Stage Design

Julie’s Bicycle Releases New Sustainable Production Guide at Sold out Event

JBsustainingcreativity.102840Julie’s Bicycle on Tuesday launched its new Sustainable Production Guide at the first of their autumn events on Sustainable Design in the Arts to 50 arts professionals.

Speakers Donyale Werle, Tanja Beer and Sam Collins led the debate on the role designers and production managers can play in making arts practice more environmentally sustainable. Hosted by the Young Vic, the panel addressed an audience of London and UK based arts professionals from across theatre, opera, visual arts, dance and education.

After her success at World Stage Design 2013, Donyale Werle spoke about her experiences designing and constructing shows sustainably on Broadway, and the need to the normalise sustainable practices and work with current networks and suppliers to create change. Tanja Beer presented her research into eco-design principles and went on to explain her “Living Theatre” project as an example of how work can be designed to engage and enrich audiences, and leave a positive environmental and social legacy.

Sam Collins offered a different perspective, highlighting the potential for sustainably-designed artwork to create the context for honest and open discussions about waste and carbon emissions within the industry, particularly with regards to touring shows. He used the striking example of adding a GPS device to packing crates transporting Cape Farewell’s U-n-f-o-l-d exhibition to track their journey around the world. This was followed by a 50 minute discussion with the audience covering topics of new materials, the use of toxic treatments and contending with fire regulations, waste management, and the role of artistic vision in driving the cultural shift towards a more environmentally sustainable arts sector.

The event also included the launch of Julie’s Bicycle’s new Sustainable Production Guide. Available from today for free download the guide has been developed with a community of production professionals, and offers comprehensive guidance on how to make theatre more sustainable at every stage in the production process.

The guide is available for free download at:
www.juliesbicycle.com/resources/practical-guides/production

Arts Manager Sholeh Johnston said, “The Sustainable Production Guide is the result of a collective effort within the theatre industry to understand and improve the environmental sustainability of production. It showcases best practice developed to date, links to key resources, and provides practical actions for directors, production managers, set designers and builders, costume makers, cast, marketeers and others involved with making great art happen. The guide is both a distillation of Julie’s Bicycle’s research to date, and an invitation to join an exciting community of practitioners pioneering new ways of working in line with environmental, economic, and technological drivers. We want to keep the conversation going, and continue to shout about the fantastic work being developed.”

Download the Guide here: Sustainable-Production-Guide-Final-2013

People, Profit, Planet – Sustainability Programme at WSD2013

Kampa-Dance640-x-266

Exploring Sustainability in Creative Practice

Theatre is a process of reinvention, making and remaking. How do we consider the resources that go into bringing something to the stage? What is our responsibility to materials and energy? How do we create efficient spaces that house performance? How do we talk about this, both as artists and in our art? These questions are the focus for the Sustainability Programme at World Stage Design 2013. Join designers, architects, researchers and others who are focused on the intersection of sustainability and performance as we explore the future of our field as it relates to one of most vital issues of today.

You can view the full programme and book online for some events here.  More events will be added throughout the summer, so keep checking the website.

The People, Profit, Planet programme is supported by the Waterloo Foundation.

Who should attend?

These workshops and presentations are for anyone interested in considering the issues of sustainability within their work. Curious about how reused and eco-materials impact design and construction? Or the future of new energy efficient lighting technology? Intrigued by new work that explores issues of social justice and the environment? Interested in tools and best practices to monitor the carbon footprint of your facility or productions? Perplexed by how these tie together? Join us for a cross section of programming that highlights performances, place and interconnectedness in the wider world.

Sustainability Offerings at WSD2103


Thurs, Sept 5


Fri, Sept 6


Sun, Sept 8


Mon, Sept 9


Tues, Sept 10


Wed, Sept 11


Thurs, Sept 12


Fri, Sept 13


Sat, Sept 14


People, Profit, Planet – group leader
Ian Garrett - Assistant Professor, York University, Canada

Trans – Plantable Living Room at WSD2013

TANJA-BEERonline_livingroom_guyAn edible stage will provide the unique space for this performance, which will explore our relationship to gardening in the age of ecological uncertainty and our broad relationship to nature. You will be invited to plant a seedling, contributing to the space in your own personal way.

