[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":750},["ShallowReactive",2],{"news-tread-lightly-sustainability":3},{"title":4,"summary":5,"primaryImage":6,"heroImage":26,"heroTagline":37,"newsTags":38,"postDate":42,"location":11,"author":43,"authorLink":44,"intro":54,"slices5":60,"presentedBy":193,"partners":197,"withRelatedNews":53,"relatedNews":202,"tags":747,"id":748,"publishedDate":749},"Tread Lightly - moving towards our new Sustainability Action Plan and our target for 2025 and 2026","Gareth Hughes, Walk the Plank's Head of Production reflects on our sustainability and creativity ambitions for 2025 and 2026.",{"dimensions":7,"alt":10,"copyright":11,"url":12,"id":13,"edit":14,"meta":19},{"width":8,"height":9},4000,3000,"A person in a green cap and black hoodie with a orange skull and cross bones on it looking at a body of water with a dragon's head artwork on.",null,"https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aDgxqSdWJ-7kSq9v_NBGWDragonsBreatheventWednesday15.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=174,0,3661,2746&w=4000&h=3000","aDgxqSdWJ-7kSq9v",{"x":15,"y":16,"zoom":17,"background":18},174,0,1,"transparent",{"dimensions":20,"alt":10,"copyright":11,"url":23,"id":13,"edit":24},{"width":21,"height":22},1200,630,"https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aDgxqSdWJ-7kSq9v_NBGWDragonsBreatheventWednesday15.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=0,320,4010,2105&w=1200&h=630",{"x":16,"y":25,"zoom":17,"background":18},320,{"dimensions":27,"alt":10,"copyright":11,"url":29,"id":13,"edit":30,"portrait":32},{"width":8,"height":28},2850,"https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aDgxqSdWJ-7kSq9v_NBGWDragonsBreatheventWednesday15.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=78,0,3854,2746&w=4000&h=2850",{"x":31,"y":16,"zoom":17,"background":18},78,{"dimensions":33,"alt":10,"copyright":11,"url":34,"id":13,"edit":35},{"width":28,"height":8},"https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aDgxqSdWJ-7kSq9v_NBGWDragonsBreatheventWednesday15.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=1027,0,1957,2746&w=2850&h=4000",{"x":36,"y":16,"zoom":17,"background":18},1027,[],[39],{"newsTag":40},{"link_type":41},"Document","2025-05-26T23:00:00+0000","Gareth Hughes",{"id":45,"type":46,"tags":47,"lang":48,"slug":49,"first_publication_date":50,"last_publication_date":51,"uid":49,"link_type":41,"key":52,"isBroken":53},"Zco9vxEAAO9jFiwS","team",[],"en-gb","gareth-hughes","2024-02-12T15:51:05+0000","2025-05-07T10:13:53+0000","7292557e-b20f-45a1-82ae-27939fe3d729",false,[55],{"type":56,"text":57,"spans":58,"direction":59},"paragraph","Our work at Walk the Plank is underpinned by several key threads. We are creatively ambitious, people driven, diverse in our attitudes to place and place making and most of our work aims to have a huge impact; bringing spectacle, imagination and the all-important WOW wherever we go.",[],"ltr",[61,96,133,153,181],{"variation":62,"version":63,"items":64,"primary":65,"id":94,"slice_type":95,"slice_label":11},"default","initial",[],{"heading":11,"body":66},[67,78,91],{"type":56,"text":68,"spans":69,"direction":59},"Conversely, since my taking up the role of Head of Production in 2024, I’ve been looking at how we minimise impact, how we tread lightly and where possible leave no trace. I’ve been leading on developing a new Sustainability Action Plan and Strategy, working across the organisation in looking how we continue our great work in the field. At times it has had me scratching my head, juggling the contrary journey of how we as outdoor arts professionals make a big impact for audiences and places, whilst ensuring our collective impact to the planet is as low as possible.",[70],{"start":71,"end":72,"type":73,"data":74},210,249,"hyperlink",{"link_type":75,"url":76,"target":77},"Web","https://walktheplank.cdn.prismic.io/walktheplank/Z9RITjiBA97Gif_X_SustainabilityPolicy2025-Compressed.pdf","_self",{"type":56,"text":79,"spans":80,"direction":59},"My