Midlands Arts Centre announces new Sustainability Season

The Midlands Arts Centre (MAC) has kicked off its Autumn Sustainability Season with two key events: the highly anticipated opening of Waste Age: What Can Design Do and the return of the crowd-favourite Big Green Weekender festival.

The new season offers many chances to engage with sustainable activities and discussions around the climate emergency.

The Waste Age: What Can Design Do? exhibition will run from Saturday, 26 October to Sunday, 23 February 2025, with a public launch party scheduled for Friday, 25 October from 6 to 8 pm.

Meanwhile, the Big Green Weekender will take place on 26 and 27 October from 11 am to 4 pm, featuring toy and clothes swaps, as well as performances, including an energetic set by Rev Billy and the Stop Shopping Choir.

Additionally, the Rubbish Redesigned group exhibition, which explores innovative approaches to waste reduction, is currently on display and will run until 2 March 2025.

The headline sponsor of the season is Eversheds Sutherland who has continuously supported all exhibitions and environmental community activities.

Owen Dutton, legal director, Real Estate at Eversheds Sutherland, said: “I am incredibly proud that Eversheds Sutherland is the headline sponsor of MAC’s sustainability season.

“Such vital events and exhibitions very much align with our law firm’s purpose to help our clients, our people and our communities to thrive.”

Deborah Kermode, chief executive and artistic director, said: “As an arts charity rooted in our local economy and communities, we recognise the importance of the arts in helping to communicate, engage and process issues concerning our planet, and are committed to ensuring our work has a minimal impact on the environment and actively promotes sustainability.

“We encourage audiences to respond ambitiously and imaginatively to the current crisis, and hope to inspire a collective cultural movement towards change.”

Meanwhile, in line with its aim to lead a creative response to environmental issues, MAC took part in Indigo Ltd’s Act Green Survey 2024, which was designed to discover how audiences view the role of cultural organisations in tackling the climate crisis.

As part of the findings, Indigo highlighted MAC’s sustainability aims as a great example of how cultural organisations can engage visitors and audiences about climate issues, and societal change.

Flo Carr, associate director of Indigo Ltd, said: “Midlands Arts Centre's approach to sustainability is exemplary, particularly in how they communicate with and involve audiences in this area. 

“MAC is an organisation which is really listening to what audiences want when it comes to the climate emergency, and stepping up to lead the way, bringing audiences with them on that journey.”

Pictured: Waste material at UFlex ltd, one of the largest multi-layer packaging producers and recyclers