Since its 2015 World Live Performance Conference in Dublin, FIA has committed to give live performance unions a prominent role within the federation and to create regular opportunities for them to meet and exchange ideas. The FIA Live Performance Webinars are and expression of this commitment.
Conceived in the context of the COVID 19 pandemic, the FIA Live Performance Webinars aim to delve into issues specific to the live performance sector or broader issues, but from the perspective of the live performance sector. Following three webinars devoted to the pandemic and its impact on performers working on live shows, the latest edition, which took place on 30 November 2023, focused on Green Production.
This two-hour webinar looked at how the live performance sector could actively contribute to the battle against global warming, and at the role that performers’ unions could play in finding a solution to the climate crisis.
The webinar gave the floor to six great panellists – Isabel Amian, General Secretary of SSRS, Switzerland; Ian Garrett, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Practice in the Arts, Canada; Devon Hardy, Program Director, Centre for Sustainable Practice in the Arts, Canada; Karrim Jalali, Industrial Official for Equity, UK; Krstine Karåla Øren, President of NoDa, Norway and Sandro Santoro, Project Manager at Les Bonnes Pratiques, Switzerland – and was moderated by Simon Norrthon, Vice-President of FIA, and President of Scen & Film, the Swedish union for performing arts and film.
The event kicked off with a presentation of Creative Green Tools Canada by Ian Garrett and Devon Hardy. Built on Julie’s Bicycle Creative Tools, Creative Green Tools Canada are a free set of carbon calculation and reporting tools that allow organisations in the arts and culture sector to record, measure and understand the impacts of their venues, offices, tours, productions, festivals and more. Ian and Devon gave details about some of the key features of these tools and how they can improve the carbon footprint of cultural organisations.
The panellists then discussed about how their unions have worked to become more sustainable, mentioning among other initiatives the green guidelines adopted by NoDa and Equity’s shift to a fossil free pension fund. They then reported on some initiatives undertaken with the employers on the issue. Sandro presented Les Bonnes Pratiques, a joint project by the Association des Compagnies Vaudoises and the Syndicat Suisse Romand du Spectacle which aims to raise awareness of issues relating to working conditions and sustainability within the professional cultural practice through a non-binding self-assessment process. Kristine mentioned Grønt veikart (green roadmap), a roadmap created with the employers on how to make the sector greener. Finally, Karrim introduced the Theatre Green Book and the work done by the Equity for a Green New Deal Network.
The webinar ended with a final round of comments on the influence played by members in shaping union policy on the issue of green production, and the responsibility of performers’ unions in this fight. To illustrate the involvement of members on the issue, Kristine gave the floor to two NoDa members – Maja Roel and Maria Lothe – who campaigned for the adoption by the union of a resolution calling for an immediate halt to all new oil exploration on the Norwegian continental shelf.
You can (re)watch this webinar on our YouTube channel.
As a follow up to this webinar, the FIA Secretariat would like to create an Advisory Working Group on Live Performance. In addition to discussing the challenges specific to live performance, this group will help select topics for future Live Performance Webinars and guide and advise the Secretariat in the organisation of the next FIA Live Performance Conference. If you are interest in joining this group, please inform the FIA Secretariat.