first steps were to dig into the abundance of great work we already do. Our sustainable practice is a key organisation thread; its prevalence sits alongside health and safety and our diversity, inclusion and equity priorities. I’ve been fortunate to have at my disposal a wealth of metrics, information and data; from our waste streams at Cobden Works to our fuel usage at the many Fire Gardens. This has enabled a deep dive into trends that add up to one of our key sustainability indicators, the organisations carbon equivalent footprint.",[81],{"start":82,"end":83,"type":73,"data":84},384,397,{"id":85,"type":86,"tags":87,"lang":48,"slug":88,"first_publication_date":89,"last_publication_date":90,"uid":88,"link_type":41,"isBroken":53},"ZJgwKhEAACEAoyDZ","project",[],"fire-garden","2023-06-26T08:07:39+0000","2026-04-14T11:13:09+0000",{"type":56,"text":92,"spans":93,"direction":59},"From the start of this process, I’ve been doing a lot of asking; asking our production and freelance team about how best to deal with workshop waste, how we account for propane, how we make better use of storage so we can easily reuse makes from historical projects. I’ve asked our communications team about the impact of digital and AI carbon contributions and how this informs our thinking for future action planning. I’ve worked closely with our central team about how best we measure our impacts and how this can be further improved. I’ve sought advice from colleagues and friends from within our sector (and from outside) about their experiences and pulled on their knowledge.",[],"text_block$87eb259c-744d-4b9d-b424-78f95c4ef1cf","text_block",{"variation":62,"version":63,"items":97,"primary":130,"id":131,"slice_type":132,"slice_label":11},[98,106,115,123],{"image":99,"caption":11},{"dimensions":100,"alt":101,"copyright":11,"url":102,"id":103,"edit":104},{"width":8,"height":28},"A procession of people dressed in colourful outfits drumming in front of a crowd of onlookers with their phones out, taking photos","https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aCHWgSdWJ-7kR7MK_ManchesterDayOnHoliday%2CMarkWaugh-150-.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=145,0,4211,3000&w=4000&h=2850","aCHWgSdWJ-7kR7MK",{"x":105,"y":16,"zoom":17,"background":18},145,{"image":107,"caption":11},{"dimensions":108,"alt":109,"copyright":110,"url":111,"id":112,"edit":113},{"width":8,"height":28},"A large blue face being paraded above the crowd along a busy road","Manchester Day, 2019, Mark Waugh","https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/f8561151-7f65-40a6-b364-7c053ebab1b7_Manchester+Day+2019_+Mark+Waugh+%2847%29.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=80,0,2340,1667&w=4000&h=2850","ZL-3vBEAAB4AMU9h",{"x":114,"y":16,"zoom":17,"background":18},80,{"image":116,"caption":11},{"dimensions":117,"alt":118,"copyright":11,"url":119,"id":120,"edit":121},{"width":8,"height":28},"A large colourful parade full of community groups, watched by thousands of people","https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/aDXFFCdWJ-7kSlel_ManchesterDay2022%2CMarkWaugh-186-.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=112,0,3276,2334&w=4000&h=2850","aDXFFCdWJ-7kSlel",{"x":122,"y":16,"zoom":17,"background":18},112,{"image":124,"caption":11},{"dimensions":125,"alt":126,"copyright":11,"url":127,"id":128,"edit":129},{"width":8,"height":28},"A person dressed in blue and white stripes, with a red neck scarf on a gondola float.","https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/03f979b2-b057-4f13-bf36-057a07b81adb_MWjly23-484559.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=145,0,4211,3000&w=4000&h=2850","ZO37-xAAACAA_sJp",{"x":105,"y":16,"zoom":17,"background":18},{},"image_carousel_block$882d7d23-7fdf-4874-a1a8-49750a3033ce","image_carousel_block",{"variation":62,"version":63,"items":134,"primary":135,"id":152,"slice_type":95,"slice_label":11},[],{"heading":136,"body":137},"A few thoughts and conclusions gained on the journey so far:",[138,141,149],{"type":56,"text":139,"spans":140,"direction":59},"As an organisation we are dialled in, enthusiastic and knowledgeable for all things we can be doing to lessen our impact on the planet.  