Artists Now Launches Green Manifesto to Empower Eco-Friendly Practices

Artists Now, the UK's largest artist membership organization, relaunched with a new name and a Green Manifesto aimed at helping artists make their practices more environmentally friendly. The organization, originally founded in 1980 as Artist's Newsletter (a-n), has evolved from a grassroots information sheet into a powerful professional body with over 36,000 members, including prominent artists Antony Gormley, Sonia Boyce, and Larry Achiampong. The manifesto was developed collaboratively by artists Tom Pope, Alys Scott Hawkins, and Melanie Wheeler, with input from artist studios across the UK. It provides practical advice categorized by difficulty (green, amber, red) and covers topics such as making, exhibiting, shipping, travel, admin, and digital. The manifesto is designed as a 'living resource' freely accessible online, encouraging artists to share tips and experiences. CEO Julie Lomax emphasized that the manifesto is a call to action, aiming to support artists in thriving in a changing society. The launch coincides with Artists Now's ongoing advocacy work, including campaigns on fair pay, disability rights, and intellectual property, and its engagement with the UK's All Party Parliamentary Group for Visual Arts and Arts. The manifesto's message is upbeat and inclusive, urging artists to do what they can without guilt. Lomax noted that if each member took one action, it would amount to over 36,000 actions, demonstrating collective impact.