Climate Action in the Art World is the latest title in the Hot Topics in the Art World book series, edited by Sotheby’s Institute of Art faculty Jeffrey Boloten and Juliet Hacking, published in association with Lund Humphries. To mark the publication, we spoke with author Annabel Keenan about the work that has been done so far to create a more sustainable art world, and the challenges that remain.
What inspired you to write Climate Action in the Art World, and what key issues did you want to highlight?
I’ve been covering environmental sustainability and climate action in the art world for several years, mainly for The Art Newspaper. There has been a concerted movement to understand the industry’s impact on the climate, identify ways to improve practices, and take action to make those changes. However, there is still a lack of acceptance that climate action is a crucial part of the industry.
Writing this book, I hope to give an overview of what climate action looks like, some background on how we got here, the main issues and roadblocks to addressing these issues, the groups and collectives enacting change, and case studies of actions that artists, art fairs, galleries, and museums have taken. I also wanted to touch on the future of climate action and the work still to be done—which is significant. This book isn’t gloom and doom. I hope readers can find something that sparks curiosity in the topic and offers tips on how to address sustainability in their own lives.
The book explores how different sectors of the art world are addressing climate change. What are some of the most innovative or effective initiatives you came across?
I truly believe any initiative is effective if it helps to promote sustainability! Climate action is the least competitive, most transparent part of the art industry. If there is a best practice, it’s sharing resources and information. Individuals and institutions are increasingly documenting their challenges, research, and solutions, often by completing Climate Impact Reports through Artists Commit.
At the core of many environmentally conscious decisions is waste reduction, such as avoiding surplus materials after an exhibition. A gallery or museum worker might plan an exhibition with waste reduction in mind and buy plinths, crates, lighting, etc. that can be reused in another show, which also avoids having to purchase these materials again a few months down the road, thus cutting costs. In order to do this, the worker might have to advocate for storing these materials for future use, but having the initial conversation about waste reduction is a great first step in promoting green practices.
How can artists and collectors play a role in promoting more sustainable practices?
Many artists are advocating for sustainable practices, in particular through Artists Commit, a group that launched in 2021 to share tips on green operations and how to hold partnering institutions accountable. Gallery Climate Coalition launched a similar initiative called the Artist Toolkit in 2024.
Collectors are the next frontier for climate action in the art world. Collectors are major stakeholders in the industry and can ask the galleries and auction houses they buy from to adopt sustainable practices, such as offering lower carbon shipping options (sea, rail, and road are typically better than air, for example). Collectors can also ask galleries to hold artworks until they can be added to a consolidated shipment, which is something the Institute of Contemporary Art in Miami does. They can also seek out galleries that publish sustainability charters on their websites, like Marianne Boesky Gallery (which also adds an optional $35 donation to large-scale land conservation to every invoice that the gallery will pay if the buyer opts out), as well as businesses that join climate groups like Gallery Climate Coalition and Galleries Commit.
The book highlights collaborations between the art world and climate-focused groups. Can you share an example that particularly stood out to you?
One of the most significant undertakings is an ongoing collaboration between the Art Dealers Association of America (ADAA) and Laura Lupton, a climate consultant. Lupton is a co-founder of Artists Commit and she tailored its Climate Impact Report for the ADAA’s annual Art Show to help exhibitors understand their environmental impact when they participate in the fair. Lupton also helped develop a report for the fair itself, which informed a larger Sustainability Roadmap that the ADAA uses to plan future events with the environment in mind. The group shares its findings, a great example of how the industry can work together to improve not just one’s own operations, but those of others as well.
What do you hope readers, particularly those working in or entering the art world, take away from this book?
I hope readers in the industry learn how they can rethink their job with sustainable operations in mind and advocate for change when needed. Even small steps contribute to a broader shift towards green practices. I hope individuals in positions of power recognize the importance of supporting climate-conscious systems and give their teams the time and resources needed to implement them. For readers not directly involved with the industry, but who might frequent museums or galleries, I want to shed light on the questions they can ask of these institutions to hold the industry accountable.
Many graduates of Sotheby’s Institute of Art are emerging professionals in the art market. How can they advocate for sustainability while navigating the commercial realities of the industry?
While the bottom line for a commercial business might make it seem like advocating for environmental sustainability is at odds with financial sustainability, the two go hand-in-hand. Perhaps the best example is shipping. If you work for a museum or non-profit, financial sustainability is baked into planning because these institutions typically have slimmer budgets. They might plan farther in advance to find the most affordable shipping options and to reduce the overall number of shipments needed. That in itself supports environmental sustainability, as fewer flights, trains, cars, boats, etc. will be used.
On the commercial side, a blue-chip gallery might book last-minute shipments to quickly add an artwork to an exhibition or art fair. Having more resources can make wasteful practices more tempting because they are readily available. However, as non-profits illustrate, planning in advance reduces costs and therefore reduces waste and emissions. If the gallery decides it’s necessary to make that last-minute shipment, it should be understood as a wasteful practice, both financially and environmentally. Wasteful practices should be the exception, not the norm. I hope this book helps show why!
Institute faculty, students, and alumni receive a 20% discount on the Lund Humphries website with the code 'Soth20'.
Images: Annabel Keenan portrait, photograph by Sarah Wagner Miller. Book cover courtesy of Lund Humphries.