I’ve not needed to think about buy-in as we collectively know the importance of sustainability in all we do, but rather I’ve needed to dig deeper into priorities and weigh them up to our core activities as a business and arts organisation.",[],{"type":56,"text":142,"spans":143,"direction":59},"Understanding a whole life cycle approach for our processes has been key for my understanding and dealing with potential pressures on our work and the impacts on our sustainability. This includes looking at the life span of work, commissions, makes and fabrication projects. Through a process of ‘creation to deconstruction’ we are highlighting the knock-on demands of storage, maintenance and reuse of materials. As ever I’m always asking questions and help from our incredibly knowledgeable friends (big shout to GMAST and Emerge!).",[144],{"start":145,"end":146,"type":73,"data":147},515,520,{"link_type":75,"url":148,"target":77},"https://www.g-mast.org/",{"type":56,"text":150,"spans":151,"direction":59},"Thinking long term and being specific for short to medium term. Our action plan is a starting point that has also started the ball rolling on longer term ambitions for our work. Firstly, came knowledge of our challenges (most will hear my grumblings about the skip), then a look at how we adapt some of our process led work to address these challenges, and then through conversations and wider input how we continue to be innovators in the field. It is early days still, but I have confidence that this approach helps us have an eye on future challenges, such as environmental costs of AI usage and input into our data collection of our digital carbon footprint, through to the energy play off from recycling lithium batteries vs energy saved through their usage in our work, and whilst also seeking innovations in the materials we use most often.",[],"text_block$dba8860e-8a09-40e5-883b-4b10634c604b",{"variation":62,"version":63,"items":154,"primary":179,"id":180,"slice_type":132,"slice_label":11},[155,163,171],{"image":156,"caption":11},{"dimensions":157,"alt":158,"copyright":11,"url":159,"id":160,"edit":161},{"width":8,"height":28},"A group of people in a outdoor installation lit in red playing with bubbles ","https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/65ba6562615e73009ec4275a_BODYBeakerheadFestival2023,NeilMcElmon-45-.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=66,0,1916,1365&w=4000&h=2850","ZbplYmFecwCexCda",{"x":162,"y":16,"zoom":17,"background":18},66,{"image":164,"caption":11},{"dimensions":165,"alt":166,"copyright":167,"url":168,"id":169,"edit":170},{"width":8,"height":28},"A person in a dark woodland area looking up at a giant blue lighting installation.","Body, Dublin Science Week, Science Foundation Ireland, 2022, Naoise Culhane","https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/98bfbcd3-c4af-4b2a-8f45-30305d248ae1_Body_+Dublin+2022%2C+Science+Week%2C+Science+Foundation+Ireland+-+image+by+Naoise+Culhane+%2829%29.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=112,0,3276,2334&w=4000&h=2850","ZL-XcBEAAB4AMLeU",{"x":122,"y":16,"zoom":17,"background":18},{"image":172,"caption":11},{"dimensions":173,"alt":174,"copyright":11,"url":175,"id":176,"edit":177},{"width":8,"height":28},"A person with blonde hair look in wonder at a fighting installation","https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/f7ac5bfc-fb44-41fb-bf27-616fce9da544_Body_+Dublin+2022%2C+Science+Week%2C+Science+Foundation+Ireland+-+image+by+Naoise+Culhane+%2875%29.