Background and Rationale

The performing arts sector operates in a constantly changing society. The cultural field has been shaped by past transformations and continues to face new pressures, including economic challenges, demands for sustainability, and evolving audience expectations. These shifts highlight the need for cultural organisations to explore ways to maintain energy, creativity, and resilience, while continuing to develop their work and keeping the arts a vital part of society.

The project "Regenerative Business Frameworks in the Arts" explores how the performing arts can move from linear and extractive modes of production towards more regenerative, circular and relationship-based ecosystems. While many speak about sustainability at a conceptual level, this project focuses on making regenerative practice operational, concrete and usable in day-to-day artistic and organisational work.

In the Research & Development project "Regenerative Business Frameworks for the arts" we have a special focus on regenerative business frameworks, because this is the challenge we repeatedly hear about in our collaboration with performing arts practitioners at all levels. One of the key questions we are working with is therefore: "How can we diversify the income streams for performing arts practitioners in a way that does not exhaust the people and organizations involved?"

In the project’s first phase, we engage external knowledge contributors from other sectors - including regenerative business development, organizational psychology, sustainable production, and alternative financing. These contributors participate through short expert inputs and sparring sessions, helping to connect the arts field with broader regenerative perspectives.

Through workshops, dialogue formats, interviews, and artistic as well as organizational case studies, we develop a practical framework and a set of tools to support artists, producers, and institutions in working more long-term, sustainably, and resiliently. The focus is on the interplay between artistic practice, economics, organization, and touring, as well as how structures and workflows can support organizational and human capacity, ecological responsibility, and artistic development over time. The method combines practice-based research, dramaturgical and systemic analysis, and regenerative entrepreneurship.

Relevance

This research and development is highly relevant for organizations, who are navigating the non-stop transitions in a time of rising polarization and where the arts field has to be strong and assertive in stating the value of art and culture in society - showing clearly what we bring to the table - from institutional roles to independent practice. 

The arts and culture sector needs to articulate and show up more relevant than ever. The ripple effects are expected to inspire other cultural actors and organisations, creating a more robust, resilient and not least regenerative performing arts ecosystem - nationally and internationally.

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Organisation of Collaboration

The project is co-led by ReArtica (NO) and Wildtopia (DK). A group of regenerative experts contributes with perspectives from ecology, organisational development and circular economy at both strategic and operational levels. Farnham Maltings (UK) is distribution partner.

Four artist casepartners form the core testing ground for the project, each applying regenerative principles within their own artistic and organisational contexts to generate concrete and transferable learning.

The project is selected and supported by the Danish Arts Foundation, , Arts Council Norway and Arts Council England - through the The International Touring and Environmental Responsibility (ITER) programme which is initiated and financed by Arts Council England, the Danish Arts Foundation, and Arts Council Norway, delivered and designed by Julie’s Bicycle in collaboration with In Futurum (DK).