"Recognising the role arts and culture can play in driving climate action” - Future Yard looks ahead to POP3
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Future Yard, an arts and culture hub in Birkenhead, has always put sustainability and community at the heart of operations. Ahead of the venue’s annual POP3 gathering this month, we spoke to Future Yard’s Sustainability Manager James Gillaspy about their approach to sustainability, their partnership with Ecotricity, and what’s in store for this year’s POP3 event.
How have you always embraced sustainability at Future Yard?
When we founded Future Yard, our aim was to reimagine the role of a live music venue within its community. From the very beginning, we wanted to do more than just put on gigs. We wanted to build a cultural space that has a positive impact locally, socially and environmentally.
Sustainability has always been a core part of that vision. We see it as essential to both our business and our community. That’s why we work closely with local audiences, businesses and our council to make Birkenhead a more sustainable place.
Each spring, for example, we partner with Merseyrail to offer free train travel to our gigs, encouraging people to choose low-carbon travel. In summer, we host Wax and Gears, an off-grid music festival where all the electricity for the stage is generated by pedal power – a fun way to promote cycling and sustainable energy.
What sustainability actions and commitments have you taken?
We’ve been on a decarbonisation journey for the past five years. One of our biggest steps last year was switching our energy supply to Ecotricity, which immediately reduced our overall carbon impact by more than 15%. That move means our electricity is now 100% renewable, permanently.
We’ve also fully electrified our kitchen, meaning the only remaining use of gas in the building is for winter heating, and that is something we’re actively exploring alternatives for.
Each year, we publish a Sustainability Roadmap at our POP conference; this year’s edition will mark the release of our Net Zero Roadmap.
We’re committed to reaching operational net zero by 2030, and full net zero by 2035. That includes the significant impact of audience travel, which accounts for around 75% of our total footprint.
To achieve this, we’re working on mapping our supply chain emissions, exploring heat pump and biogas options, and continuing to promote sustainable travel to our events.
How does partnering with Ecotricity and being in the Live Events Energy Scheme align with your sustainability goals?
Switching to Ecotricity was one of the most effective steps we could take; it eliminated a big portion of our emissions immediately. What’s great is that it was also the best financial option for us. There’s a common misconception that renewable energy costs more, but that’s not been the case for us.
Being part of the Live Events Energy Scheme, in partnership with LIVE and Ecotricity, has also been brilliant for us. It allows small venues like ours to benefit from the economies of scale usually only available to larger operators. It’s a real win-win: we get affordable, green energy while supporting the broader live events sector in decarbonising together.
How did the idea for your annual POP events first come about?
The idea for POP came from recognising the role arts and culture can play in driving climate action. While we as a sector have our own environmental footprint to address, the real power of arts and culture lies in inspiring change and bringing people together to collaborate on solutions.
Future Yard has always seen itself as a convener. POP grew from that ethos. It’s our annual chance to gather venues, artists, and cultural organisations to have practical, creative conversations about sustainability.
What can we expect at POP3 this year?
POP3 will be bigger than ever: more sessions, more contributors, and more ideas. We’ll be joined by people from across music, theatre, visual arts and film, all sharing how their sectors are tackling sustainability.
There’ll be workshops on decarbonisation strategies, sessions on the Theatre Green Book, and a joint talk with Ecotricity exploring the intersection of energy, transport and food — three of the biggest components of any organisation’s carbon footprint.
We’ll also dive into the future of Liverpool as a coastal city, looking at what climate change could mean for our region.
Above all, POP3 is about connection. We want attendees to leave inspired, equipped with practical ideas, and linked to like-minded people they can collaborate with long after the event.
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