April 30 – May 1, 2012
In person: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Through live webcast and Google+ collaboration: anywhere in the world

The Minnesota Theater Alliance and the Twin Cities Sustainable Theatres Group will present the first U.S. national conference on sustainable practices for the performing arts. The “Sustainability in Theater Conference” will be hosted by Brave New Workshop in their new venue featuring a variety of green practices at 824 Hennepin Ave. in Minneapolis, April 30 – May 1, 2012.

National attendance will be facilitated without travel expense and carbon emissions via live webcast through QwikCast and online collaboration through Google+ Hangouts On Air.

The conference tag line is, “Inspiration, innovation, and tangible learning from around the world on how greener practices can make your work and our communities more sustainable.” Topics range from energy efficiency to waste reduction, from greener lighting equipment to smarter business models, from eco-influenced art to mission alignment, with case studies, learning and collective action for every department of performing arts organizations.

Day 1 will feature Keynote and Natural Step Framework interactive workshop by Terry Gips, CEO of Sustainability Associates and president of the Alliance for Sustainability; plus a series of case studies presented by innovators in the performing arts field from around the world, moderated by Ian Garrett, director of the Center for Sustainable Practices in the Arts. All presentations will be live webcast by QwikCast.

Day 2 will feature peer-to-peer breakout sessions, attended by local experts, focusing on collective action. Concurrent breakouts will be conducted across the country through regional partners, with national collaboration facilitated through Google+ Hangout On Air. All conference activities will model remote collaboration technology and techniques.

The conference is presented in partnership with the Center for Sustainable Practices in the Arts and Theatre Communications Group.

Presenting organizations include:
* Sustainability Associates (Minnesota): presenters of the Natural Step Framework, created in Sweden in 1989 and brought to the U.S. in the mid ’90s by “Ecology of Commerce” author Paul Hawken and MIT learning organization leader Peter Senge, author of “The Fifth Discipline”
* Broadway Green Alliance (New York): helped convert 97% of Broadway’s marquees to LED technology
* Center for Sustainable Practices in the Arts (Los Angeles): working on SHOPLAB, a materials reuse and sharing facility; gathering and distributing information through the CSPA Knowledge Network; and developing curriculum through the CSPA Institute
* York University (Toronto): developing the Theatre Artisans Green Skills forum
* Mo`olelo Performing Arts Company (San Diego): published the Green Theater Choices Toolkit
* Childsplay (Arizona): host of the Sustainability in Stagecraft conference, 2009
* Earth Matters on Stage (Oregon): presenter of ecodrama playwrights festival and symposium
* Center for Energy and the Environment (Minnesota): providing practical, innovative, energy solutions for homeowners, businesses, nonprofits, and government
* Julie’s Bicycle (U.K.): working with the creative industries in the U.K. on environmental sustainability, providing practical solutions that balance artistic, financial and social considerations

The Sustainability in Theater Conference Task Force includes:
* John Bueche, Bedlam Theatre
* Leah Cooper, Minnesota Theater Alliance
* Kat Duvic, Brave New Workshop
* Erin Farmer, Brave New Workshop
* Ian Garrett, Center for Sustainable Practices in the Arts
* Todd Hintz, Guthrie Theater
* Elena Imaretska, Brave New Workshop
* Ellen Jones, Bemidji State University
* Jenna Papke, Minnesota Theater Alliance
* Jill Underwood, Guthrie Theater
* Alicia Wold, CostumeRentals

For more information, please contact:
Leah Cooper, 612-227-2046, leah@minnesotatheateralliance.org
Minnesota Theater Alliance; 308 Prince St #270, Saint Paul, MN 55101; 651-789-0787
Click here to see her recent interview with Marianne Combs on Minnesota Public Radio’s “State of the Arts” blog.

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