Arts sector halves carbon emissions: Julie’s bicycle wins ‘EXCELLENT solution’ award for climate tech
Julie’s Bicycle (JB) has been awarded the Arts Professional ‘Excellent Solution’ Award for its Creative Climate Tools, the first carbon calculator and toolkit co-designed with – and for – the cultural sector.
At a time when energy volatility and economic insecurity threaten cultural infrastructure worldwide, the award recognises the Creative Climate Tools as the blueprint for how the arts can remain both financially resilient and environmentally regenerative.
Julie’s Bicycle has catalysed inspirational climate action in partnership with Arts Council England (ACE) and many organisations from across the cultural sector, enabled by the Creative Climate Tools – the first bespoke, free-to-use carbon calculator and toolkit open to anyone in the cultural sector internationally. This solution was co-curated with many organisations, and designed in partnership with ACE as part of their groundbreaking Environmental Programme.
Over 2,000 organisations in 20 countries have used them since 2021 – from orchestras to festivals, museums to music venues. The commitment and passion of the sector in sharing their environmental data and insights, has enabled us to track environmental practice beyond purely carbon reporting – a powerful and much-needed metric in the sector.
The impact is profound: a 50% average emissions reduction across the Arts Council England portfolio since reporting first became a funding requirement in 2012.
By removing the high cost and technical complexity of traditional carbon reporting, the Creative Climate Tools have allowed arts organisations of all sizes to operate on an even playing field.
We are deeply grateful for the opportunity to work with the sector and Arts Council England on this project – and for the trust you have all placed in Julie’s Bicycle. It has been a joy and an honour to collaborate with so many incredible partners on this truly transformative project. Thank you to Arts Professional for recognising this work, it means a huge amount to the JB team who have worked diligently on these tools throughout their creation and evolution. We’re committed to continuing to unite the cultural sector to transform practice into climate action.
– Alison Tickell, Founder & CEO of Julie’s Bicycle
The Creative Climate Tools go beyond data, offering unique qualitative reporting that tracks shifts in creative practice, programming and organisational culture. This approach has galvanised broader change across the sector, empowering organisations to adopt a more holistic, creative approach to climate action.
The ‘Excellent Solution’ award celebrates a project, product, service or initiative that helps organisations in the arts to access an opportunity, or overcome a problem in the business of arts and culture, recognising practical solutions that improve efficiency, increase income, reduce costs or risk or open up new opportunities.
Julie’s Bicycle is dedicated to building a thriving international movement of creative climate action. The CC Tools have inspired systemic change across the creative landscape, providing 17 years of support, analysis and capacity building.
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