GCC Conference 2021: Decarbonising the Art World

A full recording of the GCC Conference 2021: Decarbonising the Art World, that took place at the Barbican Centre in London on 24th November.

In the first panel discussion, GCC Co-Founder Louisa Buck speaks with artists Fiona Banner and Haroon Mirza, cultural historian and inaugural director of V&A East, Gus Casely-Hayford, Curator and Strategic Consultant for Ecology at the Serpentine, Lucia Pietriosti, and Frontline Conservation Specialist and Co-Founder of Synchronicity Earth & Flourishing Diversity, Jessica Sweidan about the value of collaboration, the potential for art to inspire social and ecological change, and the art world’s responsibility - or not - to address such issues as the impacts of capitalism and colonialism, the climate crisis, and social injustice.

An array of speakers from across the industry joined us for the second talk on ‘Taking Action’. Moderated by Sara Kassam, V&A Sustainability Lead, the panel features GCC’s Environmental Advisor, Danny Chivers, Director of Nottingham Contemporary, Sam Thorne, GCC Co-Founder and Gallerist, Kate MacGarry, and Sustainable Conservation and Restoration Specialist, Kim Kraczon. The contributors, who have hands-on-experience of environmental action, discuss the practical measures the art world can take to improve sustainability and lower our collective carbon footprint, based on GCC research and data.

Artist and poet Ben Okri closed off the conference with a reading of passion and urgency.