Upcoming events
Open Call for Plymouth based creative freelance practitioners - Let's Make Change programme
An invitation to creative freelancers to explore and develop their practice on the journey to a greener future.
Plymouth Culture champions creativity as a crucial tool in our collective effort to address the environmental crisis, and in the third year of our partnership with Art and Energy, we’re launching ‘Let’s Make Change’ a programme designed for creative freelance practitioners to develop their practice as part of a journey towards a greener future.
We are seeking 15 participants to join the programme which consists of workshops and 1-2-1 support sessions. Participants will receive a grant of £150 to support engagement and project development.
We are looking for creatives who have a project idea they wish to explore and who can benefit from this programme of support. (Note that a project can be about adopting sustainable practices into your work).
The programme will support creatives to:
Be more confident to explore sustainable solutions in their work.
Have a broader knowledge about the multifaceted topics of climate change, environmental impact, biodiversity loss, energy challenge etc.
Be part of a stronger network of creative peers across the city.
Be excited by the power of art to create
The programme activities include:
03 WORKSHOPS (face to face)
06, 13 and 20 November 2025, 10am-12pm, at the Genesis Building, 235 Union St, Stonehouse, Plymouth PL1 3HN
PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PERIOD (self-managed)
November/25 – End January/26
1-2-1 FEEDBACK SESSION WITH ART AND ENERGY (online)
End January/26. Dates and time will be agreed by the participant and Art and Energy
SHARING SESSION - PROJECTS PRESENTATION (face to face)
26 February 2026, 10am-1pm, local TBC
- Join in with a minimum of two of the three face to face enrichment workshops (06, 13 and 20 November 2025)
- Develop and present their project proposal on a 1-2-1 online feedback session.
- Present their project proposal to the other participants in a face to face sharing session.
The selected participants that comply with the above will be awarded a grant of £150 (One hundred and fifty pounds sterling) to support their participation in the programme and the development of their project. This may include expenses with childcare, transportation, subsistence, compensated working time, or any other reasonable costs that enable effective engagement with the programme.
Plymouth Culture and Art and Energy are inviting applications from creative freelancers that live or work in Plymouth and can commit to this journey and are interested in exploring themes such as (but not limited to):
Ways to reduce their practice’s carbon footprint (materials/energy/other)
Develop a new collaboration with a cross-sector partner specialising in a climate issue
Work with a new community / audience who have not previously been interested in the environment
Undertake a creative project exploring a new biodiversity theme
Trial new less damaging techniques
All creative practices are welcome including:
✓ Visual Arts
✓ Theatre
✓ Dance
✓ Music
✓ Writing (poetry, plays, novels, non fiction etc)
✓ Performance
✓ Film making
✓ Craft
✓ Design (including graphic design and illustration)
✓ Animation
✓ Libraries
✓ Museums
✓ Cultural education
✓ Cultural Management/ Cultural Development
✓ Heritage
Deadline to apply: Monday, 06 October 2025, 10:00am BST
Let's Make Change - online info session
Learn more about our Let’s Make Change programme with Plymouth Culture.
We’ll be sharing more information about the programme. This is an opportunity for you to also ask any questions you may have before applying.
All welcome to find out more at this free session.
This session will be via Teams, please register to join us.
Let’s Change Culture Group
Plymouth Culture and Art and Energy are partnering for a second year to bring creative practitioners and arts organisations together to explore how culture can take action for a brighter greener future.
This time we will create the “Let’s Change Culture Group” that will meet for five co-designed, facilitated sessions to explore collective and individual actions for change. Art & Energy and local experts will engage the group in a chosen topic which will evolve session by session.
All sessions will be held from 10:30-12:30 at The Sustainable Earth Institute at The University of Plymouth. Please see below the dates and themes
13th September - Creating environmental action plans and policies
18th October - Environmentally engaged creative practice - some best practices
22nd November - What is eco-anxiety and crisis fatigue and how does it impact your work?
