Three weeks ago, we had the pleasure of welcoming Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Minister Kerry McCarthy, to the Unicorn Theatre.
It was an inspiring morning of conversation around the vital role the arts and culture sector plays in driving societal change in response to the climate crisis — and the power of networks to amplify and support that change across the industry.
Theatre Green Book co-founders Paddy Dillon and Lisa Burger, along with Producer Laura Sedgwick, shared the origins and growing impact of the Theatre Green Book — as a practical and ambitious framework that continues to guide greener theatre-making and build connections across the UK and internationally.
Minister McCarthy also heard from Unicorn Artistic Director Rachel Bagshaw and Technical and Production Director Ria Tubman, who spoke about the Unicorn’s impressive journey towards sustainability — and gave the Minister a tour of the venue to see their work in action.
We were also joined by Kate John, Head of Workshops at the National Theatre, and Paul Jozefowski, Head of Building Design and Environmental Sustainability at the NT, who brought their wealth of experience, from pioneering sustainable materials to the challenges of greening building operations.
It was fantastic to hear the Minister’s reflections on the cultural sector and her enthusiasm for the progress being made. We had rich discussions about how this momentum can be built upon as we work together toward a net zero future — not just in theatre, but across society as a whole.