GCC Artist Toolkit

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Advocacy

Artists play a crucial role in advocating for environmental responsibility. As the centre of the art ecosystem, they can raise awareness, generate momentum, and enact significant change.

Regardless of career stage or scale, artists can instigate systemic shifts within the industry, all while shaping knowledge, discourse and culture. Advocating for anything can feel daunting, especially in professional settings where artists may feel vulnerable, so these guidelines provide actionable strategies to help artists confidently communicate their commitment to environmental responsibility.

Effective actions

Effective actions

Create an Environmental Responsibility Rider

An Environmental Responsibility Rider is a document that can be used to communicate sustainability expectations between two parties. For example, it could be used by an artist/collective who would share it with a gallery during the planning stages of a solo show. Producing your own Rider can bring clarity to environmental concerns and targets before beginning a working relationship, allowing both parties to feel confident and comfortable in their interactions.

Become a GCC Active Member

GCC’s Active Membership initiative was launched in 2023 to distinguish GCC members who have taken action as well as incentivising those yet to do so. Active Membership is awarded annually to members who can demonstrate that they or their organisation have implemented environmental sustainability best practice in line with GCC guidance. Find detailed guidance on how to achieve this criteria here.

The 2025 criteria will be updated to better reflect our artist members, and we look forward to publishing more advice on this in due course. Keep an eye out for these changes, as pursuing Active Member status can be a useful lever when introducing Environmental Responsibility Riders, talking to suppliers etc. 

Develop strategies against self-doubt

It is common to encounter hesitations and concerns when beginning advocacy work, such as the fear of misinformation, or worries about repercussions. These concerns are valid, and are often shared.

We produced a guide to address common apprehensions and provide practical strategies for effective advocacy such as addressing misinformation with honesty and humility, and how to navigate concerns about professional reputation.

Learn how to get the most out of climate conversations

When advocating for more sustainable ways of working, we may encounter some individuals who express scepticism, want to delay action, or refuse to take responsibility for their environmental impact. See our practical guide for having effective climate conversations.

Environmental Responsibility Rider Inclusions

Responsibility rider inclusions

Case study

Case study

Case study

Case study

Case study

Case study

Though climate change is a systemic issue and one where there are powerful economic and governmental forces at play, we believe that anything made by humans can be undone by them.
Jenny Kendler, Artists Commit Co-Founder and GCC Member
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