In Flamenco Agency, our vision is to elevate and place Flamenco within the highest category of the performing arts. We are not only masters of artistic expression. Apart from promoting artists, shows and knowledge on the art of flamenco at an international level, we are also increasingly becoming masters in environmental sustainability.
As a result of our commitment to the performing arts, we do not only share a consortium and concerted actions with the International Society for the Performing Arts (ISPA), the Association of Asia Pacific Performing Arts Centres (AAPPAC), IETM and the most prestigious festivals of the European Festivals Association (EFA), but we also collaborate and commit with European Festivals Forest, a specifically environmental concerned organization.
The climate crisis poses a significant threat to our planet, necessitating urgent action from all sectors. The arts, with its power to inspire, provoke, and evoke emotions, can become a driving force for change. We, as performing activists, have a unique opportunity to raise awareness about sustainability and environmental issues through our productions and events, promoting a sense of responsibility and inspiring audiences to take action in order to achieve climate justice. That is the reason why we embrace sustainability, as recommended and practiced in the European Dancehouse Network: https://www.ednetwork.eu/page/resources/edn-publications
According to Pearle’s The Ultimate Cookbook for Cultural Managers (2023) two dates have to be remembered: 2030 and 2050. 2030 is the date mentioned as the deadline to reduce EU emissions by at least 55%. By 2050 the EU aims to be the first climate-neutral economy and society, reducing net GHG emissions to zero. We, Flamenco Agency, aim to be a significant part of the deal.
For that reason, in Flamenco Agency we implement sustainability by:
1. Greening our operations
We are ambassadors of the European Festivals Forest program: https://festivalsforest.eu/participants/.
For instance, when we performed at the International Ankara Music Festival, an EFA member since 1993, we planted 75 trees. When we performed at Varna International Summer Festival and VIA Fest, which is awarded with the EFFE label, we planted 60 trees. Thus, we continue our sustainability journey by implementing eco-friendly practices in our day-to-day operations by reducing energy consumption and equipment and optimizing transportation logistics. Assuming the carbon footprint we create and trying to solve it is the first step to sustainability: https://flamencoagency.com/flamenco-agency-goes-green/
2. Sustainable Set Design
In Flamenco Agency, we prioritize sustainable materials and practices to minimize our environmental impact. We use repurposed materials and source locally so as to reduce waste generation. In short, we always prioritize the use of less materials and personnel, less scenography and cargo, apart from less suitcases and smaller performance formats.
A vivid example would be our eco-friendly artistic residency in Cape Verde: https://flamencoagency.com/artistic-residency-in-africa/
In addition, according to Julie’s Bicycle Report (2023), we stick to fulfilling the first scope of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol by reducing the equipment operated, since we are always willing to travel with lesser equipment.
3. Greening our operations
As the design and creation of new props and dresses for every performance has a very consumerist aspect and also affects climate in a negative way, here in Flamenco Agency we try to minimize this.
Currently we are recycling Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía’s costumes from 2017 production “Flamenco, Tradición y Vanguardia” for our private events in 2023, in addition to working with different companies that lend us dresses from past performances so that they can be repurposed and used in other acts. Because of the quality of the dresses, it would be a waste to use them only once, so giving another life to them is something we are proud of: https://flamencoagency.com/bringing-new-life-to-old-flames/
4. Tours: Sustainable Event Planning:
In Flamenco Agency Management & Tours Limited Society, touring is part of our DNA. Hence, we do not only promote sustainability through touring, but we also elevate our artists to international stature. That is why we try to implement sustainable event planning strategies, so that we can significantly reduce the ecological footprint of these gatherings.
An example of this would be our China Tour, in which we toured more than 20 performances for two months in 20 cities, Shanghai, Beijing, Ningbo, Shenzhen, Xiamen and Chongqing, among others. By doing so, we look for achieving sustainability as well as increasing the visibility of our artists:
We are always ready to call on our local artists distributed throughout the Iberian Peninsula. Therefore, when we organize flamenco events, we go to the local artist closest to the venue or event, as our flamenco ballets are distributed throughout Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, Malaga, Granada and the Balearic Islands. With this dynamic, we make sure that we save on transportation, accommodation and CO2 emissions.
In addition, we also have productions on cruise ships, so we emphasize even more the use of sustainable travel, as we have local artists distributed in every port of the Iberian Peninsula.
5. Engaging with the Community:
We have a unique opportunity to engage with their local communities and promote sustainability beyond our own operations and that is something we frequently implement. For that reason, we did a 2-week artistic residency in Africa, where the soloists of Barcelona Flamenco Ballet traveled to Cape Verde thanks to the Festival Sete Sóis Sete Luas Cultural Network invitation: https://flamencoagency.com/artistic-residency-in-africa/
Additionally, we develop educational workshops and always take part in supporting local initiatives focused on sustainability. By leveraging our influence, we can amplify the message of sustainability to a wider audience and inspire others to take action: https://flamencoagency.com/workshops/
In many ways we try to connect with those local communities and performing companies, for example with our performances Carmen with orchestra or Shakespeare Flamenco, in which we perform with local choirs and orchestras so we can both reduce the emissions of the transports used and link up with performers from other cultures, flamenco is in the end a mix of cultures so the bigger the fusion the better.
6. Sustainable digital solutions
We have been awarded the Digital Kit, an initiative of the Government of Spain whose objective is to subsidize the implementation of digital solutions to promote digital maturity. Therefore, we are going to improve the SEO of our website.
Not only we are concerned about our digital footprint, but we also believe that cybersecurity can be a powerful tool to help transform business becoming more digital. That is why we, Flamenco Agency, are now prepared and implement these new rules including most of the new law recommendations: ICT risk management, incident reporting, resilience testing, etc: https://flamencoagency.com/cybersecurity-and-flamenco/
In addition, we try to reduce our use of paper in the office, as well as printing as little as possible. That is why we use Office 365, to promote collaborative work on web platforms, so as not to harm the environment.
7. Engaging with the Community:
In Flamenco Agency, we perform an on-going training in sustainability. For that reason, we participate in the “Training Program: Sustainable Suppliers“, a program developed by the UN Global Compact, the ICO Foundation and ICEX Spain Exports and Investments, with the aim of training companies in specific areas of sustainability.
With our ongoing training, we aim to acquire general knowledge on the different topics currently encompassed by corporate sustainability, in addition to complying with sustainability standards.
To sum all of this up, as a platform that promotes flamenco internationally, we hold the power to shape narratives and influence public opinion. By embracing sustainability in our practices, we can not only reduce our environmental impact and fight towards the climate justice, but also raise awareness about the climate crisis and inspire change. The journey towards sustainability requires a collective effort, and by implementing green practices, reducing waste, and engaging with the community, we can play a vital role in creating a more sustainable future for both the arts and the planet. Flamenco is going green!
“The Sustainability depends on us! We are part of the solution and the change!
We, as performing activists, have a unique opportunity to raise awareness about sustainability and environmental issues through our productions and events, promoting a sense of responsibility and inspiring audiences to take action in order to achieve climate justice. You can also choose to support and protect the environment.
We are taking real actions! What is your decision?”
