Sustainability in the Music Library

This guide focuses on topics related to sustainability in music, and the environmental impact of music.

Organization and Associations

Below you'll find a list of resources that bring together sustainability and music.

Know of a resource we haven't listed? Let us know!

In this section you can find organizations in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) that focus on bringing together sustainability and the arts.

Toronto Climate Action Network
TCAN’s Mission
To foster collaboration among diverse, action-oriented organizations working in Toronto to prevent climate breakdown, strengthen climate resilience, and advance climate justice.
Sinfonia Toronto
Our goal is to offer a rich musical experience with a low carbon footprint. We are taking purposeful steps to reduce the climate and environmental impact of our events. We are working to make our policy inclusive of all stakeholders: our musicians, our patrons, our board and volunteers, and our sponsors and other partners.
Lakeshore Arts Youth Climate Collective
The Youth Climate Collective (YCC) is a space for Toronto-based youth ages 12-16 to explore the intersection of art and activism and the role of creativity in tackling the climate crisis. Under the mentorship of art and climate professionals, YCC strives to plan and undertake green initiatives, where we demand for climate justice and positive changes!
No. 9
As architects, designers, and artists, we believe it is our responsibility to share our knowledge and inspire and empower today’s youth with the skills and tools they will need to lead the climate action revolution of the 21st century.

This section focuses on national organizations that are centering arts and sustainability in their work.

Living Climate Impact
This is a presentation on one framework from the Research in Residence: Arts’ Civic Impact project. Mass Culture, in partnership with Canada Council for the Arts, the Culture Statistics Working Group, the Ontario Trillium Foundation, and Toronto Arts Foundation, conducted research to understand the civic impact of the arts.

Living Climate Impact, developed by Emma Bugg (Dalhousie University), is a framework that provides indicators to measure arts impact in environmental sustainability and climate action.
Scale LeSaut
SCALE is a network of artists, cultural practitioners, and arts organisations committed to addressing the climate emergency and environmental injustice. We coordinate and facilitate the mobilization of art and culture across Turtle Island to create a just and regenerative world.
Sustainability Hub for Canadian Live Music Association
The following hub has been created as a growing resource base for the Canadian live music industry, to actively engage in matters of ecological sustainability in live music. This page will be continuously updated and expanded.