Benefitting Society category

Griffith University’s Performance and Ecology Research Lab (P+ERL) is advancing climate care in the performing arts by addressing a critical knowledge gap in how the Australian sector responds to ecological crisis. Through research, collaboration and eco-creative practice, P+ERL supports artists, organisations, educators and cultural institutions to rethink how performance is made, programmed, taught and shared.

Working across national and international partnerships, P+ERL combines bottom-up industry collaboration with top-down policy influence. Its work includes the ARC Linkage project Culture for Climate, eco-literacy and eco-creativity workshops, curriculum development, community-engaged performance projects, and a formal contribution to the National Cultural Policy supported by major industry organisations.

By positioning the performing arts as a powerful vehicle for climate literacy, public reflection and cultural change, P+ERL is helping the sector move beyond resource-intensive production models toward sustainable practice, ecological stewardship and creative climate leadership.

Griffith University – PERL Case Study – ARTRAGE; The Banquet

Impacts & Benefits

  • Built sustainability capability across the performing arts, supporting organisations to embed greener practices in programming, production, procurement and operations.
  • Secured significant research and sector investment, including $330,572 in ARC Linkage funding and $426,360 in in-kind support from industry partners.
  • Embedded eco-literacy in arts education, including a $54,000 consultancy with NIDA to develop sustainability curriculum and resource packs.
  • Strengthened climate care through creative practice, using theatre, drama and community-engaged projects to support reflection, resilience and public dialogue.
  • Influenced policy and sector systems, contributing evidence and industry support to advance ecological sustainability within national cultural policy.

Leadership & Engagement

  • Established a nationally significant arts-led climate action platform, connecting researchers, students, artists, educators, cultural organisations and communities.
  • Developed an eco-creativity framework, reframing sustainability as part of creative practice rather than an additional compliance task.
  • Combined practice, research and policy influence, linking community and organisational projects with sector-wide sustainability frameworks.
  • Built strong national and international networks, including collaborations with performing arts organisations, PAC Australia, One Stone Advisors, NIDA and global research partners.
  • Created applied learning and career pathways, involving students, PhD candidates, visiting scholars and emerging researchers in sustainability-focused creative practice.

 

Wider Societal Impact

  • Made climate action culturally meaningful, using performance, storytelling and creative engagement to connect climate issues with emotion, place and lived experience.
  • Expanded participation in climate conversations, creating pathways for artists, children, regional communities, cultural workers and more-than-human perspectives.
  • Supported community reflection and healing, particularly in climate-affected contexts where arts-based approaches can help process uncertainty, loss and change.
  • Reimagined the role of culture in sustainable futures, showing that creative practice can shape public values, build climate literacy and inspire change.
  • Created a transferable model beyond the arts, with relevance for education, community wellbeing, sustainable production, climate adaptation and multi-species justice.
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Top 3 learnings

  • Supporting sustainability transition in the national performing arts sector requires shared language and industry collaboration.
  • Developing frameworks to support ecological sustainability in national cultural policy is a socio-ecological necessity.
  • Embedding eco-literacy in higher education ensures ecological stewardship in future arts and creative leaders.

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Benefitting Society category

Griffith University’s Performance and Ecology Research Lab (P+ERL) is advancing climate care in the performing arts by addressing a critical knowledge gap in how the Australian sector responds to ecological crisis. Through research, collaboration and eco-creative practice, P+ERL supports artists, organisations, educators and cultural institutions to rethink how performance is made, programmed, taught and shared.

Working across national and international partnerships, P+ERL combines bottom-up industry collaboration with top-down policy influence. Its work includes the ARC Linkage project Culture for Climate, eco-literacy and eco-creativity workshops, curriculum development, community-engaged performance projects, and a formal contribution to the National Cultural Policy supported by major industry organisations.

By positioning the performing arts as a powerful vehicle for climate literacy, public reflection and cultural change, P+ERL is helping the sector move beyond resource-intensive production models toward sustainable practice, ecological stewardship and creative climate leadership.

Top 3 learnings

  • Supporting sustainability transition in the national performing arts sector requires shared language and industry collaboration.
  • Developing frameworks to support ecological sustainability in national cultural policy is a socio-ecological necessity.
  • Embedding eco-literacy in higher education ensures ecological stewardship in future arts and creative leaders.

Impacts & Benefits

  • Built sustainability capability across the performing arts, supporting organisations to embed greener practices in programming, production, procurement and operations.
  • Secured significant research and sector investment, including $330,572 in ARC Linkage funding and $426,360 in in-kind support from industry partners.
  • Embedded eco-literacy in arts education, including a $54,000 consultancy with NIDA to develop sustainability curriculum and resource packs.
  • Strengthened climate care through creative practice, using theatre, drama and community-engaged projects to support reflection, resilience and public dialogue.
  • Influenced policy and sector systems, contributing evidence and industry support to advance ecological sustainability within national cultural policy.

Leadership & Engagement

  • Established a nationally significant arts-led climate action platform, connecting researchers, students, artists, educators, cultural organisations and communities.
  • Developed an eco-creativity framework, reframing sustainability as part of creative practice rather than an additional compliance task.
  • Combined practice, research and policy influence, linking community and organisational projects with sector-wide sustainability frameworks.
  • Built strong national and international networks, including collaborations with performing arts organisations, PAC Australia, One Stone Advisors, NIDA and global research partners.
  • Created applied learning and career pathways, involving students, PhD candidates, visiting scholars and emerging researchers in sustainability-focused creative practice.

 

Wider Societal Impact

  • Made climate action culturally meaningful, using performance, storytelling and creative engagement to connect climate issues with emotion, place and lived experience.
  • Expanded participation in climate conversations, creating pathways for artists, children, regional communities, cultural workers and more-than-human perspectives.
  • Supported community reflection and healing, particularly in climate-affected contexts where arts-based approaches can help process uncertainty, loss and change.
  • Reimagined the role of culture in sustainable futures, showing that creative practice can shape public values, build climate literacy and inspire change.
  • Created a transferable model beyond the arts, with relevance for education, community wellbeing, sustainable production, climate adaptation and multi-species justice.

Supported by

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Category finalists