Charting a Sustainable Future: Aoife Fannin on the Gallery Climate Coalition’s Next Chapter
As the Gallery Climate Coalition (GCC) approaches its fifth anniversary, the organization is taking a moment to look back while laying the groundwork for what comes next. Since its founding in 2020, GCC has been at the forefront of helping the art sector confront its environmental responsibilities, and now, with major research projects, new leadership, and ambitious collaborations, it is entering a new phase of its mission.
GCC team, with Aoife Fannin pictured bottom right. Photo Courtesy: Elizabeth Norwood.
Aoife Fannin, a Project Manager at the GCC, describes a current project that feels emblematic of this shift: “We’re working on a major research project that takes stock of the GCC’s first five years, analysing the data we’ve collected and assessing how the sector has progressed on sustainability since we began. It’s a chance to pause, reflect, and identify where and how we can be most effective as we move towards our 2030 targets.” Alongside this, she hints at a series of forthcoming events that promise to bring the GCC community together in fresh ways, adding, “I can’t say very much yet, but I’m so looking forward to the conversations, connections and energy these will spark.”
That spirit of renewal also underpins the Coalition’s leadership transition. The arrival of Frances Morris, the former Director of Tate Modern, has been greeted with real excitement. “She’s an extraordinary leader in this space and brings such deep experience and vision,” Fannin says. “The approach that carried us from the Pandemic era to now won’t be the same one that gets us to 2030 and beyond. Frances is uniquely placed to help us navigate that shift, and I can’t think of a better person to help shape our path forward.” The sense is clear: GCC knows its mission must evolve if it is to truly embed environmental responsibility across the art world.
Even as the Coalition looks inward, it remains attuned to the broader political and cultural landscape. The United States’ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement under Donald Trump might appear to dampen global progress, but Fannin insists that momentum within the cultural sector remains strong. Earlier this year, the GCC hosted an event at MoMA, and the response was anything but defeatist. “The energy in the room was palpable—galleries, artists, and institutions are still pushing forward with real commitment, despite the challenging political context,” she recalls. “Public concern about the climate and nature crises isn’t going anywhere, with studies consistently showing that around 89% of people globally want to see action. The art world has a unique role to play in foregrounding what sustainability leadership looks like during uncertain times. In moments like these, our collective efforts become even more essential.”
GCC membership stats as of 2024. Photo Courtesy: GCC.
One of the most ambitious expressions of that collective effort is the Art Fair Environmental Responsibility Initiative. Developed in collaboration with fairs across the world, it represents a rare spirit of unity in an industry often defined by competition. At its heart is the Art Fair Toolkit for Environmental Responsibility, a “practical roadmap” to cutting emissions and reducing waste across travel, shipping, energy, materials, and production. Each participating fair has co-signed a commitment to these strategies, pledging to halve carbon emissions and move toward near-zero waste by 2030. “Structural change requires immediate collective action,” Fannin states, echoing the words of TEFAF’s Head of Fairs, Will Korner, in a statement about the European art fair’s new alliance with the GCC. Fannin sees this initiative as proof that, when it comes to climate action, there is no competition.
Asked what single change would accelerate progress, Fannin points to funding. “I’d like to see more funders, collectors, and sponsors make environmental responsibility a condition of their support,” she says. Far from punitive, she frames it as a collective raising of ambition that could unlock significant change. “Many of these actions also bring long-term cost savings and reputational benefits, so really this is about future-proofing our sector.”
GCC & Whitechapel Gallery Symposium, March 2023. Photo courtesy: Gallery Climate Coalition.
Evidence of what’s possible already exists across the GCC’s membership. The Coalition’s growing network of Active Members is full of examples of galleries making measurable progress, often under difficult circumstances. “Many have found creative ways to cut emissions while also saving costs and deepening collaborations,” Fannin notes. The GCC frequently highlights these stories on its social channels, encouraging others to take inspiration from the breadth of activity happening worldwide.
As the Coalition prepares to celebrate its fifth year, there is both urgency and optimism in Fannin’s outlook. The challenges are immense, but the path forward is being shaped with clarity and collective will. “When it comes to climate action, there is no competition,” she says. “That’s what makes this work so hopeful.”
You can find both the Co-Commitment Statement and the Toolkit here or on the GCC website.
Many thanks to Aoife Fannin on behalf of MADE IN BED.
Mairi Alice Dun
Editor-In-Chief, MADE IN BED