SPRINGBOARD local assemblies for creative climate action
What are local assemblies?
SPRINGBOARD local assemblies are dynamic regional networks of people and organisations working on culture and climate change – learning together, sharing knowledge and information, and collaborating.
They build on the work we’ve been doing for more than a decade: our Green Arts Initiative – a community of practice comprising more than 300 cultural organisations around Scotland working to reduce their climate impact – and Climate Beacons – an innovative partnerships of cultural, climate change and civic society actors working to build deep-rooted, sustained public engagement with climate change.
Hosted in person, each local assembly is individually designed for its location. The first seven local assemblies for creative climate action took place across Scotland in November and December 2022. Since then the programme has continued and evolved so that by June 2025 we’d held 23 SPRINGBOARD local assemblies with more planned through 2025-26.
We often work with multiple co-hosts, including leading cultural organisations, local authorities and environmental partners, such as climate hubs.
‘Wonderful to have the opportunity to connect and mingle with a diverse group of climate activists who share similar concerns and hopes. Also, highlighting the role that the creative/arts/cultural sector can add to the mix of actions in a climate and nature crisis, lifts everything on to a more positive “feel good” (rather than “feel doomed”) plane! Yesterday’s sessions have motivated me to think of building in a creative/arts/cultural dimension to any action or events by groups I volunteer with. Thank you for a really inspiring day’s programme and supportive facilitators.’SPRINGBOARD local assembly attendee
What happens at a local assembly?
Every local assembly is different, but generally there’s a collaboration workshop, focusing on offers, challenges and pre-existing opportunities from local people and organisations, brainstorming and outlining potential partnerships in the room.
Climate justice and how it manifests in Scotland is a common theme across the assemblies – whether it relates to energy, land, geography or access. Arts and culture can support conversations and actions around these issues and the assemblies are a springboard for this.
How long is a local assembly?
Generally, a local assembly takes place over a half or full day.
Is it a one-off event?
Not necessarily.
So far, some regions have chosen to have a one-off local assembly. However, we’ve discovered that the biggest challenge is taking the next step – acting on what’s been discussed. For that reason some regions have arranged follow-up assemblies to pursue the next steps on their journey, discuss different topics or involve other people and organisations.
Some networks have had their own follow-up meetings, people have created email newsletters or connected culture into existing climate hubs.
As we hold more events, we continue to shape the action-focused workshops, with solid plans that help people work out where to go next.
Who can attend?
All events are accessible and are open to anyone interested in how culture and climate can work together, whether from organisations or as individuals working or volunteering in the arts, creative and screen industries, heritage, museums and libraries, and climate change/sustainability.
‘The commitment and drive from people across arts, culture and climate is clear and apparent. People want to take climate action and are already doing so; the local assemblies are about connecting the dots and coming up with new approaches together.’Sarah O’Hare, Senior Green Arts Officer at Culture for Climate Scotland
Resources for place-based transformation
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Glenrothes Town Artist
The role of an embedded artist in town planning
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'The role of culture in place planning'
Lesley Anne Rose, Co-founder and Director of Open Road Ltd, reflects on a workshop exploring the importance of culture in place planning and community work.
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Adaptation Scotland's Community Climate Adaptation Routemap
A practical guide to help communities adapt to climate change.
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The Stove Network
A membership-based, arts-led project contributing to the regeneration of Dumfries.
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Place-based work driving transformational change
Session recording from SPRINGBOARD 2025 sharing experiences of how place and place-based work can lead to transformational change.
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The story of creative collaboration
Talking about the value of creative approaches and collaboration in community climate action on the Creative Climate Futures project in Glasgow.
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Transforming futures through place-based creative practices
Research report from 2022 examining how eco-social change can be fostered in place.
Join us at a local assembly to collaborate with your creative sector and climate change peers on the continuing journey towards net zero. Visit our events page for details of upcoming SPRINGBOARD local assemblies.
The local assemblies are one part of SPRINGBOARD, a long-term project led by Culture for Climate Scotland, working to bring about transformational change in the arts and culture sector, and wider society, to help build a net-zero, climate-ready Scotland. The other part is SPRINGBOARD: Assembly for creative climate action, a national event that has so far taken place in 2023 and 2025. We envisaged SPRINGBOARD in these two parts so as to encompass both local and national challenges.