Not the New Normal Series

Adaptation and Resilience for the cultural sector

Following this summer’s Cool Off In Culture campaign, Not the New Normal explores key themes arising from this summer’s heatwaves. In partnership with Arts Council England, the events are free to attend and have been designed to deliver practical insights into climate adaptation.

These three sessions, delivered as part of the Transforming Energy programme, aim to introduce and embed principles of adaptation and climate resilience into organisations’ ongoing work to decarbonise buildings and move towards net zero.

Session 1: Buildings, Operations & Capital Leads

Session 1 of our free Not the New Normal event series provides building‑based cultural organisations with a clear, practical introduction to adaptation and climate resilience. Designed and delivered by Julie’s Bicycle, with content led by Roland Smith, the session helps participants embed adaptation within their existing decarbonisation and net‑zero work rather than treating it as a separate agenda.

This practical session offers a working grasp of how the UK climate is changing and what this means across the four domains of impact — buildings, programming, conservation and communities. The session also supports organisations to move beyond the idea of “the new normal”, recognising sustained and worsening change and beginning to speak publicly about adaptation work already underway.

Libby Martin, joins the session to impart practical insights and knowledge on building adaptation and conservation. Libby is the Organisational Lead for Environmental Sustainability at the BFI, where she turns climate ambition into structural change. Driving the organisation’s net-zero transition, she shares critical technical expertise across departments to embed climate action directly into the BFI’s 2033 Screen Culture Strategy. As an in-house expert, Libby spearheads the decarbonisation of the BFI estate and manages complex statutory reporting, including TCFD and Greening Government Commitments.

Open to both NPO and non‑NPO venues, Session 1 is suitable for buildings, operations and capital project leads across the UK cultural sector.

Come and develop your knowledge on the key areas of adaptation and resilience that cultural organisations need to be abreast of, learn how to talk about your progress, and ask questions in this informal and practical session.