Greenstage

Launched in 2021 under the title "European Networks", the NRW KULTURsekretariat, together with four NRW partner cities and the Wuppertal Institute, developed an EU project on culture and environmental sustainability last year and gained European partner cities and regions for the project.

The performing arts are of particular importance in this context. In view of the pressing problems, it is important to build up knowledge for action as quickly as possible and to initiate a transfer of knowledge at European level. A "Creative Europe" application entitled "Greenstage" was submitted at the beginning of 2023 and was approved in summer 2023.

The project aims to enable the performing arts sector, in collaboration with the associated municipalities, to implement environmental sustainability in their practice in a timely and effective manner in response to urgent environmental challenges, with a particular focus on "Circular Stage Design".

To achieve this goal, "Greenstage" is developing a tool that enables theatre staff to introduce practical and low-threshold changes in the area of sustainability.

In addition, Greenstage is developing the Zero Waste Toolbox, which offers a practical way through the jungle of existing guidelines. During various zero waste labs, two zero waste productions, a festival and a material flow plan are developed.

All findings will be made available on a "Greenstage" platform in the future.

As a special feature, the project involves policy makers from the very beginning and conducts local and transnational policy meetings to identify pressing issues, define policy measures and develop a set of policy recommendations. At the local level, these recommendations will be concrete and actionable, while at the transnational level they will lead to the "Greenstage" declaration.

The NRWKS, initiator and coordinator of the application, will provide support as an associated partner by taking on the dissemination, mediation and communication tasks in NRW and internationally.