Build back better? Music and climate change in 2021

As live music begins to slowly recover from the pandemic, there’s an important topic on the agenda: how can we revive our industry, but in a more sustainable way? The music sector – like every other – must undergo a swift transformation in the coming decades to lower its carbon footprint and wider environmental impact, but in a way that protects and creates jobs. Groups like Vision:2025, ecolibrium, A Greener Festival, Live Nation’s new Green Nation Touring Programme, and the Clean Scene Collective (focused on dance music and DJs) are all making progress on the environmental impact of touring, festivals and live shows. But with touring set to get underway again this summer, and with fans snapping up tickets for festivals and gigs, there’s a risk that the industry’s carbon emissions could rebound to a higher level than they were before the pandemic.

So can music ‘build back better’ in 2021?

Join the School of Music and Sound for a lively panel debate, exploring new models for touring, innovations for festivals, and emerging initiatives that seek to support sustainability and provoke systemic change.

*** Joining details will be emailed to attendee list before the event ***

Host:

Lucy Squire (Head of Music & Sound – University of South Wales)

Panellists:

Chris Johnson – Shambala Festival

Adam Corner – Climate//Communication//Culture

Caroline Archer – Tramshed//Neighbourhood Kitchen & Bedrooms

Pauline Bourdon – Soliphilia (Green Touring & Sustainability)

Build Back Better: Music and climate change in 2021 is part of Tomorrow Matters, a University of South Wales’s series of events focused on key issues and global challenges facing different areas of society.

Biogs:

Chris Johnson

Chris is co-founder, Operations Director and Sustainability Lead of pioneering festival Shambala, Chair of the UK’s outdoor event industry environmental steering group, Vision:2025, co-founding member of the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), co-founder and CEO of live industry sustainable travel charity ecolibrium, sustainability consultant, columnist, speaker, and activist. He is driven by climate advocacy and combines a depth of experience and fierce optimism to lead and support climate action.

Adam Corner

Adam is a writer and researcher, specialising in climate change communication and culture/climate collaborations. During roles at Cardiff University, as Research Director at Climate Outreach, and as one of the founding Directors of the Centre for Climate Change & Social Transformations (CAST), Adam has played a central role in building and communicating the research base on public engagement with climate change. Publishing comment and analysis in international media such as the Guardian, New Scientist, and the New York Times, Adam’s writing has also focused on music, culture and climate change, with features in Crack Magazine, and The Face. Now working independently, and operating as Climate//Communication//Culture, Adam is applying his communication and engagement expertise to the transitions now underway in music and culture. His recent Guardian feature asks whether the music industry’s recovery from Covid 19 can be green. www.adamcorner.uk

Pauline Bourdon

Throughout her 12-year career in live events, sustainability has always been a core part of Pauline’s work ethos. Bitten by the sustainability bug during her first internship as a sustainability manager in 2012 in her home country of France, she hasn’t looked back since. In 2021, she launched Soliphilia, a Green Touring and Sustainability consultancy for the music industry, dedicated to artists. Soliphilia aims to help agents and managers to create green standards for their rosters and empower artists to make a positive social and environmental impact in their careers. Alongside working as a Sustainability & Social Cohesion Coordinator at Team Love in Bristol, on Love Saves The Day and Breaking Bread festivals, Pauline also lecturers in Higher Education.

Caroline Archer

Caroline started her career in music running club nights in Cardiff before launching Splott Warehouse in 2014. She programmed and managed the warehouse for three years before moving on to the General Manager role at Tramshed – a 1000 capacity multi use event space in the heart of Grangetown & home to the University of South Wales Immersed Festival. Caroline also owns Neighbourhood Kitchen & Bedrooms, a restaurant/B&B with a rotating street food offering. Neighbourhood’s goal is to create a community space with local and sustainable food and drink offering.

Resources

‘Time to shake things up’: music industry confronts climate crisis as gigs resume Adam Corner for the Guardian 27/04/21

The School of Music & Sound is based within the Faculty of Creative Industries at the University of South Wales.