OUR ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND ACTION PLAN

In 2023 Artica began the process of researching, developing, and implementing an environmental policy and action plan.

There is a lot of ground to make up, but as an organisation based in the Arctic we are fully committed to being responsible and to sharing knowledge of successful changes others might also find helpful.

To structure our efforts we are a founding member of NAARCA (the Nordic Alliance of Artists' Residencies on Climate Action). To steer our policy and action plan we are also a member of the Gallery Climate Coalition, who offer access to practical guidance, research and advice,  as well as a fantastic user friendly Carbon Calculator tool.

This is an ongoing journey that won’t happen overnight, but we are committed to do and be better.

OUR ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY STATEMENT


The world is facing a series of linked environmental crises. In October 2022, the UN warned that the world’s governments are not yet on track to keep global heating below 1.5 degrees, and the window for action is rapidly closing. On Svalbard, where Artica is based, we witness warming six times faster than the global average - retreating glaciers, decreased snow cover, disappearing sea ice, winter avalanches and summer landslides caused by extreme precipitation. No part of Svalbard is immune to the climate crises.

The art world has an important role to play. Arts organisations and Residency programmes – particularly in the Global North – have a disproportionately large impact on the environment, mainly due to a great deal of international travel, arts shipping, and high use of energy and materials. We need to act urgently to reduce these impacts in line with what science is telling us.

As arts organisations, we also have an opportunity to use our public platform and cultural influence to set a positive example, encouraging and supporting others to take action and helping shift the public debate.

At Artica Svalbard, our values are to be Supportive, Creative, Sustainable. Working with Svalbard’s natural cycle from the midnight sun to the polar night, we place great emphasis on deep thinking around some of the most pressing issues of our time. We encourage and facilitate artistic and cultural activities and support the development of Norwegian and international art and culture.

To be true to these values we need to take urgent environmental action, because our community and the residents (artists, writers, researchers), audience and network we serve, are threatened by the climate crisis. 

As an organisation, we know that our main direct environmental impacts include the residents’ flights to/from Svalbard and the energy use in our buildings (studio, workshop and apartments).

We have committed to tackling these impacts by:

  • Joining the Gallery Climate Coalition and pledging to at least halve our carbon emissions by 2030, from a 2022 baseline (Total carbon: 44.4 tCO2e)

  • Regularly calculating the carbon footprint of our operations, to track progress towards this target.

  • Work with local authorities to be ready for Longyearbyen’s energy transition from coal and diesel power to renewables.

  • Setting specific targets for the major parts of our footprint, including:

    • Working with the residents to plan for longer stays in Longyearbyen (minimum 6 weeks).

    • Making sure our residents and community are aware of Longyearbyen’s environmental policy, recycling, and reuse projects.

    • Ensuring all our packing materials are reusable or recyclable by 2026, as a step towards zero-waste operations by 2030.

    • Working with the print-based artists to reduce studio waste and build towards changing all materials and inks to eco-friendly versions.

The actions we are taking to meet these targets include:

  • Reviewing our funding to allow for residents to stay longer. The journey to Svalbard can only be done by plane therefore we ask that each resident stays for a minimum of 6 weeks.

  • Reviewing our funding so that we can begin a Strategic Climate Fund, rather than purchasing carbon offsets. Following guidance from the Gallery Climate Coalition, this money will be spent on measures to accelerate our emissions reductions, and support frontline climate solutions around the world that are making a difference right now.

  • Working with the residents and community to provide opportunities for collaboration and exchange of knowledge and skills that benefit all. 

  • Reviewing our staff and board travel policies and practices and planning our attendance at international events to reduce the need for air travel.

  • Carrying out an energy audit of our buildings to find opportunities for energy reduction and renewable generation. This will be in line with the broader city-wide energy transition.

  • Researching, collaborating, and sharing knowledge with other residencies on practical infrastructure changes that have been successful. The NAARCA project is a part of this on-going work and you can read more about it here.


We have set these targets and are taking actions in the knowledge that we aren’t yet doing everything right. We still have a great deal to do and much to learn. We welcome feedback from our residents, community, audience and network on this environmental statement, our targets, and on our plans for action. Please get in touch info@articasvalbard.no

Images above: Vallåkrabreen glacier in May 2023 and the sea ice and walrus in Isfjorden May 2023