"The key to our thinking was to consider content, form, and methodology, with an initial focus on reduction and reuse, rather than recycle"

25 June 2021

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"In July 2019 Tate Directors declared a climate emergency. In this context we asked ourselves what our programme would look like if we placed sustainability at the core of what we do, what would and could our programme look like if we focused on reducing our carbon footprint, and how would this be achieved. In this review, the key to our thinking was to consider content, form, and methodology, with an initial focus on reduction and reuse, rather than recycle.

We want to build a carbon budget for each of our projects to calculate each exhibition's carbon impact. We are starting to work with shipping agents so when we receive financial estimates, we also receive estimates of the associated carbon emissions."

Rachel Kent, Head of International Touring Exhibitions, Tate Modern, London, and panelist at CIMAM's online session Sustainability and Environmental Change in Museum Practice.

Sustainability and Environmental Change in Museum Practice

The workshop took place on Thursday 25 March 2021.

  • Desirée Blomberg, Manager, Exhibition Coordination & Loans, Moderna Museet, Stockholm.
  • Jeremy Deller, Artist, London.
  • Rachel Kent, Head of International Touring Exhibitions, Tate Modern, London.
  • Caitlin Southwick, Director of Ki Culture, Secretary of ICOM Sustainability Group, and CEO and Founder of Sustainability in Conservation, London.

Moderated by Rhana Devenport, Director, Art Gallery of Southern Australia.

Hosted by CIMAM’s Sustainability and Ecology Working Group, this workshop provides an opportunity to hear from, and ask questions of, colleagues and allies who are championing new and innovative ways of responding to climate and ecological emergencies.

Relevant to both individuals and institutions working in the contemporary art museum sector the session aims to share best practices and foster collaboration across our community.

Watch the workshop recording at CIMAM's only member section.


About CIMAM’s Rapid Response Webinars

Started in 2020, CIMAM has taken the new virtual scenario as an opportunity to launch a series of online activities exclusively for our community to, now more than ever, reinforce the sense of connectivity through online meetings in a peer to peer environment to share, learn, and be inspired by the experiences of other CIMAM professionals.

For 2021, we have prepared a series of online sessions that will take place, nearly every month of the year. The next ones are:

  • Thursday 2 September: Webinar hosted by CIMAM Conference Contents Committee: Museums in Eastern Europe Under Pressure?
  • Thursday 30 September: Webinar hosted by the CIMAM working group on Sustainability and Ecology in Museum Practice.

More webinars to be announced soon.