About us
The Sustainable Theatre Network believes in the transformative power of theatre as a medium to create awareness and inspire action towards a more sustainable world. Together, we will pave the way for a future where theatre-making embraces ecological consciousness without compromising on artistic integrity.
The Sustainable Theatre Network was founded in 2022 by director Adam Marple after his production of “The Earth Turns,” featuring micro stories about climate change’s impact on everyday people, was commissioned for the UN COP27 Climate conference in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. This production not only conveyed ecological narratives but was also meant to be sustainably produced, showcasing solar-powered lighting, ethically sourced costumes, and recycled or upcycled goods. The aim was to leave a light carbon footprint while ensuring reproducibility and tourability.
During the creation of “The Earth Turns,” Adam faced the challenge of not knowing where to begin and relied heavily on trial and error to make crucial choices. While the journey was filled with creativity and determination, he encountered the need for valuable resources, guides, toolkits, and information. However, he also recognized that not everyone is aware of where to find such essential knowledge and how to effectively apply it. This realization led to the founding of The Sustainable Theatre Network, driven by the belief that sustainable theatre-making should be accessible to all.
Building on the success of COP27, and in preparation for COP28 in Dubai, The Sustainable Theatre Network aspires to expand on these transformative ideas. We seek like-minded partner institutions interested in exploring topics, themes, stories, and processes related to sustainability. The Sustainable Theatre Network is dedicated to addressing resource management and practices while creating sustainable models for theatre creation without compromising artistic value. Through this platform, we aim to bridge the gap between aspiring theatre-makers and the wealth of resources available. Our network is committed to sharing best practices, research, and successful productions, empowering artists worldwide to embrace sustainability in their creative processes.
Thanks to the support of The British Embassy Gulf Strategy Fund and The British Council Creative Commissions Fund, The Sustainable Theatre Network is an international partnership of theatre schools and organizations committed to researching, creating, codifying, and promoting less wasteful theatre practices worldwide. The Sustainable Theatre Network aims to be an Open Source/Creative Commons platform, dedicated to sharing best practices in sustainable theatre-making. It also offers a space for theatre schools and organizations within the network to share their own research and productions. This includes performances developed for COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, and those planned for COP28 in Dubai, UAE. Each theatrical work will reflect and address the specific issues and challenges of its location, employing locally available resources for solutions. These recordings will be hosted on the Sustainable Theatre website, showcasing the efficacy of the ecological practices employed.
Our project is designed to be adaptable to each partner school’s context, while benefiting from the knowledge and shared resources of a global initiative. We have also partnered with organizations that have been pioneers in sustainable theatre practices for the Professional Theatre sector but lacked the means to widely distribute their findings or adapt them for smaller theatre projects. These invaluable partners include The Theatre Greenbook (UK), The Broadway Theatre Alliance with The Sustainable Production Toolkit (USA), and International Green Theatre (Global).
We understand that sustainability in theatre goes beyond just a concept – it’s a philosophy that can be woven into every aspect of production, from script development to final performance. As we embark on this journey together, The Sustainable Theatre Network invites you to join us in fostering a sustainable future for theatre, where ecological consciousness meets artistic innovation. Together, we can cultivate a thriving community of environmentally conscious theatre-makers and inspire meaningful change on and off the stage.