Environmental Responsibility Rider

JC CANDANEDO

I am an Artist and a Gallery Climate Coalition (GCC) member. This means I am committed to reducing the environmental impacts of the art sector and reaching a 50% reduction in emissions and near-zero waste across the sector by 2030.

As a GCC member, I see environmental responsibility as a collective aim, and this rider as the start of a conversation. If you don’t think you can action something that’s on this list, let’s explore this together. I am open to discussing any potential challenges or perceived impasses on this rider.

Best wishes,

JC Candanedo

Environmental Responsibility Considerations

Carbon reduction

- I ask that all organisations I work with are committed to environmental responsibility. Consider becoming a member of GCC to demonstrate a shared commitment to these aims. GCC provides sustainability guidance and support for organisations and professionals of all kinds.

- Create a Carbon Report for our project using GCC’s free carbon calculator.

- To track and measure the environmental impacts of this project, complete a Climate Impact Report via Artists Commit. See examples here.

Travel

- Where possible, no flights should be taken in relation to our project. If flights are necessary, we should follow GCC’s 10 Steps to Reduce the Impact of Air Travel.

- No business, first class, or private flights should be taken in relation to our project.

- Institutions/galleries should incentivise not-flying by offering equivalent cash to artists in lieu of covering travel & accommodation costs.

- Virtual meetings can and should be practised for all aspects of exhibition planning and creation.

- Operate a ‘train-first policy’ which means that trains should be the preferred mode of transport where possible. Any additional costs associated with this should come out of the project budget, rather than the artist's fee.

- Research local transport options and prioritise public transportation. If car/van travel is needed, opt for electric over petrol/diesel vehicles where possible.

Packing, storage, shipping

- Plan ahead. Allowing for additional time enables the use of slower, more efficient modes of transport.

- Where possible, prioritise non-air freight and consolidated shipments. This will vastly reduce the emissions associated with this project. I accept adapted lead times and earlier collection deadlines in order to allow for low-emission freight routes.

- Allowing additional time may also enable you to request that your chosen shippers put aside and adapt used crates and packing materials in anticipation of this project.

- Explore options for reusable packaging and crating. See GCC’s packaging guidelines for suggestions. Search options like Barder for reused crates in your region. Unless the work will be on permanent display, consider giving it a crate-for-life or prioritising reusable crates.

- No newly purchased and or/single-use packing materials should be used when transporting or storing works. Inform shippers, art handlers and any other relevant person of this request.

- If necessary (and the material sensitivities of the artwork allow), any newly purchased packing materials should be made from plant and paper-based packing materials and reused following this project.

- Inform shippers and handlers of GCC’s list of banned packaging materials. Avoid these materials at all costs.

- Be flexible with where works can be fabricated or framed. Allow for the possibility of this happening local to the installation venue.

Install

- Seek to use reused exhibition materials rather than new, such as vitrines, plinths, benches etc. Search Barder and other local organisations for reused options.

- Cultivate and share the attitude that signs of use/wear and tear on exhibition materials are entirely acceptable aesthetically.

- Avoid the use of vinyl (flooring, wall text, decals) where possible. There are many creative options for signage, from silkscreening to paper signs, which avoid petrochemicals.

- Avoid purchasing new electronic devices. Renting, sharing or buying second-hand will vastly reduce the carbon emissions associated with the project.

- Reconsider the need for repainting gallery walls.

Deinstall

- Reuse/share any exhibition furniture, walls and other materials used/built in the process.

- Where reuse/storage/sharing isn’t possible, consider local donations to art schools and studios. Recycling should always be seen as the last resort.

Openings/associated events

- No single-use materials should be used on any occasion (e.g. disposable cups, water bottles).

- Adopt conscious consideration of any provided food and drink (seeking vegan, local and seasonal where possible).

Care

- When outsourcing staff (e.g., for catering and cleaning), take care to ensure that external suppliers comply with international labour standards and fair pay.

- Considerations should be made with an intersectional, decolonial, climate justice lens. Read more about climate justice for visual arts organisations here.

Sales/Acquisition & Aftercare

- If a work is sold, this Environmental Responsibility Rider should be shared with the collector/organisation and the same requirements should be sought.

- If the work is to be disassembled, consider how materials can flow back into the ecosystem in the least harmful way. Consider planning for the materials afterlife of the work from the earliest stages of the project, working towards a cradle-to-cradle ethos with recyclable, reusable or even biodegradable materials.

Flows of Capital

- Consider the way capital flows into your project. Who is funding your work? Be conscious not to support art-washing and strictly eschew funding and sponsorship from fossil fuel-invested companies or those with significantly environmentally destructive practices.

- If the institution you are partnering with is funded by a company that is a significant contributor to climate change, consider having a conversation with leadership. These are difficult conversations, but many people taking a principled stand can make a difference.

- Consider how capital and resources flow out of your project. Practise your values with your purchases and whom you may choose to hire as part of your project. Support and uplift diverse artists and arts-adjacent communities over large corporations.