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=113,0,3274,2333&w=4000&h=2850","ZJ7JwBEAACAAvty2",{"x":178,"y":16,"zoom":17,"background":18},113,{},"image_carousel_block$a535462e-ae15-406d-9fef-d12c9eacf210",{"variation":62,"version":63,"items":182,"primary":183,"id":192,"slice_type":95,"slice_label":11},[],{"heading":184,"body":185},"The mission:",[186,189],{"type":56,"text":187,"spans":188,"direction":59},"We will drop our carbon emissions by 20% by the end of 2026 (based on 2024 levels). In 2024, our overall C02 equivalent was 166t, so we are aiming to find savings of 33.2tonnes (about 4.15 fully grown Tyrannosaurus Rex's). We will do this in a variety of ways from improving our waste monitoring and decreasing our mixed waste output to increasing our solar energy generation and investigating how we use that same energy in our shows. The new 2025 to 2026 Action Plan roadmaps the way and hopes to deliver us to this ambitious destination.",[],{"type":56,"text":190,"spans":191,"direction":59},"And a final thought, gleaned over the past few months; there is a tendency to be overwhelmed by the magnitude of the task at hand; protecting our planet for future generations. I’ve found that as a sector we inherently care about our impact, be that to create truly life affirming creative work, whilst also ensuring we are treading lightly and leaving only a sense of wonder as we go.",[],"text_block$7234d412-a63d-4a91-b167-3a1e5f9f8e41",[194],{"link":195,"label":11,"logo":196},{"link_type":75},{},[198],{"link":199,"label":11,"logo":201},{"link_type":200},"Any",{},[203,478],{"id":204,"postDate":205,"type":206,"uid":207,"author":208,"presentedBy":209,"authorLink":213,"slices5":220,"intro":412,"withRelatedNews":219,"title":424,"relatedNews":425,"primaryImage":443,"summary":454,"heroImage":455,"location":464,"partners":465,"newsTags":469},"Z7R2-RIAACEA3QsT","2025-02-18T00:00:00+0000","news","international-touring-environmental-responsibility","Rebecca Lee",[210],{"link":211,"label":11,"logo":212},{"link_type":75},{},{"id":214,"type":215,"tags":216,"lang":11,"slug":217,"first_publication_date":11,"last_publication_date":11,"link_type":41,"key":218,"isBroken":219},"ZJAiuhAAAGMcvpM7","broken_type",[],"-","37be2c35-bb0b-46c6-96a6-54371eee7f27",true,[221,255,294,369],{"variation":62,"version":63,"items":222,"primary":223,"id":254,"slice_type":95,"slice_label":11},[],{"heading":11,"body":224},[225,231,239,242,245,248,251],{"type":56,"text":226,"spans":227,"direction":59},"Here’s what Rebecca had to say about her experience on the project – and the questions it brought up.",[228],{"start":16,"end":229,"type":230},101,"strong",{"type":56,"text":232,"spans":233,"direction":59},"Participating in Julie's Bicycle International Touring and Environmental Responsibility (ITER) programme was a wonderful opportunity to learn alongside artists and art makers from across the sector, all at various stages of growth and working in a variety of landscapes.",[234],{"start":235,"end":236,"type":73,"data":237},17,32,{"link_type":75,"url":238,"target":77},"https://juliesbicycle.com/",{"type":56,"text":240,"spans":241,"direction":59},"The ITER programme offered me new insights, but also time to reflect on work at Walk the Plank and our own efforts around international touring and environmental responsibility.",[],{"type":56,"text":243,"spans":244,"direction":59},"I took part in the programme while delivering a variety of projects, including Midsummer Mystery, which saw us working in the Arctic Circle in the city of Bodo, Norway.",[],{"type":56,"text":246,"spans":247,"direction":59},"Procuring items and trying to deliver an outdoor spectacle in a remote location with limited access to the tools and equipment due to the differing costs in the UK and Norway was a huge challenge and just one of many. This raised numerous questions about how we work in the most sustainable way when facing the realities of working on an international scale.",[],{"type":56,"text":249,"spans":250,"direction":59},"How do we currently work? What changes need to be made? What are the realities? What are the challenges that are stopping us from making that positive change?",[],{"type":56,"text":252,"spans":253,"direction":59},"Walk the Plank is housed within Cobden Works, a place