Our Environment: what we do

As an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation, we work with Julie’s Bicycle, a charity that supports the creative community to act on climate change and environmental sustainability, to deliver the ACE Environmental programme. Through our reporting to Julie’s Bicycle we can show that our annual carbon footprint has reduced by 35% since 2012.

In 2019 Rother District Council declared a Climate Emergency with a target to be carbon-neutral by 2030. We are working closely with the Council who own the Pavilion building, on the delivery of that target.

The Green Team are a group of committed staff members who champion the environment and sustainable working practices. The team are made up of people working in all areas of the Pavilion who meet fortnightly to challenge thinking and behaviours, as well as come up with some great ideas for every day actions that make a difference.

As we rebuild the organisation, we will be revisiting our sustainability strategy for the next 5 – 10 years.

We are supported by a DLWP Board member who is taking the lead on delivering Rother District Council’s environmental targets.

• We encourage our audiences to receive their tickets by email and to scan them when they get to the gig
• Currently our plastic pint and ½ pint glasses are rated PP5 and fully recyclable
• At the end of the evening, our glass bottles are separated and recycled

• Our disposable cups are 100% biodegradable and compostable
• We only use wooden disposable cutlery and stirrers
• Our napkins are made of recycled paper
• We sell branded re-usable coffee cups and water bottles in our Shop and Café Bar for you take home and re-fill next time you visit
• We will re-fill your 500ml bottle of water for free
• We have introduced Sea Change wines – a range of ethically sourced, environmentally conscious wines that support ocean conservation charities
• We have introduced CanO water as a recyclable alternative to plastic water bottles
• All our cakes, scones and cookies are homemade and our meals cooked fresh everyday in our kitchen
• We source all our fish, meat, fruit and vegetables and other ingredients from local suppliers.

• We communicate to our audiences online as much as possible and avoid printed correspondence
• We have invested in our website and social media resource to reduce the need for print
• We discourage artists’ promoters and community partners from sending us print by producing our own limited listings leaflets and posters.
• We promote sustainable travel options through our partnership with Good Journey and sustainable tourism via the Coastal Culture Trail, Sussex Modern and Englands Creative Coast.

• All back of house light switches have ‘switch off’ stickers
• Staff are reminded to turn off computer monitors at the end of the day
• There are no individual waste bins – all office waste is disposed of communal bins and recycled
• Our team are creative in re-using as many materials as possible from one event  and exhibition to another, including re-using structural materials in our galleries
• We use digital signage in the building and re-using and reducing paper signage whenever possible.
• Electrical equipment and batteries are ethically disposed of using specialist companies
• Investing in energy saving initiatives such as led lighting