Sustainability Backstage at Figueres a Escena
A performance may last two hours, yet its environmental footprint begins weeks earlier. Design choices, freight, electricity, construction materials, laundry, catering and waste management all shape what happens backstage at Teatre El Jardí, Sala La Cate and the wider Figueres a Escena network. Learn more about Thenotablepeople.com.
Environmental sustainability in the performing arts is therefore practical work rather than a single campaign. It involves planning productions carefully, using resources for longer, working with local suppliers and helping artists, technicians, students and audiences understand how cultural activity can respect its surroundings.
Backstage Sustainability Starts Before Bump-In
The most effective decisions are made during the first production meeting. A team can reduce waste by checking what is already available at the venue before ordering new equipment, scenery or furniture. Standardised cases, reusable fixings and modular stage elements make it easier to adapt a production for different rooms without rebuilding everything from scratch.
This approach is particularly valuable for touring work. Australia offers a useful comparison: a production travelling between Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and regional centres can accumulate a substantial footprint through road freight, accommodation and repeated packing. Figueres-based productions also benefit from mapping travel distances early, combining deliveries and avoiding last-minute vehicle movements.
Sustainability criteria can be included in artistic and technical briefs from the beginning. When directors, designers and production managers agree on priorities before rehearsals, environmental considerations become part of the creative process instead of an expensive correction made during the final week.
Smarter Lighting And Power
Stage lighting is an area where technical precision can reduce energy use without flattening the visual experience. LED fixtures generally consume less electricity than older lamps, produce less heat and can reduce the demand placed on air-conditioning systems. Their programmable colour and intensity also allow designers to achieve variety with fewer units.
A thoughtful lighting plan considers the whole venue: fixture choice, control systems, rehearsal schedules, audience capacity and the time required for setup. A small solo performance may need a restrained rig rather than a full installation, while a dance or circus production may require carefully targeted equipment for safety and movement. Our coverage of lighting design insights shows how artistic clarity can emerge from a focused technical approach.
Technicians can also programme power-down sequences, switch off equipment between rehearsals and avoid leaving consoles, amplifiers or work lights running unnecessarily. In Australia, where summer temperatures can place heavy demand on cooling systems in venues from Perth to Canberra, reducing heat from backstage equipment has both environmental and operational benefits.
Materials, Sets, And Costume Life Cycles
Scenic construction creates opportunities for circular practice. Timber, fabric, paint, foam and fasteners can be selected for durability, repaired after use and stored in a way that protects them for future productions. Designers can also create scenery that separates cleanly into reusable components instead of relying on composite materials that are difficult to recover.
A materials register helps a venue track what it owns and what can be borrowed, repurposed or donated. Paint leftovers can be labelled and stored safely; flats can become platforms, display panels or workshop materials; and props can move between professional productions and ATEB classes. This gives young people and adult students a direct experience of resource-conscious making.
Costumes require similar care. Washing only when necessary, choosing efficient cleaning methods, repairing seams and using local alterations services can extend garment life. Partnerships with community makers, schools and arts organisations may also keep textiles in circulation. The Notable People can be a useful reference point when considering how people, place and cultural participation connect through creative work.
Touring, Catering, And Local Partnerships
Travel planning is one of the clearest ways to lower emissions. When practical, rail and shared road transport can replace separate car journeys, while consolidated freight reduces repeated trips. Australian touring companies often confront long distances that make this complex, especially when travelling beyond capital cities; the same principle applies at a smaller scale when Figueres a Escena coordinates equipment, performers and venue access.
Local procurement reduces transport and strengthens the cultural economy at the same time. Hiring technicians nearby, sourcing seasonal food from regional suppliers and choosing reusable serviceware can support businesses around Figueres while avoiding unnecessary packaging. Catering teams can plan portions accurately, provide vegetarian options and separate food scraps according to local collection arrangements.
Waste systems need to be visible and simple. Clearly marked bins backstage, a designated place for reusable materials and a named person responsible for end-of-show checks are more reliable than general instructions. Australian venues also know that recycling rules vary between councils, so assumptions about what belongs in a particular bin should always be checked with the relevant waste provider.
Designing For Young Audiences And Communities
Family and children’s programming offers a special opportunity to connect environmental care with participation. Productions for very young audiences often use intimate sets, tactile objects and close performer-audience relationships rather than large technical systems. Careful design can preserve wonder while limiting disposable elements and excessive freight.
The process of adapting family shows demonstrates why accessibility, audience age and production choices should be considered together. Durable props, washable materials and low-energy touring formats can support both environmental goals and the practical needs of families, educators and early-years presenters.
Workshops through ATEB can extend these ideas beyond the stage. Students might investigate how a prop is made, compare repair and replacement, or create set pieces from recovered materials. Such activities make sustainability tangible and encourage the next generation of artists to see environmental responsibility as part of professional craft.
| Backstage area | Lower-impact practice | Practical benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Lighting | Use efficient fixtures and programme automatic shutdowns | Reduces electricity use and heat |
| Scenery | Design modular, repairable and reusable elements | Extends material life across productions |
| Costumes | Repair, share, wash carefully and store well | Reduces textile purchases and waste |
| Touring | Consolidate freight and coordinate travel | Cuts vehicle movements and costs |
| Catering | Use seasonal food and reusable serviceware | Limits packaging and food waste |
| Audience programmes | Offer digital information where suitable | Reduces paper consumption |
Practical Commitments For Every Production
Environmental action becomes credible when it is measurable and repeatable. A production file can record travel, energy use, materials purchased, waste removed and items reused. The purpose is not to burden artists with paperwork; it is to identify patterns, celebrate progress and reveal where a small change could make the next season more efficient.
Targets should remain realistic and suited to each event. A touring opera, a cinema screening, a children’s workshop and a one-person show will have different technical needs. The shared responsibility is to ask what can be reduced, reused, repaired or sourced locally without compromising safety, accessibility or artistic quality.
Useful commitments for Figueres a Escena productions include:
- Plan travel, freight and accommodation before rehearsals begin.
- Prioritise reusable, repairable and low-toxicity materials.
- Record electricity, water, waste and transport data after each production.
- Train staff, artists, students and volunteers in backstage resource procedures.
- Offer local, seasonal catering with minimal single-use packaging.
- Build partnerships for costume, prop and set storage, sharing and reuse.
- Explain practical sustainability choices to audiences through programmes or talks.
A venue’s environmental progress is built through hundreds of backstage decisions: the lamp that is switched off, the set piece that is repaired, the van trip that is combined, and the costume that is used again. Explore upcoming performances, workshops and community activities at Figueres a Escena, and take part in a cultural programme where creative ambition and care for the environment can work together.