Sustainable Travel Options for Touring Artists and Musicians.

Whether an artist is an established act or relatively new organising a tour is an excellent way to generate revenue and increase exposure to a wider audience. The organisational logistics can be complex, but a number of specialists exist to create a smooth touring process. A key concern for the artist’s public persona is making their tour sustainable especially when planning transport options.

Touring performance artists can be restricted to one country consisting of local fixed venues and music festivals or internationally on a global scale. It really depends on budgets and the popularity of the artist what type of tour is embarked on. All touring requires use of transport, and this is likely to cause the most significant environment impact, so it is vital for tour organisers to consider different sustainable travel options to reduce the overall carbon footprint. 

Planning and Route Strategy. 
The tour organisers will need to plan well in advance and establish venue availability along with associated costs. By considering the location of each venue and date availability organisers can plan a logical sequence of performances that reduces unnecessary travel. This clustering of gigs together geographically minimises travel distances and use of transport. 

Green Transport Options. 
Using tour buses has long been a way of minimising travel costs but artists can consider train travel too. This form of shared ground transportation is always preferable to flying, however if distances are too far flying may be unavoidable in which case organisers can consider a carbon offset programme. 

Fanbase Eco-friendly Transport. 
As long as the performance artist sets a good example of using sustainable travel options themselves, they should promote this to their travelling fanbase. Encouraging use of public transport like trains and buses is preferable or if fans are driving, they should consider carpooling or shared transport options. 

Sustainability Initiatives for Touring Artists. 
The Green Rider: A set of guidelines developed by the United Independent Music Agencies (UIMA) who represent more than 1000 acts in Europe and worldwide playing over 15,000 shows every year. The Green rider helps artists reduce their footprint, but it also states alternatives for promoters, venues and festivals to steer towards a greener future. 
Ecolibrium: A not for profit charity that is a live events industry response to the climate crisis – uniting a community of events, festivals, suppliers, artists and music companies in environmental restoration by moving climate action & low-carbon travel into the heart of live events culture. They provide advice about sustainable travel as well as tools and inspiration to take action and reduce impacts. 
Creative Carbon Scotland: A Scottish initiative that provides support to artists, creatives, and arts organizations in reducing their carbon footprint.

The ability of a performance artist to use sustainable transport when touring is an essential part of overall carbon footprint reduction in the live events industry. Communicating these efforts to a wider audience helps to increase awareness and improves the overall public perception of that artist. 

For festival organisers planning their events using a software management platform like Festival Pro gives them all the functionality they need manage every aspect of their event logistics. The guys who are responsible for this software have been in the front line of event management for many years and the features are built from that experience and are performance artists themselves. The Festival Pro platform is easy to use and has comprehensive features with specific modules for managing artists, contractors, venues/stages, vendors, volunteers, sponsors, guestlists, ticketing, cashless payments and contactless ordering. 

Image by Timcompound by via Pexels

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