24th January - Sharing how you report on and tell environmental stories
14th February - Considering how we can embed climate awareness and action in our teams and audiences
All sessions will be an opportunity to learn from each other and best practices. If you/your organisation is in an advanced stage of the themes above, you’re very welcome to bring and share your experience with the group.
If you are interested in joining these sessions, sign up here https://bit.ly/3MlTYax
Let’s Change Culture Group
Plymouth Culture and Art and Energy are partnering for a second year to bring creative practitioners and arts organisations together to explore how culture can take action for a brighter greener future.
This time we will create the “Let’s Change Culture Group” that will meet for five co-designed, facilitated sessions to explore collective and individual actions for change. Art & Energy and local experts will engage the group in a chosen topic which will evolve session by session.
All sessions will be held from 10:30-12:30 at The Sustainable Earth Institute at The University of Plymouth. Please see below the dates and themes
13th September - Creating environmental action plans and policies
18th October - Environmentally engaged creative practice - some best practices
22nd November - What is eco-anxiety and crisis fatigue and how does it impact your work?
24th January - Sharing how you report on and tell environmental stories
14th February - Considering how we can embed climate awareness and action in our teams and audiences
All sessions will be an opportunity to learn from each other and best practices. If you/your organisation is in an advanced stage of the themes above, you’re very welcome to bring and share your experience with the group.
If you are interested in joining these sessions, sign up here https://bit.ly/3MlTYax
Let’s Change Culture Group
Plymouth Culture and Art and Energy are partnering for a second year to bring creative practitioners and arts organisations together to explore how culture can take action for a brighter greener future.
This time we will create the “Let’s Change Culture Group” that will meet for five co-designed, facilitated sessions to explore collective and individual actions for change. Art & Energy and local experts will engage the group in a chosen topic which will evolve session by session.
All sessions will be held from 10:30-12:30 at The Sustainable Earth Institute at The University of Plymouth. Please see below the dates and themes
13th September - Creating environmental action plans and policies
18th October - Environmentally engaged creative practice - some best practices
22nd November - What is eco-anxiety and crisis fatigue and how does it impact your work?
24th January - Sharing how you report on and tell environmental stories
14th February - Considering how we can embed climate awareness and action in our teams and audiences
All sessions will be an opportunity to learn from each other and best practices. If you/your organisation is in an advanced stage of the themes above, you’re very welcome to bring and share your experience with the group.
If you are interested in joining these sessions, sign up here https://bit.ly/3MlTYax
Let's Change Culture - Creatives Working Together to Take Climate Action
Let's Change Culture - Creatives Working Together to Take Climate Action - Launch Event
Wednesday 17th July, 10:30am - 12:30pm at The Forum, Sustainable Earth Institute, University of Plymouth
Plymouth Culture and The Art and Energy Collective invite all creative practitioners and arts organisations in Plymouth to explore together how we can take action for a brighter greener future.
Over the last year The Art and Energy Collective have spoken to 48 creatives and cultural institutions across the city and have identified the key barriers, questions and challenges faced by the local cultural sector when confronting the climate and ecological emergencies.
Come along and find out what these are and help decide which we can try to overcome together.
During an initial session hosted by The Art and Energy Collective, Plymouth Culture at The Sustainable Earth Institute at The University of Plymouth we will:
Review the challenges and questions faced by Plymouth's Cultural Sector as we confront the climate challenge.
Share some of the opportunities noticed by the Cultural Sector for supporting our communities at large to respond to the climate challenge.
Consider what might be included in an environmental action plan.
Share initial resources that can support creatives to take action for a better world
Contribute to shape a programme for the sector that will explore key challenges and possible solutions more deeply.
With your contribution to this session, Plymouth Culture and Art and Energy will shape five meetings that will take place from September until February, and will gather creatives and organisations in the city to explore key climate actions challenges and possible solutions more deeply.
This event is free to attend but booking is essential.
If you have any accessibility requirements then please let us know when you book your place.
Have you joined Art and Energy for an event or workshop?
Please take the time to answer our short feedback survey and tell us what you think of our work, thank you.