with a wonderful workshop that is constantly playing, making, building and testing. We have a strong sustainability policy; our team has received climate literacy training; and we are invested in creating art that is made with the climate crisis in mind. This is rarely an easy challenge, but one which we embrace readily.",[],"text_block$8235af27-8b58-4549-a1fa-2ab6f0645178",{"variation":62,"version":63,"items":256,"primary":292,"id":293,"slice_type":132,"slice_label":11},[257,264,271,277,286],{"image":258,"caption":11},{"dimensions":259,"alt":11,"copyright":11,"url":260,"id":261,"edit":262},{"width":8,"height":28},"https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/ZnmNe5bWFbowez2Y_midsummer_mystery_show_DAE_28.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=193,0,5614,4000&w=4000&h=2850","ZnmNe5bWFbowez2Y",{"x":263,"y":16,"zoom":17,"background":18},193,{"image":265,"caption":11},{"dimensions":266,"alt":11,"copyright":11,"url":267,"id":268,"edit":269},{"width":8,"height":28},"https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/Z7Sbr57c43Q3f66o_midsummer_forberedelser_DavidEngmo_Bod%C3%B82024-8-.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=127,0,3683,2624&w=4000&h=2850","Z7Sbr57c43Q3f66o",{"x":270,"y":16,"zoom":17,"background":18},127,{"image":272,"caption":11},{"dimensions":273,"alt":11,"copyright":11,"url":274,"id":275,"edit":276},{"width":8,"height":28},"https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/ZnRLTJm069VX17QE_midsummer_forberedelser_DavidEngmo_Bod%C3%B82024.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=193,0,5614,4000&w=4000&h=2850","ZnRLTJm069VX17QE",{"x":263,"y":16,"zoom":17,"background":18},{"image":278,"caption":11},{"dimensions":279,"alt":280,"copyright":281,"url":282,"id":283,"edit":284},{"width":8,"height":28},"A group of people standing under a wooden structure by the coast","Fredrik Stenbro, Bodø24","https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/ZnmN45bWFbowez22_MidsummerMysteryforestilling-45.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=96,0,2807,2000&w=4000&h=2850","ZnmN45bWFbowez22",{"x":285,"y":16,"zoom":17,"background":18},96,{"image":287,"caption":11},{"dimensions":288,"alt":11,"copyright":11,"url":289,"id":290,"edit":291},{"width":8,"height":28},"https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/Z7Sbop7c43Q3f66h_midsummer_forberedelser_DavidEngmo_Bod%C3%B82024-26-.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=193,0,5614,4000&w=4000&h=2850","Z7Sbop7c43Q3f66h",{"x":263,"y":16,"zoom":17,"background":18},{},"image_carousel_block$3631a7a4-43f0-476a-911e-8e965e4b665c",{"variation":62,"version":63,"items":295,"primary":296,"id":368,"slice_type":95,"slice_label":11},[],{"heading":297,"body":298},"Challenges, Realities and Questions to Ponder…",[299,303,306,309,312,315,318,321,324,327,330,333,336,339,342,356,359,362,365],{"type":300,"text":301,"spans":302,"direction":59},"list-item","Time",[],{"type":56,"text":304,"spans":305,"direction":59},"We are constantly working to (fairly) tight deadlines. Pre-pitch, have we taken the time and resources to have conversations with makers, technicians, and fabricators? Is the wealth of knowledge that these individuals have factored into the greenest means of working, fabricating, sourcing etc?",[],{"type":300,"text":307,"spans":308,"direction":59},"Resources",[],{"type":56,"text":310,"spans":311,"direction":59},"We had a big cleanout of the workshop and it highlighted the vast amounts of material we had hidden away. Ensuring our inventory is up to date and in good order takes time and labour that we do not always have. Ordering new is almost always quicker than sourcing pre-loved. How can we utilise what we already have, a little better? ",[],{"type":300,"text":313,"spans":314,"direction":59},"Sourcing Locally when Working Internationally",[],{"type":56,"text":316,"spans":317,"direction":59},"This was a massive learning curve off the back of working in Bodø. Project Producers and the Production Team had