From Moment to Movement

When people think of sustainability at events, they often focus on technical features like reusable cups, solar-powered stages, or e-tickets. While these are important, they miss a deeper potential: the ability of events to spark long-term cultural change. If done right, festivals and gatherings can be more than moments of enjoyment, they can become movements that reshape how people think, feel, and act in their everyday lives. This blog explores how cultural, and music festivals can do more than entertain by being thoughtfully designed, they can inspire real behavioural change toward sustainability in both organisers and participants.

Why Event Organisers Matter More Than You Think

Sustainable behaviour at events doesn’t begin with the audience, it starts behind the scenes. The organisers set the tone. Their choices about venue, materials, communication, partnerships, and even pricing shape how participants experience sustainability. If these choices are clear, meaningful, and consistent, they can model new norms (Bowdin, 2023).

According to Allen et al. (2022), event organisers are cultural producers. Their designs influence not only what happens during the event, but also how people interpret social values like fairness, responsibility, and care for the environment. This is especially powerful in festivals, where temporary communities are formed, and emotions are heightened.

Take, for example, the We Love Green Festival in France. Since 2011, it has integrated sustainability into every layer, from compost toilets to sustainable artist contracts, and educational zones. More than just offering green services, the festival communicates its intentions clearly and invites participants into the process (Negruşa et al., 2016). This kind of approach doesn’t just reduce impact; it changes mindset.

Direct Experience

One of the most powerful tools in cultural events is experiential learning, the idea that people change not just by hearing or seeing, but by doing. Holmes et al. (2015) note that when audiences participate in actions that align with sustainable values, they are more likely to adopt those values themselves.

This might include separating waste at a multi-bin station with clear visuals, using a bike-sharing system to reach the event, or participating in a local food-sharing zone. These are small acts, but in the emotionally rich space of a festival, they become memorable. As Pine and Gilmore (2011) argue in their theory of the experience economy, emotional connection leads to lasting impressions.

A study by Laing and Frost (2010) on eco-festivals in Australia found that participants were more likely to adopt green habits post-event if the event offered hands-on learning, such as eco-workshops, DIY stations, and interactive sustainability games.

Direct Experience

One of the most powerful tools in cultural events is experiential learning, the idea that people change not just by hearing or seeing, but by doing. Holmes et al. (2015) note that when audiences participate in actions that align with sustainable values, they are more likely to adopt those values themselves.

This might include separating waste at a multi-bin station with clear visuals, using a bike-sharing system to reach the event, or participating in a local food-sharing zone. These are small acts, but in the emotionally rich space of a festival, they become memorable. As Pine and Gilmore (2011) argue in their theory of the experience economy, emotional connection leads to lasting impressions.

A study by Laing and Frost (2010) on eco-festivals in Australia found that participants were more likely to adopt green habits post-event if the event offered hands-on learning, such as eco-workshops, DIY stations, and interactive sustainability games.

From One Event to Ongoing Impact

So, what happens after the music stops? Can a single weekend really influence long-term change? 
Yes, but only if organisers plan for legacy. This doesn’t mean building large infrastructure but building knowledge and networks. Smith (2022) highlights that festivals with post-event communities such as Facebook groups, volunteer programs, or ongoing local campaigns are more likely to influence daily behaviour.

Even small-scale efforts, when consistent, can reshape expectations. Duffy et al. (2021) suggest that audiences begin to demand better practices once they’ve seen them in action — shifting market pressure toward ethical production.

Events as Sustainable Culture-Makers

In short, events should not be judged only by their carbon emissions or material choices, but also by the culture they help build. When organisers treat sustainability as a mindset, not a marketing add-on, they create space for deeper transformation (Wróblewski, 2019).

This requires prioritise values over convenience and to experiment with new models. Because in the end, a truly sustainable event is not the one that makes you feel good for a weekend. It’s the one that stays with you long after and quietly shifts how you live your life.

Reference

Bowdin, G.A., Allen, J., Harris, R., Jago, L., O'Toole, W. and McDonnell, I., 2023. Events management. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003044963 


Allen, J., Harris, R. and Jago, L., 2022. Festival & special event management. John Wiley & Sons. 


Negruşa, A.L., Toader, V., Rus, R.V. and Cosma, S.A., 2016. Study of perceptions on cultural events’ sustainability. Sustainability, 8(12), p.1269. https://doi.org/10.3390/su8121269 


Holmes, K., Hughes, M., Mair, J. and Carlsen, J., 2015. Events and sustainability (pp. 1-206). Abingdon: Routledge. 


Pine, B.J. and Gilmore, J.H., 2011. The experience economy. Harvard Business Press


Laing, J. and Frost, W., 2010. How green was my festival: Exploring challenges and opportunities associated with staging green events. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 29(2), pp.261-267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2009.10.009


Smith, A. and Mair, J., 2022. Events and Sustainability.


Duffy, M. and Mair, J., 2017. Festival encounters: Theoretical perspectives on festival events. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315644097 


Wróblewski, Ł., Gaio, A. and Rosewall, E., 2019. Sustainable cultural management in the 21st century. Sustainability, 11(17), p.4665. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11174665 


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