Since 2021, Circular Culture, a British Council initiative, has been working with cultural festivals across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) to strengthen their sustainability practices.

The programme combines grants, training, and international collaboration, supporting a growing community that now includes:

  • 109 participating festivals
  • 10 countries
  • More than 1,000 applications each year

While music and film festivals continue to represent a significant portion of the network, the ecosystem has expanded to include visual arts, literature, dance, and digital arts festivals.

Building on this journey, we conducted an impact analysis to better understand the programme’s contribution to participating festivals. Below are some of the key findings.

Before joining the programme, many festivals were already aware of sustainability challenges but lacked the practical tools needed to implement meaningful changes.

Circular Culture acted as a catalyst for progress:

  • 86% reported an increased understanding of environmental sustainability.
  • Most participants stated that, without the programme, reaching this level of knowledge would have taken significantly longer.

The study highlights measurable progress in the adoption of sustainable practices:

  • More than 50% reduction in paper use.
  • Implementation of zero-waste-to-landfill models.
  • Adoption of recyclable materials, composting toilets and shared transport solutions.

In addition:

  • 40% improved their waste management practices.
  • 27% reported improvements in energy efficiency.
  • 30% introduced internal sustainability training.

One of the most significant findings was the programme’s impact on visibility and audience engagement:

  • 38% reported audience growth and diversification.
  • 43% strengthened engagement with their audiences.

Festivals also highlighted:

  1. Increased institutional credibility.
  2. Attraction of new sponsors.
  3. Greater access to international investment opportunities.

The programme has created new opportunities for global collaboration.

Nearly all participants worked with UK artists for the first time through initiatives such as:

  • Artist residencies
  • Professional mentoring
  • Knowledge exchange
  • Co-creation projects

The analysis also identified several ongoing challenges:

  • Persistent financial constraints.
  • Changing political contexts in some countries.
  • The need for more practical, tailored training for smaller festivals.

In response, a clear opportunity has emerged: the development of regional collaboration networks, which will be further strengthened through the Networking Programme launching in 2026.

Festival Voices

"It is a unique opportunity to receive financial support while building collaborations with artists and institutions from the UK." — Participant, Brazil

"The collaborative work has been incredible... that is the true power of Circular Culture." — Participant, Brazil

"We have reached audiences that we had never engaged before." — Participant, Cuba

Explore the Full Results

If you would like to learn more about the findings, methodology and case studies:

Download the full and executive reports below.
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