The event will unify a temporary, site-specific edible garden with local gardening communities via performance.

Outside of the performance, the space will function as a discursive, enjoyable sitting area and installation which can be enjoyed by the public.

Open to all.

This performance has travelled to World Stage Design 2013 from Australia, the USA, Canada and the UK.

This performance will take place on the college grounds.
Tickets are free but limited in numbers.
Please follow the links below to pre book your free tickets.

FRI 13 SEPT 13.30 BOOK TICKETS
FRI 13 SEPT 18.30 BOOK TICKETS
SAT 14 SEPT 13.30 BOOK TICKETS
SAT 14 SEPT 18.30 BOOK TICKETS

Investigating the Aesthetics of Ecological Design and Eco-scenography with Dr Wallace Heim and Tanja Beer at WSD2013

Sustainability-Tanja-Beerweb1Thurs 12 Sept 16.30 – 18.00

The Willow Theatre

What are the aesthetics of sustainable design? New ways are needed of appreciating ecologically valid design that can incorporate the artistic dimensions with the material effects. This presentation will explore the application of ecological design in the Performing Arts as it creates new sensibilities, new dramaturgies and new forms of experience throughout a range of theatre productions. These aesthetics expand on existing design critiques and offer ways to consider the relations between the content of what is performed to the ecological and artistic dimensions of stage design. Starting with a philosophical perspective, this session will talk through examples with focus on the emerging paradigm of ‘eco-scenography’ – a movement that seeks to integrate ecological principles into all stages of scenographic thinking and production. Taking a holistic approach to materials and resources, this approach asks “can we create designs that enrich our environment and community, as well as our audience?”

The presentation includes a live and interactive showing of Tanja Beer’s “STRUNG”, an eco-scenographic investigation that merges the boundaries between performer and designer, installation and costume, site and material.

Open to all.

Price: £6

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Key contributors

Dr Wallace Heim - http://www.wallaceheim.com

Tanja Beer - http://www.tanjabeer.com/

Sustainability at World Stage Design with Ian Garrett

logo-colorSMLWed 11 Sept 16.30 – 18.00

The Willow Theatre

Ian Garrett, Sustainability Programme Coordinator, Assistant Professor of Ecological Design for Performance (York University, Toronto) and Co-Director of the Centre for Sustainable Practice in the Arts and World Stage Design 2013 Programme Assistant Kevin Smith to discuss how sustainability is being addressed at World Stage Design.

Open to all.

Price: £6

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Key contributors

Ian Garrett - Co-Director CSPA, Assistant Professor of Ecological Design for Performance, York University.

Links:
https://www.sustainablepractice.org

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car Challenge with Arcola Theatre at WSD2013

Arcola

Tues 10 Sept 16.30 – 18.00

Rowe Beddoe Theatre

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Based on Arcola’s creative science education workshops World Stage Design 2013 brings you an engineering and design challenge – how far can your Lego car go on a limited amount of hydrogen?  Using customised designed Lego kits and hydrogen fuel cells, this session looks at efficient design and low-carbon alternatives.

Key contributors

Arcola Theatre http://www.arcolatheatre.com

Feimatta Conteh

Dr. Ben Todd

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car Challenge with Arcola Theatre « World Stage Design 2013 World Stage Design 2013.

Designing a Sustainable Theatre Ecology with Ben Twist and Harry Giles at WSD2013

Sustainability-Harry-GileswebMon 9 Sept 16.30 – 18.00

The Willow Theatre

We’re learning how to design shows, stages and buildings for sustainability – but what about our networks? How can we design festivals, conferences, action groups, federations – all of art’s ecosystems – for social change and sustainability? We’ll discuss what it might take to change a community, a sector and a world – and how art’s unique power to infect and inspire can and must be a vital driver of change.

