Consulting
Culture for Climate Scotland provides innovative thinking and consultancy services in two main areas.
1. Introducing creative practices, thinking and practitioners into climate change projects.
We have a track record since 2017 of successful projects for clients from the Scottish Government to Climate Ready Clyde, local authorities to NatureScot, environmental charities and more, including major EU-funded projects involving private, third and public sector organisations.
Climate change is a cultural as well as a technical, economic, scientific and political challenge: artists can help all involved to think differently, experiment with innovative solutions and engage the public effectively. We have a clear methodology and evaluation framework and strong project management experience. See more about our culture/SHIFT for Business work below.
2. Strategy work with cultural funders and strategic bodies to strengthen their environmental thinking
We have worked closely with Creative Scotland, the development agency for the arts, screen and creative industries, since 2011, helping to develop and strengthen their approach to climate change in their funding to make them a world leader: Creative Scotland’s Climate Emergency & Sustainability Plan, which we co-wrote in 2021, was highlighted as an example of best practice by the then Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change.
This has led to further strategic work in Ireland, Europe and further afield:
- Our report for Creative Scotland/Screen Scotland led to the support by numerous bodies of a sustainability manager for screen production.
- We were asked by Creative Ireland to advise on the selection of projects for their Creative Climate Action fund.
- We are working with private trusts and foundations to support them in developing their approach to funding of the arts, heritage and culture in the face of climate change.
Our director has many years of experience in working at board level in national organisations, leading organisations and managing complex, multi-million-pound projects including capital developments. Our strategy manager is an experienced senior policy officer in a large local authority. We have experience in leading and managing expert teams, including artists, climate change experts and others to achieve lasting and transformational change.
Please contact [email protected] for more information.
‘Creative Scotland’s transformational plan to support the arts, screen and creative industries will inspire other organisations to also implement the critical changes we need to achieve net zero by 2045. The arts, culture and heritage sectors have a powerful and important role to play in supporting fair and equitable changes in society as Scotland moves towards a zero-carbon, climate-ready future.’Angus Robertson, Scottish Culture Secretary
culture/SHIFT for business
culture/SHIFT for business brings our expertise from previous culture/SHIFT projects to businesses who are working on responding to climate change. We design bespoke projects that employ artistic and creative methods to develop innovative solutions to environmental sustainability issues.
Remaining competitive and meeting regulatory and reputational challenges while grasping the opportunities that climate change is already presenting needs profound transformation. culture/SHIFT for business is a year-long, part-time participatory programme introducing businesses to achieving this change through creative approaches.
Designed for teams at board or senior management level, this four-stage programme is tailored to unlock your business’s journey to net zero. Over the year, you’ll gain different knowledge, resources and ways of working to boost your creative thinking capabilities, progress your ESG targets and remodel business as usual.
1. Anchoring
Your senior staff will understand and agree project objectives and scope.
2. Recruiting
We’ll provide you with the most appropriate creative practices, either from within Culture for climate Scotland or by engaging the right artist(s).
3. Developing your action plan
Working with our creative practitioners, you’ll identify key stakeholders along with blockages and problems, resolutions and opportunities, and set out the processes and activities that will enable your business to move forward.
Previous clients’ development work
- Board and staff of a major public body participating in interactive workshops to co-design a strategic climate emergency and sustainability plan.
- Property companies, architects, planners, engineers and communities working with embedded artists to overturn existing planning and design approaches to respond to climate change in European cities.
- A consortium of local authorities, universities and transport providers collaborating with an artist to elicit different ways of thinking, unlock creativity and expand the range of partners and voices
4. Evaluating
This happens iteratively throughout so that your action plan improves continuously.
Why work with us?
Through an approach that can be both provocative and unconventional, our consultancy equips public institutions, local and national government bodies, and community-led organisations to thrive in a climate-changed future. Culture for Climate Scotland embeds creative practitioners – including theatre directors, filmmakers and artists – into client organisations to facilitate new ways of thinking about how to address challenges and opportunities relating to the climate emergency. This helps clients identify their net-zero ambitions, enabling us to co-develop the client’s organisational climate strategy and implementation plan.
Our unique expertise, knowledge and experience in initiating or leading innovative regional, national and international projects and partnerships have attracted support and recognition from the Scottish Government, Creative Scotland and EU agencies.
Get in touch with our culture/SHIFT Manager – [email protected] – for further information and to discuss costs.
We are a Living Wage employer, signed up to the Good Business Charter, and our artists are paid at Scottish Artists’ Union rates.
‘Working with creative practitioners and [Culture for Climate Scotland] raised the benchmark around using creativity in our working process, as a team and as individuals.’
Project Officer, Marine Protected Area Management and Monitoring (MarPAMM)