Art Fairs and Gallery Climate Coalition agree a Landmark Environmental Responsibility Directive

Gallery Climate Coalition (GCC) and a new alliance of art fairs, including Frieze and Art Basel, today announce a unified commitment to leading the art world in combating climate change.

GCC’s Art Fair Co-Commitment Statement and Art Fair Toolkit for Environmental Responsibility represent an unprecedented inter-fair alliance and roadmap for change. United by the understanding that the climate crisis will disrupt the visual arts sector as we know it, 13 organisations representing more than 40 art fairs have committed to a consensus on new standards of operating.

Art fairs have a profound influence on the wider art market and its supply chain. From emissions data published by GCC members, a typical commercial gallery might expect one-third of its annual carbon emissions to be associated with art fair activities and air freight, specifically making up an estimated 70% of that figure. As well as transportation of artworks via air freight, the main direct environmental impacts of international art fairs come from air travel, energy consumption in venues, and the generation of significant volumes of single-use materials waste.

The participating art fairs recognise that international alignment across the sector will be fundamental for change. This alliance welcomes all other art fairs to join and take action together. There is no competition when it comes to the climate emergency.

The Art Fair Co-Commitment Statement contains a commitment to at least a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by the end of the decade. It outlines best practices for environmental responsibility; ensures all fairs are measuring, reporting and actively reducing greenhouse gas emissions and waste; aligns communications between fairs and their audiences regarding the environment; and encourages fairs to use their influence and platforms to inspire climate action across their networks and supply chains.

The Art Fair Toolkit for Environmental Responsibility provides a roadmap to reducing the impact of art fair operations and is the first action-focussed resource developed by the GCC which is specific to the activities of art fairs. Containing practical steps, terminology, methodology, targets and strategies, it was collectively workshopped and developed from a pool of information provided by each fair, including emissions data, internal analysis, and case studies.

Will Korner, Head of Fairs, TEFAF, said: “For almost four decades, TEFAF has been steward for 5,000 years of art history, gathering and inspiring a cross-cultural community of collectors, museums, academics and art lovers. With our position in the art community comes a huge responsibility and unwavering commitment to systematically reducing the devastating impact of climate change on our planet for future generations. As we know, structural change requires immediate collective action and, in early 2022, TEFAF proudly joined the Gallery Climate Coalition (GCC). Their aim, and ours, is to help reduce the art community's impact on the climate and to develop a meaningful and industry-specific response to the growing climate crisis. Each one of us has a critical part to play. With the cooperation of our global suppliers, vendors, partner institutions and clients, TEFAF has implemented sustainability strategies which aim to reduce our immediate day-to-day operational impact and overall climate footprint. TEFAF’s strategies have already reduced our energy consumption at TEFAF Maastricht by more than 43% since 2019, and there are working plans for the recycling and reuse of hard and soft building materials and packaging, catering, staff travel, and the overhauling of logistical practices (including trucking, shipping and emissions), among others.”

Jon Ashman, Chief Financial and Operations Officer, Frieze, said: “Frieze is proud to be an active member of the Gallery Climate Coalition sharing a commitment to a more sustainable future. The establishment of this toolkit marks a significant step forward, offering invaluable guidance to reduce the environmental impact of the art world. Together, we can inspire change and protect the planet for future generations while continuing to celebrate creativity and culture.”

Clara Andrade Pereira, Executive Director, Untitled Art, said: “Untitled Art is proud to be part of the Gallery Climate Coalition as we further our commitment to reducing our environmental impact. By nature of our location on the sands of Miami Beach, we are responsible for adhering to stringent environmental policies to ensure a zero-impact presentation. Our 2024 fair will once again reintroduce and adapt the original pavilion from our inaugural edition in 2012, which has been reused every year. We look forward to working alongside our peers to continue to take further action to minimise unnecessary waste and collectively lower our carbon footprint.”

Heath Lowndes, Director, Gallery Climate Coalition said: “We are now deep into the era of climate breakdown with its devastating impacts reverberating across the world. In light of this, leading art fairs have recognised that there is no more business as usual. For the art sector that has meant facing up to some hard truths about how it operates and starting to adapt practices accordingly. The collaborative approach in making this groundbreaking statement – as well as the work that has gone into creating the shared resource – is a testament to the potential for collective action to lead to systematic changes. We thank the fairs for contributing their time, data, and expertise to develop the toolkit with us and celebrate them for committing to take action inline with the guidance contained within it. In transcending market competition to work collaboratively they have set an impressive example for others in the sector to follow. We hope this will act as a springboard, propelling us into positive action and allowing the arts community to go further, faster. ”