Price: £6

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Key contributors

Ben Twist - http://www.creativecarbonscotland.com

Harry Giles - http://www.edinburghfestivals.co.uk

Designing a Sustainable Theatre Ecology with Ben Twist and Harry Giles « World Stage Design 2013 World Stage Design 2013.

Environmental Management Approaches in the Theatre – from Life-Cycle-Analysis to Reporting with Dr. Annett Baumast at WSD2013

Mon 9 Sept 14.30 – 16.00

The Willow Theatre

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In this seminar, we will have a closer look behind the scenes of a theatre with a strong focus on an environmental management approach. Life-cycle-analyses are one of the major topics, including background information and practical examples of their application in theatres. Doing (environmentally) good in a theatre is important but it helps (the theatre world) even more to talk about it!

Environmental reporting being the tool of choice, we will scrutinize it for application in a theatre environment.

Open to all.

Price: £6

Key contributors

Dr. Annett Baumast

http://www.kultur-und-nachhaltigkeit.ch

http://twitter.com/kultur_nachhalt

Environmental Management Approaches in the Theatre – from Life-Cycle-Analysis to Reporting with Dr. Annett Baumast « World Stage Design 2013 World Stage Design 2013.

New Ideas Need Old Buildings: Adaptive Reuse and the Performing Arts at WSD2013

old-bldgs_PBH-lobby1Tues 10 Sept 16.30 – 18.00

The Willow Theatre

The appropriation of old buildings for the arts has produced some of the most inspiring and dynamic spaces for live performance in the world.  From Bochum to Brooklyn, old buildings have proven that they make ideal spaces for theatrical innovation. Adaptive reuse has also been recognized as a key component of sustainable development and green building. In this session, we’ll bring together three of the world’s foremost practitioners in adaptive reuse for live performance for a far-reaching discussion about this complex phenomenon.

Who should attend?

Open to all: especially directors, designers and architects.

Price: £6

BUY TICKETS

Key contributors

Katie Oman Moderator –Senior Consultant, Arts Consulting Group.

Jean-Guy Lecat - Director, Studio JGLecat.

Andy Hayles – Managing Partner, Charcoalblue

Jean Nicholson – General Manager, Birmingham Opera Company

New Ideas Need Old Buildings: Adaptive Reuse and the Performing Arts « World Stage Design 2013 World Stage Design 2013.

Sustainable Theatre Competition Winner Presentations at WSD2013

Sun 8 Sept 16.30 – 18.00

The Willow Theatre

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The Sustainable Theatre competition winner will showcase their winning designs.

World Stage Design 2013 opened up a unique opportunity to design a temporal alternative sustainable theatre. The competition was open to professionals and emerging practitioners from across all related disciplines and received over 100 entries from 26 countries.

The Willow Theatre, designed by architect Tim Lai and theatre designer Brad Steinmetz, both of Columbus, Ohio, USA was voted as the winning design and has been built for the event.

Ian Evans, WSD2013’s technical director and a senior lecturer at RWCMD, said: “The design brief was a tough one. We asked for a venue that was eco-conscious, could seat up to 150 people, host a variety of events and be self-built, all for an outlay of less than £20,000. Yet the response has been magnificent, many using highly original approaches and suggesting a wide variety of materials, including hay bales, cardboard boxes and packing crates. The entry from Brad and Tim was everyone’s favourite, though, because as well as meeting the technical brief, it is going to look and feel very interesting – an innovative blueprint that can be copied for other settings.”

The building’s strength will come from hired and returnable industrial scaffolding while the decorative fronds and interior walls will be made from UK-produced horticultural fleece, a re-usable material which can also be recycled to make more of the same fabric.

Internal fittings, including the floor and wooden seating will also be re-usable, recyclable and/or reclaimed and the roof will be retractable to take advantage of natural light and ventilation.

Volunteers will build the temporary venue in time for a full programme of events which will see a series of talks, workshops, debates and shows exploring environmental sustainability and the arts.  The programme is titled People, Profit, Planet and you can read about it in full here.

You can follow the build of the theatre with the live webcam here.