every intention of supporting local labour and materials, but the reality was that both were cheaper and more readily available in the UK. How do we find a better balance between our carbon footprint and financial viability?",[],{"type":300,"text":319,"spans":320,"direction":59},"Storage",[],{"type":56,"text":322,"spans":323,"direction":59},"Space is limited. We have large, beautiful spaces but they are also crammed full! How do we decide when a make has reached the end of its life, what is useful for the future, how we might repurpose it? We are creatives, everything is a possibility – but passing things on at the end of a gig can be heart-wrenching. Are we able to decide on a makes next life at point of conceptualisation and creation?",[],{"type":300,"text":325,"spans":326,"direction":59},"Repairing",[],{"type":56,"text":328,"spans":329,"direction":59},"Is a dying trade, and as it dies, buying new also becomes cheaper! Do we have the expertise to repair on our team? How do we value this skill, can we encourage it?",[],{"type":300,"text":331,"spans":332,"direction":59},"Green Riders ",[],{"type":56,"text":334,"spans":335,"direction":59},"Are documents with green clauses that remind the client of what we stand for, but also highlight our climate concerns and current way of managing our impact on the environment. They can be a powerful policy tool and in the current climate, some asks are almost normalised – for example, no bottled water. Others can be aspirational, something that reminds the client of our collective impact but also how we might manage it better together, for example, a joint responsibility for promoting sustainable travel options for audiences.",[],{"type":56,"text":337,"spans":338,"direction":59},"Julie’s Bicycle has a template that is freely available for adaptation, they also ask that organisations share their green riders with them for research and development of the sector. Walk the Plank’s production team has begun to build a Green Rider and hopes to bring it into action this year.",[],{"type":300,"text":340,"spans":341,"direction":59},"Resource Sharing",[],{"type":56,"text":343,"spans":344,"direction":59},"Does Walk the Plank have the capacity to lead on being Greater Manchester’s resource-sharing network? By this I mean a library of material – we have so much in our stores; by offering to others, we begin a cycle of reciprocity (hopefully!) Where we lend lights out and others offer a bit of leftover ply and others share their sewing machines. So that when makers across the region are looking for something, they know they can come to us – and even if we don’t have it, we might have a network of artists and companies who might be able to share. Again, it would take time and investment, but would be a wonderful thing to do. In the meantime take a look at Circular Arts Network's fantastic platform that has expanded to a West Yorkshire-specific site. ",[345,351],{"start":346,"end":347,"type":73,"data":348},659,680,{"link_type":75,"url":349,"target":350},"https://www.canarts.org.uk/","_blank",{"start":352,"end":353,"type":73,"data":354},693,701,{"link_type":75,"url":355,"target":350},"https://can.wearesail.org/",{"type":300,"text":357,"spans":358,"direction":59},"Committing to the Future",[],{"type":56,"text":360,"spans":361,"direction":59},"Does each gig make a commitment to a particular sustainability thing? The “just-one-thing” principle... It could be anything – e.g., there will be absolutely no polystyrene involved in the fabrication for this project… it could be bigger – we commit to a percentage of the project budget being invested in climate literacy for all volunteers in the parade.",[],{"type":56,"text":363,"spans":364,"direction":59},"The International Touring and Environmental Responsibility programme was a great learning journey. I have come out the other end with more questions than answers. Sustainability and climate justice are not easy topics to wrestle with, but the more we talk, the more we contemplate, the