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Paul Owens
Co-Founder and Director
Paul Owens is a leading international advisor and practitioner in cultural policy and creative economy. He is Co-Founder of BOP, and alongside his fellow directors he has pioneered now well-established methods to measure the impact of cultural policy.
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LOCATION
Global
CLIENT
World Cities Culture Forum (WCCF)
SECTOR
Projects Sectors
This report looks at how major cities around the world are responding to climate change through cultural policies and programmes, and shares expert insights into the key climate challenges we face.
As cities recover from the impact of Covid-19 issues of sustainability must be at the heart of this – it is not enough to get back to where we were, but rather we must put the policies in place that will ensure that cities are thriving places to live and work for decades to come.
While the World Cities Culture Forum’s partners recognise this – more than half have declared a climate emergency and 57% have cultural policies that reference environmental challenges – and are taking actions such as investing in low-carbon cultural venues, commissioning artworks with environment themes, and providing relevant training for the sector, more needs to be done.
Climate change action must be embedded strategically and within management processes, including dedicated budgets, working across departments and monitoring and reporting requirements.
The report identifies five imperatives for cultural policy in a climate emergency:
Climate Change is everyone’s job: all arms of government must take action. Institutional barriers need to be overcome, and cultural leaders need to find new ways of working across administrations so that sustainability is embedded in their policies and investment programmes.
Hardwire climate impacts into every decision: use the tools and methods for measuring the energy efficiency, carbon emissions and long-term environmental impacts of culture, so the environmental footprint of every major cultural decision and investment is clear.
Big cities need big ambition: City governments are ideally placed to identify innovations and best practice taking place at the local or neighbourhood level and scale it up across the city region to have a substantial impact.
Tell the right stories: city governments need to tell strong and optimistic stories, to maximise participation and ensure that the cultural sector is fully engaged and enthused with delivery.
Green infrastructure is cultural infrastructure: Urban culture is not distinct from the natural environment, it is part of it. Cultural planning and infrastructure must reflect the values of good stewardship and appreciation for the natural world, and be based around long-term considerations for a city’s future.
The report published by the World Cities Culture Forum looks at how major cities around the world are responding to climate change through cultural policies and programmes.
Project Report
The Green World Cities of Tomorrow: Culture and Sustainability – Special Report Prepared for WCCF Global Conversation
ABOUT US
EXPERTISE
A global research and consulting practice for culture and the creative economy
The report outlines the findings from a major study into the international activity of the Arts Council England-supported cultural ecosystem.
International Activity Report
Arts Council England
BOP Consulting was appointed to outline a pilot for a Creative Worker Income Guarantee for Brighton & Hove, working on behalf of the University of Sussex and the ABCD Cultural Recovery Programme.
Cultural, Creative and Collective Recovery: Exploring a Creative Worker Income Guarantee
University of Sussex
The report on how global cities tackle climate change with cultural policies and programmes. Insights from the World Cities Culture Forum's latest report.
The Green World Cities of Tomorrow: Culture and Sustainability – Special Report Prepared for WCCF Global Conversation
World Cities Culture Forum (WCCF)
Unique case guide is co-produced with the participating cities of WCCF, highlighting city examples and a global cities approach to evidenced-based policymaking.
Culture Counts: New Approaches to Evidence Based Cultural Policymaking in World Cities
World Cities Culture Forum (WCCF)
Working alongside CRAIC, a new research and collaboration centre at Loughborough University, we conducted an extensive survey of virtual production assets throughout the United Kingdom to map the country’s growing ecosystem.
Mapping the UK's Virtual Production Ecosystem
Loughborough University
The World Cities Culture Report (WCCR) 2022 builds on the ground-breaking 2018 and 2015 Reports. It gives insights on the major challenges world cities facing.
World Cities Culture Report 2022
World Cities Culture Forum (WCCF)
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BOP's contribution to the 2nd edition of the report UNESCO's Global Creativity Report, examining policies safeguarding the creative and cultural sectors.
UNESCO's Re|Shaping Policies for Creativity Report – Addressing culture as a global public good
UNESCO
Our strategy will guide the creation of a new digital service aiming at supporting and developing the creative scene in Downtown Kingston.
Leveraging the creative potential of Downtown Kingston through technology
Inter-American Development Bank - IDB
Our research into the UK's high streets found that 69% of people think culture on their high street makes their area a better place to live.
Culture: The cornerstone of the UK’s high streets
Arts Council England
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BOP’s updated Handbook for the Inter-American Development Bank sets out strategies for sustainability and urban resilience
Creative and Cultural Industries and Urban Revitalisation in the post-COVID era
Inter-American Development Bank - IDB
We investigated the potential impact of AI for European cultural and creative businesses. Explore the transformative opportunities AI brings to industries.
Opportunities and Challenges of AI for the Cultural and Creative Industries
European Commission
Published today: ‘Design for Good: 90 Years of the RSA Student Design Awards’, a new publication from the RSA, co-authored by BOP
A History of Bright Ideas: 90 Years of the RSA Student Design Awards
The Royal Society for Arts (RSA)
Research in the Gulf Co-operation Council States in collaboration with British Council and BOP Consulting helps identify opportunities for festival development.
An evidence-base for the growing Gulf festivals sector
British Council
Our research into the museum workforce is launched, emphasizing the importance of conscientiousness and advocating for a diverse and well-supported sector.
Conscientiousness, optimism, and curiosity
Museums Galleries Scotland
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BOP’s report on creating a healthy night-time economy for the Nanjing City Government demonstrates the importance of cross-cutting policies.
Creating Healthy Night-time Economies in World Cities
Nanjing Creative Center
Findings from our work at Great Ormond Street Hospital reveals how visual arts enhance the patient, visitor, and staff experience.
Creativity in health settings
GOSH Arts
How is China influencing the future of Cultural Tourism? China's cultural infrastructure projects are redefining the global tourism landscape.
Cultural Infrastructure for the 21st Century
Chengdu Media Group
Our new report for UNESCO sets out the huge global impact of COVID-19 on the cultural sector. We estimate $750 billion lost for the CCI and 10 million job cuts.
Economic impact of COVID-19 on the Cultural and Creative Industries
UNESCO
Our analysis of the strengths and challenges of music in the Midlands report published for Arts Council England.
Hitting the right notes in the Midlands
Arts Council England
