It is designed to support cultural organisations in introducing more environmentally responsible practices, measuring their carbon footprint, and developing green strategies and action plans tailored to their actual operations.
The central part of the programme is a mentoring process involving 18 organisations from different fields of the cultural and creative sectors (CCS), including organisations working in the performing arts, music, film, visual and intermedia arts, architecture and design, and cultural heritage. The process combines group meetings, independent work by green teams, tool testing, carbon footprint measurement, and individual support from mentors.
The programme began on 18 March 2025 in Ljubljana with a public workshop carried out in cooperation with Umanotera and the Trigger platform. The workshop focused on understanding the role of culture in the green transition and identifying the key environmental impacts of cultural organisations. Gaja Brecelj from Umanotera presented a green operating system for cultural organisations, approaches to integrating sustainable practices into the work of organisations and projects, and starting points for preparing concrete measures. The programme was complemented by presentations of international good practices, including the Better Live project (Mathilde Sallez, Périscope, FR) in the field of sustainable concert models and low-carbon touring, and the STAGES project (Hana Vodeb) with the STAGES Doughnut method, which encourages sustainable change in theatre.
Workshop programme is available HERE.
At the second mentoring meeting, held online on 24 April 2025, the participating organisations defined their pilot focus and divided into working groups according to the nature of their operations: regular operation with a building, regular operation without a building, production of a larger event or festival, and year-round programmes. The mentors presented the self-evaluation methodology, the role of green teams, and green management as the basis for further work within the organisations.
The third meeting, held on 27 May 2025 at Center Rog in Ljubljana, was dedicated to practical testing of the beta version of the carbon footprint calculator for cultural organisations developed by Umanotera. Renata Karba introduced participants to data entry, interpretation of results, and the link between measurement, self-evaluation and planning measures to reduce emissions.
At the fourth meeting, held online on 10 September 2025, the mentoring group presented the results of the first trial carbon footprint measurement for the first half of 2025, exchanged experiences with using the calculator, and began shaping objectives for further work. The meeting marked an important transition from data collection to understanding the results and designing concrete measures.
The fifth mentoring meeting took place on 18 November 2025 at Cankarjev dom in Ljubljana as part of the Ljubljana International Film Festival LIFFe. The internal morning session focused on developing sustainability strategies, reviewing challenges in introducing measures, and designing indicators for monitoring progress. In the public part of the programme, Mads Astrup Rønning, co-founder and head of the international Green Producers Club initiative, presented a European model for supporting the green transition in the cultural and audiovisual sector and the Green Producers Tool. In the panel discussion with Marina Gumzi, Gaja Brecelj and moderator Hana Vodeb, the speakers highlighted that, despite limited resources, the cultural and audiovisual sector often introduces sustainable practices, but also needs systemic support for long-term change.
Read the event report HERE.
The sixth meeting of the mentoring group took place online on 9 April 2026 and was dedicated to entering the final phase of the project. Based on a preliminary questionnaire on implemented and planned measures, participants reviewed the progress, challenges and needs of their organisations to date. Drawing on the questionnaire responses and the exchange of views and experiences at the meeting, Hana Vodeb prepared the individualised tool “Strategy – action plan for the green transition”, which helps each organisation plan further measures, define measurable indicators and monitor progress over time.
In June 2026, the participating organisations received the individualised tool and an invitation to individual consultations with Gaja Brecelj and Hana Vodeb. The consultations are intended to review selected measures, reflect on priorities, define indicators and determine the next steps for the green transition of each organisation.
The final Accelerator workshop will take place on 25 August 2026 as part of the Mladi levi festival in Ljubljana and will be dedicated to reflecting on the process, exchanging experiences, and awarding diplomas or certificates of participation in the professional programme.
In addition to the mentoring programme, the Accelerator is also developing practical tools for the cultural sector: a carbon footprint calculator, a tool to support the work of green teams, and an individualised tool for preparing a strategy and action plan. The purpose of these tools is not only measurement, but also support for organisations in decision-making, setting priorities and monitoring change over time. In this way, the programme strengthens the knowledge, cooperation and longer-term capacity of cultural organisations for the green transition.
More about the project is available HERE.
Watch also the short video presentation (4 min) – the Accelerator programme was presented by mentors Hana Vodeb, Gaja Brecelj and Renata Karba HERE.