more we throw ideas out there and dare to fail, then the more hope there is for a better future. ",[],{"type":56,"text":366,"spans":367,"direction":59},"Talking of hope…",[],"text_block$a4490e04-3231-4ae2-a835-473128c820ec",{"variation":62,"version":63,"items":370,"primary":371,"id":411,"slice_type":95,"slice_label":11},[],{"heading":372,"body":373},"Knowledge is Power",[374,377,386,389,397,400,408],{"type":56,"text":375,"spans":376,"direction":59},"It really is. There are so many organisations doing amazing, inspiring things, but often the challenge is finding time to absorb the expanse of education there is. So here are just a select few easily digestible guides that come to mind, sharing hopeful and practical tips.",[],{"type":300,"text":378,"spans":379,"direction":59},"Framing Climate Justice",[380,383],{"start":16,"end":381,"type":382},23,"em",{"start":16,"end":381,"type":73,"data":384},{"link_type":75,"url":385,"target":350},"https://framingclimatejustice.org/",{"type":56,"text":387,"spans":388,"direction":59},"A 12-month community project that brought organisers from across the climate movement together. Their website offers clear and straightforward guidance on how we communicate about climate justice.",[],{"type":300,"text":390,"spans":391,"direction":59},"Creative Climate Justice",[392,394],{"start":16,"end":393,"type":382},24,{"start":16,"end":393,"type":73,"data":395},{"link_type":75,"url":396,"target":350},"chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https:/juliesbicycle.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Creative-Climate-Justice-Final.pdf",{"type":56,"text":398,"spans":399,"direction":59},"A guide by Julie’s Bicycle. It gives you cold hard facts, but also a good dose of hope. 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Walk the Plank’s approach is designed to use our expertise to draw out the passion of the town’s youth, in the shadow of the largest iron ore mine in Europe.   ",[],{"type":56,"text":612,"spans":613,"direction":59},"The legacy of our connections to the network of ECoC cities can be seen in projects like Creative Embassies. Fired up by his participation in the European Tandem programme, Ben Turner, Walk the Plank Salford Producer, advocated for our participation in an initiative that was all about continuing the legacy of the ECoC title in cities like Leeuwarden (ECoC 2018), Faro (bid city for ECoC 2027) and, Kaunas (ECoC 2022). We wanted Salford’s people to benefit from the enriched connections with Europe that the ECoC had given us, and so we nominated Cobden Works as a Creative Embassy, and have engineered projects to enable us to invite musicians and sound artists from Europe to work with us – despite the absence of the European funding which previously supported such work. We desire to meet other European artists and creative practitioners by working together, in spaces in Salford and Lithuania and the Netherlands and Portugal, placing the tools of our trade – making skills, languages, bodies and voices, imaginations, emotions – central to how we meet as Europeans. ",[614],{"start":615,"end":616,"type":73,"data":617},173,183,{"id":618,"type":46,"tags":619,"lang":48,"slug":620,"first_publication_date":621,"last_publication_date":622,"uid":620,"link_type":41,"isBroken":53},"ZJAVbRAAAGMcvnoU",[],"ben-turner","2023-06-19T08:45:57+0000","2025-05-07T10:01:21+0000",{"type":56,"text":624,"spans":625,"direction":59},"Dr Beatriz Garcia -  consultant, researcher and Chair of our Board - has led much of the research into the impact and value of the ECoC initiative – and found plenty of evidence that this model for culture-led regeneration offers a chance to change the narrative around a city’s image and identity, as well as offering economic, physical, social and broader creative impacts in the longer term. The chosen cities are rarely the capital city, so the ECoC can offer a radical redistribution of years of centralised investment as well as an important change in perception of the status of cities previously considered to be on the periphery.    ",[626],{"start":16,"end":235,"type":73,"data":627},{"id":628,"type":629,"tags":630,"lang":48,"slug":631,"first_publication_date":632,"last_publication_date":633,"uid":634,"link_type":41,"isBroken":53},"ZuwBgxYAACUAaPge","board",[],"dr.-beatriz-garcia","2024-09-19T10:48:37+0000","2024-09-19T10:48:49+0000","dr-beatriz-garcia",{"type":56,"text":597,"spans":636,"direction":59},[],"text_block$1c9a6c96-5f24-4cce-aedb-e36bc3202a2f",{"variation":62,"version":63,"items":639,"primary":673,"id":674,"slice_type":132,"slice_label":11},[640,649,658,666],{"image":641,"caption":648},{"dimensions":642,"alt":643,"copyright":11,"url":644,"id":645,"edit":646},{"width":8,"height":28},"A audience of tens of thousands gathered in the city centre watching a performance with fireworks going off at night ","https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/b000a756-b269-41a3-a7e8-24c4c10dccbc_Liverpool+08+European+Capital+of+Culture+Opening+Ceremony_+produced+by+Walk+the+Plank.+Image+c.+Liverpool+City+Council.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=1839,0,4591,3271&w=4000&h=2850","ZMPnuBAAACAANAf1",{"x":647,"y":16,"zoom":17,"background":18},1839,"Liverpool 2008, Richard Bagshaw",{"image":650,"caption":657},{"dimensions":651,"alt":652,"copyright":11,"url":653,"id":654,"edit":655},{"width":8,"height":28},"A giant fire drawing on stage burning with a light drawing of two ballons with two performers hanging from them","https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/d88b7a08-3ab0-4c92-8aed-d1ec2f7659ca_Turku_s+European+Capital+of+Culture++opening.+Created+by+Walk+the+Plank.JPG?auto=format,compress&rect=141,0,3975,2832&w=4000&h=2850","ZMPhpRAAACIAM-vO",{"x":656,"y":16,"zoom":17,"background":18},141,"Turku 2011, Turun Sanomat",{"image":659,"caption":551},{"dimensions":660,"alt":661,"copyright":541,"url":662,"id":663,"edit":664},{"width":8,"height":28},"A dance performers in front of a cloud ","https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/6efd6609-1092-442a-b9ce-4627c3df265e_DSL_1037.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=57,0,1658,1181&w=4000&h=2850","ZMPlIBAAAB8AM_w5",{"x":665,"y":16,"zoom":17,"background":18},57,{"image":667,"caption":672},{"dimensions":668,"alt":11,"copyright":11,"url":669,"id":670,"edit":671},{"width":8,"height":28},"https://images.prismic.io/walktheplank/ZnmNsZbWFbowez2r_MidsummerMysteryforestilling-19.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=96,0,2807,2000&w=4000&h=2850","ZnmNsZbWFbowez2r",{"x":285,"y":16,"zoom":17,"background":18},"Bodø 2024, David Engmo",{},"image_carousel_block$db92fdb2-5bc5-4f8f-ae8a-42764d440a83",{"variation":62,"version":63,"items":676,"primary":677,"id":703,"slice_type":95,"slice_label":11},[],{"heading":11,"body":678},[679,682,695],{"type":56,"text":680,"spans":681,"direction":59},"IETM (the International Network for Contemporary Performing Arts) is one of the largest of the European cultural networks, and we have been members for 10 years. We have been nourished by contact with European colleagues and, increasingly, colleagues from the global south within that network.  Any commitment to “the European project” requires us to advocate for it, interrogate it, and help to refashion it too… if we can rebuild the formal links with Europe that we used to have, as well as maintain the informal links we cherish and nurture.    ",[],{"type":56,"text":683,"spans":684,"direction":59},"A recent meeting facilitated by Culture Action Europe made me feel optimistic as we think about ways to offer young people here in Salford and Greater Manchester the chance to think of themselves, once more, as part of a global community, with a European identity. We will continue to explore how we might use the projects that we have – such as Manchester Day* and Salford 100 celebrations, to support any dialogue that builds bridges with our European neighbours. 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