Julie’s Bicycle is an exciting innovative groundbreaking organisation which is powering forward to encourage our music industry to do things differently. Read about their inspriation and dynamic work.

Be inspired and follow them.

Let’s all think about how we can make changes that need to happen today in our live tours, gigs, venues, and all areas of our work in the music industry.

ABOUT Julie’s Bicycle:

A pioneering non-profit, mobilising the arts and culture to take action on the climate and ecological crisis. 

In 2006, Alison (CEO of Julie’s Bicycle) got on her bike to meet some music industry friends at a restaurant called Julie’s. Over dinner, they dreamt up a future vision where festivals were powered by solar, flower-covered venues were off-grid, museums were community energy providers and artists were united as beacons for change. This vision became Julie’s Bicycle, and 14 years later, they are a thriving organisation serving the creative community.

Mission:

Julie’s Bicycle mobilises the arts and culture to act on the climate and ecological crisis.

Objectives:

JB supports the arts and culture to:

• Become net zero carbon and restore nature.
• Inspire public action on climate and ecology.
• Champion environmental justice and fairness.

The music industry founded JB in 2007 to steward action on climate change and to utilise its exceptional influence and reach through campaigns and commitments.

Now, a large and ever-growing community of musicians, labels, festivals, and organisers are committed to climate and environmental action.

JB’s Music Programme is delivered through events, resources, and bespoke programmes, created in collaboration with music industry partners, through the lens of climate justice. Designed to enable rapid decarbonisation and to unite the sector as a powerful voice in the climate challenge.

About Music Festivals and Culture Sector:

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Globally the visual arts – including galleries and their visitors – account for some 70 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, according to an estimate by Julie’s Bicycle. However, since Covid, many UK galleries and museums have started promoting environmental messages.

For example, in 2019 the Hepworth Wakefield art gallery started transforming vacant land into a new public garden.

And two years ago, the Tate galleries declared a climate emergency and pledged to cut their carbon footprint by 10% by 2023. That target has already been reached, says Tate Modern director Francis Morris, adding that the cut should be considered alongside a previous 40% reduction since 2007.

But how can art and culture help the environment? 

Alison Tickell says that we must pay attention to how we’re damaging the planet, and she thinks artists can help communicate that message in powerful ways.

“No amount of data, science, or technology can ever make us feel the world in the same way as art can,” she told Insider. “Art and culture have a huge role to play in breathing life into climate issues and to inspire people to take action.”  – Alison Tickell

Because artists offer culturally specific perspectives and are embedded within their communities, such as through libraries, galleries, or theatres, they’re well-positioned to drive local action on climate change. Public art, for example, gives people a way to engage with their environments. 

Read more about Julie’s Bicycle and the work they are doing: https://juliesbicycle.com/