#MusicMark10: Making meaningful sustainable changes in music education

The Climate Crisis is something that has become ever more present both in news cycles and in our daily lives. As a topic it can feel both distant and overwhelming, an issue that is too big to tackle as individuals in our work lives or through personal actions.

To some extent this is true, and in order to create large-scale meaningful change, we still need major structural reform across society. However, there is still much we can do as individuals and as music educators, and participation in creative musical activity can have a key role to play in informing young people.

Whilst we have been celebrating the past 10 years of Music Mark, we are also exploring changes that we plan to make moving forward, for a more sustainable future in music education. Music Mark’s next campaign, This Is Not A Rehearsal, will focus on the Climate Crisis and what role music education can play in helping to address it in ways that are approachable, impactful and achievable for those working in music education.

We are very keen for members to be involved in shaping this campaign to make it tangibly useful, and so we have set up a Steering Group. The Steering Group will meet every couple of months throughout the campaign. If you have any questions or comments, please get in touch at info@musicmark.org.uk.

As an organisation, we are internally formalising our practices in relation to how we manage and reduce our own carbon emissions. We have published a statement on Music Mark and Sustainability on our website, giving an overview of where we are and what our actions will be. In due course, you’ll be able to see our refreshed Sustainability Policy and Action Plan, as well as links to resources we hope you’ll find useful.

In the meantime, if you are feeling overwhelmed by the Climate Crisis, there is a plethora of information and resources out there. Here are a few we have picked out that are a great place to start with integrating Sustainability and the Climate Crisis into both your personal and your work life.

• Julie’s Bicycle is a one-stop shop for tools and resources related to the Climate Crisis, and the role that arts and culture can play in helping to address it. Of particular interest might be its Creative Climate Leadership course and Creative Climate Tools, which help to measure, record waste and emissions, and plan for reduction.
• ACEVO Climate Emergency Glossary. The Climate Crisis has developed its own language, and many terms are not only completely new, but aren’t necessarily immediately obvious. This short glossary is useful both for those coming to it new, as well as those who might need a refresh!
• Creative Carbon Scotland Environmental Reporting. An extensive guide from Creative Carbon Scotland on how to approach and structure environmental reporting. Whilst targeted towards professional arts organisations with statutory reporting responsibilities, there is much here that is useful for all.
• Scottish Classical Green Guide. Published in 2021, this guide, whilst targeted at classical organisations, has a lot of advice useful to all as well as a number of case studies.