AGNES

Artist’s Global Network for Environmental Sustainability

Our Vision

To create a consortium of UK-based artists and art institutions that advocates a thriving community of environmentally responsible creatives, harnessing the power of art to invoke meaningful change in response to environmental emergencies.

Background

There is a rapidly growing realization that the way we live our lives is unsustainable for a long-term healthy thriving and harmonious global society.

Whilst companies and governments have begun to take action to address climate change and other man-made environmental problems, there is a huge amount of confusion, uncertainty and fear surrounding the massive environmental challenges facing the world today.

Artists and designers have the unique skills and ability to imagine, represent, and define a better future for humanity. The collective creative imagination and power of artists working in a coherent fashion could have a profound impact on how society looks forward with optimism to a different way of living.

Our Story

The consortium founders Kevin Price and Lucy Warry met in early 2023. Together they are in the infancy of creating AGNES. Following an initial scoping phase, they have become convinced that there is a space to create a network that harnesses the power of artists’ creative energy to message effectively and inspire behavioural change to a wide audience on environmental issues.

So many artists are passionate and concerned about environmental issues, however, there is an absence of a collective effort supporting artists and creators to minimize their own environmental impact when creating and depicting a different and better future through their art. AGNES aims to change that.

Supply Chain Issues 2024 - Lucy Warry

Kevin Price

Kevin recently left his full-time career in senior management in the arts, principally as the COO of BAFTA. He is now working on a small number of new arts-based projects.

In particular, Kevin was interested in creating a consortium for the UK Artist and Creator community which could fulfil a similar role to albert for the TV & Film industries.

For context, Kevin brought albert into BAFTA in 2011 and acted as its Chair and lead ambassador for 11 years.

Lucy Warry

Following a career in environmental consultancy and management, Lucy Warry embarked on a part-time Ceramics degree four years ago.

Whilst thoroughly enjoying the creative process, her focus returned to the pressing environmental issues we face and how she could use her work to effectively convey meaningful environmental messages to invoke behavioural change in the viewers of the artwork.

Lucy also became very conscious of the impact of the materials she was using to create with. Following a period of research into the psychology of environmental art and its impact, Lucy fortuitously joined forces with Kevin when they learned of their aligned aspirations.

Research Findings

To determine the appetite for the proposed consortium, Kevin and Lucy spent six months researching the art/environment landscape, along with discussing and exploring ideas with various stakeholders including UK art schools/colleges, art institutions, artists, and experts on sustainability in the arts.

This gap analysis helped to confirm some and identify other key areas where AGNES could make a meaningful difference.

AGNES’ Role

AGNES will seek to address the gaps identified by being a CATALYST for change, a SUPPORT for colleges, artists and art institutions to instigate change and an ADVOCATE for their art. AGNES will strive to be broadly inclusive in terms of art disciplines, including Architecture, Art Therapy, Ceramics, Design (Including Product & Industrial), Graphic Design, Fashion , Fine Art, Illustration, Interior Design, Jewellery, Printmaking, Photography, Sculpture and Textiles.

Catalyst

AGNES will harness the creativity of the art world to reimagine a more sustainable future
Raise the profile of the environment and sustainability within art education institutions and the wider art world
Galvanise and harness the energy and desire of artists to make a meaningful and effective contribution to environmental issues

Support

AGNES will support the art community by developing web-based resources, providing training tools, and developing mechanisms through which the art community can communicate and collaborate more effectively.

A Web-based Resource Hub

Develop environmental best practice guides for artists, tailored to different disciplines
Make the (Creating Critical Sustainability Stories) Tool available. This is designed to strengthen the skills and knowledge of creative industry storytellers
Lists of suppliers of sustainable/eco art materials and products
Collate links to other relevant organisations related to art & the environment, including artists, current and past projects, galleries

Training

Modules for art colleges made available through ‘Future Learn’ online courses:

Module 1: Creating Art Sustainably - A Comprehensive Guide
Module 2: How to Harness the Power of Environmental Art to Inspire Behavioural Change
Module 3: Exhibiting sustainably - guide to greening galleries

Collaborate

Student Working Groups - a place for student representatives from AGNES member institutions, to exchange ideas and collaborate.
Teaching Staff Working Groups - a place for educators from AGNES member institutions to exchange ideas on teaching practices and develop collaborative projects.
Dating app style platform for connecting art students, educators and artists to scientists and policy makers who need creative minds to communicate environmental information; it would also act to form connections between artists and gallerists who have a focus on environmental art.

Advocate

AGNES will become an organisation with a platform to promote the art community’s creative power in addressing environmental issues, some of the ways in which it will enable this include:
Showcasing the work of artists who have committed to a ‘greener’ practice and/or are communicating in new exciting and meaningful ways about environmental issues – this could be in the form of an exhibition and/or a spotlight page on the AGNES website and social media platforms
Environmental/Sustainable Art Prize for art students
Residencies in areas with a specific environmental issue that can be addressed by an artist/group of artists
The Greater Exhibition 2026

Objectives 2024/25

To establish a digital presence for AGNES
To create a first edition of artist resources which can help any artist reduce their environmental impact whilst creating their art
To stage ten events across UK art colleges and institutions
To initiate the planning and resourcing for The Greater Exhibition of 2026
Establish regular communication channels for consortium members

Consortium Constitution

The consortium will be a not-for-profit and charitable organisation. The most appropriate constitution is likely to be a Charitable Incorporated Organisation which is registered with the Charity Commission but not Companies House.

This form of constitution would allow the consortium to have:

A Board of Trustees consisting of individuals with profile and influence in the art world
A Management Team led by Kevin and Lucy
An Advisory Board consisting of the principal consortium members

Phase one: September - December 2024

AGNES will welcome its Founding Members at the start of the 2024/25 academic year. During the first phase of activity, the AGNES digital portal will be populated with the first tranche of resources and best practice material. With the support and guidance of the AGNES team, representatives from the Founding Members will be invited to share their expertise and academic knowledge in identifying, or creating, resources to guide the artist community in understanding and reducing their environmental impact when creating. We will also host our first events, which will be based throughout the UK allowing students, tutors and other representatives from colleges and institutions in each region to learn about the AGNES mission, share their ideas and develop new networks.

If you would like to get involved:

You can express your interest in finding out more about the AGNES Consortium or becoming a Founding member here;
You can find out about upcoming Events here;
You can volunteer to contribute to an AGNES sub-group here.