learn more about the campaign and access resources to support climate resilience
As temperatures rise this summer, your cultural venue can become an essential community hub by offering people a refuge from the heat.
The Cool Off in Culture campaign is creating a map of cultural spaces – from museums and galleries to libraries and cinemas – where people can cool down during heatwaves.
Whether you offer air conditioning, free water refill points, or quiet, shaded seating – it all counts. By joining the campaign, you are:
- Establishing your venue as a vital community hub and a leader in climate resilience.
- Encouraging more visitors to your venue when they need it most.
- Uniting with the sector to prove culture is essential infrastructure for a climate just world.
Toolkit FOR VENUES
We’ve collaborated with the clean air nonprofit LIVE+BREATHE to provide a free marketing toolkit for venues, designed by Fiona Quadri and KIILU from Rosko Studios.
You can customise these brand assets using Canva to promote your venue as a cool and welcoming space.
Outdoor media
Put your venue onto local, digital street screens when people need an escape from rising temperatures.
We’re partnering with Dropcast to offer you the option to display your venue on digital screens nearby the moment temperatures hit 25°C or above. Pricing starts at £1,300 – email hello@dropcast.co to get involved.
MAKE YOUR VENUE CLIMATE RESILIENT
The new Heat Adaptation Guide for Arts & Cultural Organisations provides practical, building-focused strategies for navigating severe weather, developed by climate adaptation specialists Shade the UK.
Explore the map
Check out our campaign map, featuring participating venues equipped with air conditioning, water refill points, or shaded seating areas.
About the campaign
The Cool Off in Culture campaign was created by the BFI in 2025, and is now managed in partnership with Julie’s Bicycle, BFI, LIVE Green, and Arts Council England. The campaign originated in 2025 as a response to climate risk mapping, which highlighted a lack of cultural venues on London’s existing “Cool Spaces” map. This campaign, now UK wide, recognises the vital role cultural spaces play in community resilience by providing the public with vital refuge during increasing heatwaves and extreme weather.
With support from
