Background
acta Community Theatre is an arts charity based at the acta centre in Bristol, working with diverse communities to help people create and produce their own original theatre. We have a core team of 7, with around 10 additional freelance workers each year. We engage over 500 community performers of all ages, most of whom have never performed before, and 3000 audience members, most of whom are not regular theatre-goers.
acta works in partnership with local people and communities, using theatre and the arts to improves lives and communities. Developing pride of place is a key element of our work, and looking after and improving the environment is therefore a key motivation for the organisation.
The organisation has always had a strong commitment to caring for the environment, but this written policy statement and action plan has been developed in response to Arts Council England NPO guidelines, working with Julie’s Bicycle.
Impact
Most of our programme is delivered from the acta centre building, which alongside staff travel to other community venues across the City, accounts for our main environmental impacts / carbon footprint; particularly gas and electricity use, water and waste.Ambition
Wherever is reasonably practical (and financially viable), acta will work towards using low or zero carbon energy sources, including encouraging staff and visitors to acta centre not to use cars; using recycled materials for productions; keeping waste to landfill as low as possible i.e. recycling systems in place.
As a minimum, we will ensure compliance with environmental legislation, but we will always aim to do more than our legal obligation, and to continuously improve.
We are particularly committed to improving our local environment and communicating with local people about how we can raise awareness, develop understanding and work together to make improvements e.g. community garden. We will raise awareness & understanding of our environmental commitments through clear communications with staff and users of the building.
In Summer 16, we completed our long-standing ambition to install solar panels on the actacentre roof, a key environmental priority for the organisation.
We will continue to work with FOSSP to develop the community garden and local park.
We will keep our commitment to using local suppliers.
Review
Oliver Jones, Director, will provide regular reports to the acta Council of Management on progress.
