Green Imaginate

Imaginate recognises that climate change is a serious threat to life, well-being, social justice and culture, particularly for future generations and people living in climate-vulnerable world regions. Climate change is also a threat to the delivery of Imaginate’s programme of events and our business plan. Therefore, we are committed to minimising our impact on the environment and climate, both at our business premises and throughout our annual programme of events. We are drawing up a carbon reduction plan, with the aim of reducing our emissions to net-zero by 2030. In the meantime, here are the actions we are currently taking to reduce our environmental impact.

We also strive to use our profile and platforms to influence the arts sector, wider society and government policy to make positive changes towards environmental sustainability.

How You Can Help

Travelling to the Children’s Festival

If you are travelling from outwith Edinburgh, please see our Travelling to Edinburgh page for tips about lower-carbon transport, and our blog about responding to climate change as an international festival.
If you are travelling from within Edinburgh, please consider taking public transport, walking or cycling where possible. Google Maps and Maps.me both have options to see walking and cycling routes. See our Getting Around Edinburgh page for more tips.
Accommodation: Look for a place to stay with good green credentials – these hotels and self-catering options in Edinburgh and around Scotland have all achieved a Green Tourism Award.

At the Children’s Festival

We try to make it easy for audiences to minimise resource use at our Festival:

Opt out or Return: Delegates can opt out of receiving a tote bag if they don’t need one. Alternatively they can use a tote bag for the duration of the Festival and return it for reuse or recycling at the end (please return your lanyards as well!).
Recycle: Please use the recycling facilities at our venues (including for your tickets and any plastic cups), and ask staff if you cannot find them. Most of our venues are members of the Green Arts Initiative.
Reuse: Some of our venues now serve drinks in reusable cups that can be taken into the theatre, and serve hot drinks in plant-based cups, rather than traditional single-use plastics. To make sure to avoid single-use plastics, you can bring a KeepCup or choose to sit in with your coffee rather than taking it away in a single-use cup.
Food: Edinburgh has plenty of vegetarian and vegan restaurants to choose from, so you can enjoy food with a lower carbon footprint. Check out the lists here and here. This site maps the best shops for local food which reduces air miles and supports local businesses.

Keeping in Touch

You can choose to have a digital version of our brochure rather than a printed version. If you currently receive your Imaginate Festival brochure by post every year and would like to change the way you receive your future brochures, you can email us at mailbox@imaginate.org.uk and we will change your preferences for you. If you do receive a printed brochure, you could reuse it by giving it to a friend or colleague when you’re finished with it.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact our Green Champion, Julian Almeida, at julian@imaginate.org.uk. Thank you for helping us be green!