The Library Presents and Babylon Arts are set to host an online seminar aimed at upskilling artists and performers with the knowledge required to make their work more sustainable.
The Library Presents is a vibrant and inclusive programme of arts activities taking place in towns across Cambridgeshire and online. Events often include; music, theatre, art, dance, storytelling, comedy, puppetry and digital arts.
This season, a key focus is on providing training for artists who wish to create sustainable work, whether that be a performance or workshop.
The seminar will be hosted via Zoom on Thursday 17th October 2024, 12.30-1.30pm.
Tickets are free but must be booked in advance. This can be done online at www.babylonarts.org.uk/events
With a specially selected line up of speakers presenting the best practice, who already have experience of producing such work, the seminar will provide valuable insight on creating sustainable performances in the arts sector and will discuss the considerations artists who are creating work should be aware of.
This will be a spoken presentation with a visual PowerPoint to accompany, chaired by Karen Birch Chief Executive at Babylon Arts, and will conclude with a questions and answers session.
Seminar plan as follows:
10 minutes – Welcome from Babylon Arts
15 minutes – Speaker 1 - David Evans, runs the consultancy Theatricalsolutions, he is the Co-Chair of the ABTT and is the editor of Sightline.
David sits on the Steering Committee and Co-Chairs the Production Committee for The Theatre Green Book. Among other things David was Head of Production for National Theatre Wales until July 2024 where they delivered all their shows since the launch of The Green Book to at least the Baseline/Basic standard with one show achieving Advanced.
David will introduce The Theatre Green Book and discuss its methodology, which is based on the Circular Economy. He will explain some of the tools it uses and discuss a few examples of it in action.
David has been involved in making shows more sustainably for decades and the clearest lesson that he has learnt is that we achieve much more by doing things together and listening to each other.
If attendees have time it would be worth downloading The Theatre Green Book for free before the event. https://theatregreenbook.com/
15 minutes - Speaker 2 & 3 – Jill Robertshaw, Deputy Production Manager at Nottingham Playhouse and Erin Fleming, designer and Nottingham Playhouse trainee scenic Artist.
Jill manages the theatre shows throughout the year and in 2022 was asked to work to the Theatre Green Book Baseline standard for our Christmas studio production, Goldilocks. As a result of this, she has personally undertaken Carbon Literacy Training- and subsequently been rolling out Carbon Literacy Training to Nottingham Playhouse staff and local freelancers, as well as attempting to work to the Theatre Green Book Baseline standards.
Jill will talk about Major Magical Oak, a small production which tours the libraries of Nottinghamshire. It has two performers and a small set, costume and props. It also has a small budget. The intention with the set design was that after the initial build was that we would reuse the basic structure and redress to create a different season. Major Magical Oak was not a ‘Green Book’ show. However, after having completed the first production realised that they would have probably reached at least Baseline in most of the areas.
Erin designed and made the majority of the items for Major Magical Oak and the way she has approached the project has meant it was easier to work sustainably.
20 minutes - Q&A facilitated by Babylon Art