can sign up at: www:galleryclimatecoalition

GCC launched in October of this year, where and who did the idea originate from? How did this go from an event to an initiative during the lockdown?

The GCC evolved out of a shared concern that not enough was being done across the commercial art world to tackle the impacts of its activity on climate change. Although public institutions have been taking significant steps to reduce their carbon footprint and control waste for some time, there seemed to be a lack of equivalent guidance in the commercial sector. The idea was initially conceived between a group of London-based galleries – Thomas Dane Gallery, Kate MacGarry, Lisson Gallery and Sadie Coles HQ – and the plan was to host a day of talks addressing the issues. However, once the UK lockdown was announced in March it was apparent that a physical conference would not be possible. At the same time enthusiasm for the project was building and the sense of urgency from within the community lead us to take the project in a new direction. From what would have been a one-off event the GCC developed into a not-for-profit organisation with a mission to proactively build and distribute industry specific resources not just in the UK but for galleries and art workers internationally.

Additional members have been joining since the initial launch including Additional members have been joining since the initial launch including Gagosian Gallery, how many, how many others have joined since the launch?others have joined since the launch?

Since the launch of the GCC in late October, more than 170 members have signed up, 56 of which are galleries and the rest are artists, arts organisations and individuals. And we continue to actively recruit new members and supporters from across the industry worldwide, encouraging people to sign up and donate via the GCC website.

The group’s core mission, is in line with the Paris Agreement, and to cut the art world’s carbon footprint by more than 50 percent over the next ten years. What initiatives will the GCC plan take to align with this goal? How will they plan to track this?

The launch of the GCC website is really just the starting point, and where we will continue to build up a community database of information and resources on a range of issues including shipping and travelling, packaging, energy and building management, recycling and more. Our aim is to raise awareness, and to educate others, contributing to making informed operational decisions that will help to cut carbon emissions across the sector.As more members use the GCC’s carbon calculator overtime, and hopefully share the data from their results (which they can do anonymously), this will help to build up sector-wide knowledge and measure our progress across the industry in cutting carbon emissions by 50%.

Tell me more about the inspiration for the GCC Carbon Calculator designed by Artlogic.

The carbon calculator is specifically designed to enable art galleries and artist studios to get a reliable picture of their carbon footprint in the major areas of their business. We worked with environmental advisors, Danny Chivers and Dr. Harris Kuemerle, to map out the different scenarios in which galleries and artist studios might build up their carbon footprint, putting a strong emphasis on international travel and shipping – a major part of emissions from today’s global art world. The calculator has an intuitive user interface, designed for busy teams to enter data quickly in a consistent and accurate way.

The ability to compare transportation options such as airfreight vs sea freight for shipping artworks or flying vs taking the train to an art fair will help members make better choices in the future so we can achieve our collective goal in reducing emissions by 50%.

How are Frieze involved with the GCC? How are they further utilizing the GCC Carbon Calculator in their planning?

Frieze Directors Matthew Slotover and Victoria Siddall are on the GCC founding committee. Frieze actually did the first carbon audit on its fairs more than a decade ago and have since made the switch to using biofuel which has achieved a 60% reduction in carbon emissions.

There was a wonderful article in the Financial Times about the GCC Calculator and initiatives, have you seen other industries in addition to the art world, such as fashion, events, show interest and join the coalition?

For now, the GCC remains focused on recruiting members from within the commercial art sector and looking to the kinds of activities that are specific to commercial art businesses, although there is of course some cross-over with the activities of other industries and no doubt the knowledge and resources we are growing, and sharing may be relevant to other sectors as well.

Are you seeing an increase in digital artwork due to Covid-19 lockdown? Will the GCC monitor if this or other types of mediums increase or decrease which can also potentially reduce the carbon foot-print?

The rise in digital art formats has evolved out of necessity due to the Covid lockdown restrictions this year. The GCC does not wish to prescribe how artists should make or exhibit their work in future; rather our aim is to raise awareness of the varying impacts of using different kinds of materials.

Are you partnering with particular sponsors such asAre you partnering with particular sponsors such as air, ground and water freight?air, ground and water freight?

We don’t have any official partnerships planned but we certainly plan to speak with companies and suppliers to the art world such as transportation and energy providers, to get them on board with our mission and help to impact sector-wide change.

What additional initiatives would the GCC like to expand into?

Although founded by a group of London-based galleries and art professionals, we believe that we can be more effective and bring about greater change if we work together to forma coalition of active members from across the art world.Members have already joined from across Europe, North and Latin America and Asia, and the GCC is collaborating with several parallel international initiatives to align targets and share resources.