First set up in 1970, World Earth Day (22 April) is a reminder to take care of the planet around us.
The theme of Earth Day 2026 is Our Planet, Our Power. Collective everyday action is encouraged to help protect ecosystems and advance solutions, to protect our planet and home.
We as a performing arts community can all help to support Earth Day and protect our planet. Whether it is through small changes to your routine such as taking a reusable water bottle to rehearsals or being an advocate for sustainable touring within a production you are working on, we at BAPAM encourage our community to think about how their actions can create a beneficial change for the planet and through that, the health of us all.
In this blog, BAPAM explores how environmental sustainability intersects with the performing arts, how climate anxiety can manifest, and some ways that those working in the performing arts sector in the UK are working to lessen their negative impact on the climate.
Sustainable Touring
Touring has a significant environmental impact, particularly through transport, accommodation, energy use, and reliance on single-use materials on the road. Travel between venues, especially by air and road, contributes to carbon emissions, while production and catering can generate waste.
Ways for performing arts professionals to reduce this impact include:
- Using reusable food containers and bottles
- Reducing single-use plastics
- Sharing equipment and resources where possible
- Planning travel and routes more efficiently and with colleagues
Touring also affects performers’ well-being on the road. Long periods away, irregular schedules, limited recovery time, and disrupted routines can take a toll on your health, and so personal sustainability should also be considered. This can be done through prioritising rest, maintaining regular sleep and nutrition where possible, and building in recovery time between performances.
Check out the Healthy Touring Checklist to learn more.
What the Industry is Doing for the Planet
Music Declares Emergency works across the music ecosystem, at grass roots shows and major festivals to shift access to climate activism into the mainstream. Performing arts organisations are working to be more sustainable. Theatre Green Book aims to make theatre more sustainable and working on blueprints to promote change. The ABTT has an excellent collection of resources on sustainability in live productions and backstage. And both Glyndebourne and the National Theatre have worked on initiatives to create dye gardens to create natural dyes for the costumes in their productions, with the National Theatre’s garden also open to the public as a space for calm, connection and creativity.
Climate Anxiety and the Performing Arts
Climate anxiety, defined by UNICEF as a “heightened emotional, mental, or physical distress in response to dangerous changes in the climate,” is increasingly being discussed in clinical and workshop settings with performers and creative professionals.
Within the performing arts, climate anxiety can manifest as worry about the future, uncertainty about career sustainability, or a sense of overwhelm in response to broader environmental change. While these feelings are understandable, it can help to approach them in a way that avoids becoming stuck in distress.
Many people find it helpful to focus on what is within their control:
- Maintaining supportive routines
- Staying connected with others
- Spending time in nature
- Making more sustainable choices in everyday life
Green spaces can offer a valuable reset for the nervous system, supporting regulation and perspective between auditions and practices. Likewise, talking to peers or accessing professional support when needed can also help maintain balance during periods of uncertainty.
Caring for ourselves and the planet can feel overwhelming. This Earth Day we encourage our community to think about places in their practice where they could encourage sustainability, while also understanding that climate anxiety could impact them. BAPAM is here to support the health and wellbeing of the performing arts sector. If you are taking time to think about sustainable practices this Earth Day, do consider how we can support you and the sustainability of your health and practice.
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Explore BAPAM’s Healthy Practice Training workshops for creative professionals to learn more.
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