Join Us

Divestment Leaderboard

The ACFA Divestment Leaderboard tracks and acknowledges arts organisations that have taken concrete steps away from banks, super funds and power providers linked to fossil fuel. By giving visibility to these early adopters, we aim to encourage others in the sector to follow suit and build collective momentum. Explore the leaderboard to see who’s leading the way - get in touch to find out how your organisation can join the initiative.

Metric

1

Internal cultural shift
Willingness towards change

2

External movement towards divestment
A gesture or approach towards actualising

3

Actioned divestment
Tangible change

Overview

1

Banking
Has taken a motion to their board to divest their banking from fossil-funding banks.

2

Banking
Has provided a Letter of Notice to their current bank.

3

Banking
Has closed their accounts and opened new accounts with an ethical bank.

1

Superannuation
Provides ACFA template to all current and new employees and contractors.

2

Superannuation
Has changed their default superannuation to a fossil-free super fund.

3

Superannuation
Has advocated for at least 75% of staff switch to a fossil-free super.

1

Energy
Contacted their landlord to enquire about their energy provider, or has looked into themselves if they are in a self-owned property.

2

Energy
Has sent a Letter of Intent to their landlord, letting them know they want to switch.

2

Energy
Has met with similar tenants to work out options for shifting.

3

Energy
Has switched to renewable energy providers.

3

Energy
Has changed away from gas appliances.

1

Extras
Signed onto 350 campaign.

2

Extras
Programming approach.

3

Extras
Sustainability Plans and Audits.

Members

#

Aphids
Naarm - Melbourne, VIC
>
  • Banks with Bank Australia
  • Mentioned they would communicate super info sheet
  • Meeting in November with other CY tenants to chat about lobbying landlord to shift energy provider
3
3
3
1
1
1
2
2
2

#

Arts on Tour
Warrane - Redfern, NSW
>
  • Completely divested from fossil fuel banking with Beyond Bank who are a fossil-free community bank with excellent rates and great business banking – over 4% term deposit rates (good for interest earnings)
  • Commited to sharing ACFA Super resources
  • Are provided energy by Diamond Energy who are 100% renewable energy
  • Piloting new, low emissions models for touring. The Green Touring Toolkit was developed to support the sector in transition to lower emissions practices
3
3
3
3
3
3
1
1
1
3
3
3

#

Auspicious Arts Projects
Naarm - Melbourne, VIC
>
  • Put their bank on notice
  • Moved a significant amount of funds from NAB ($20m)
  • Changed default super to Australian Ethical Super‍
  • Collective action with other CY tenants about lobbying landlord to shift energy provider
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
2

#

Bureau of Works
Boon-wurrung Country - Newport, VIC
>
  • Have had fossil free banking and super since beginning
  • No fixed site to manage power from
  • Keen to lobby independent artists around banking, super and power‍
  • Has wide networks and are interested in getting the word out to presenters and independents
3
3
3
3
3
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

#

Burrinja Culutral Centre
Upwey, Victoria
>
3
3
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

#

Bus Projects
Naarm - Melbourne, VIC
>
  • Committed but needing to approach once they have hired a Treasurer
1
1
1

#

Centre for Reworlding
Djaara Country - Castlemaine, VIC
>
  • Held a Climate Resilience Lab in Regional Victoria
  • Working in a US context towards the end of the year around thinking on climate and abolition
    • Cyrus Marcus Ware (CAN) & Dawn Weleski (USA)
    • Maybe space for a publication
  • Bilya (relational accountability network) will be ready in January 2025 to help frame and unify climate action networks
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2

#

Chamber Made
Naarm - Melbourne, VIC
>
  • Banks with Bank Australia
  • Committed to sharing ACFA Super resources
  • Inquired about energy provider at City of Melbourne but were stopped in their tracks as CoM said they are not able to provide information on energy provision
  • Investigating what percentage of energy are renewables employed by CoM
3
3
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

#

Climarte
Naarm - Melbourne, VIC
>
  • Banks with Bank Australia
  • Committed to sharing ACFA Super resources‍
  • Does not have a space that they operate out of, and so do not host an energy provider
3
3
3
1
1
1
1
1
1

#

Cypher Culture
Naarm - Melbourne, VIC
>
  • Need to add Member Actions

3
3
3
1
1
1
1
1
1

#

Dancehouse
Naarm - Melbourne, Victoria
>
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2

#

Footscray Community Arts
Naarm - Melbourne, VIC
>
  • FCA has opened an account with Bank Australia and will close their CBA account as soon as they are completely setup, announcing their divestment publicly shortly after.
  • FCA’s default super is Australian Ethical Super and they are happy to share ACFA Super resource with new subcontractors.
  • FCA have determined that their energy is self-managed and are in conversation with their Board and ED to shift energy retailer to renewable provider.
  • FCA have an issue with transitioning completely from gas due to the heritage listing of Henderson House but have a Tesla battery that vastly subsidies costs with renewable energy, which they fundraised for some years ago.
  • FCA will look to revisit their sustainability audit via Pangolin and share results.
  • FCA are currently developing an Ethical Fundraising Strategy to address sponsorships and donations, after which they will consider the Cut All Ties campaign.
2
2
2
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2

#

GUTS Dance Central Australia
Mparntwe - Alice Springs, NT
>
  • Banks with Bendigo Bank.
  • Is open to sharing super fact sheet with staff once they return from maternity leave.
  • Jacana Energy is the only energy provider in the NT, 50% renewable by 2030‍
  • Developed SUB project – looking at climate change.
3
3
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2

#

Linden New Art
Naarm - Melbourne, VIC
>
  • Redeveloping the garden as a meeting place – gathering sites from First Nations logic, guided by Boon Wurrung community.
    • Bee Highway: Creating a native garden out the front and the back.
    • Interested in programing climate conversations in the garden.
  • Interested in state solar panel approach via Creative Victoria but are limited by Heritage status at their premises – building is also council-owned.
2
2
2
1
1
1

#

Multicultural Arts Victoria
Naarm - Melbourne, VIC
>
  • Will divest from CBA.
  • Considering shift from current super fund, Australian Super.‍
  • Keen to lobby their new building owner to shift to a renewable energy provider.
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1

#

Next Wave
Naarm - Melbourne, VIC
>
  • Sent a letter of intent to NAB.
  • Opened an account with Suncorp‍
  • Reworking their Sustainability Commitment document to release to public in 2025.
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2

#

Outloud
Warrane - Bankstown, NSW
>
  • Outloud will divest from CBA.
  • Outloud do not have default super, but are happy to share ACFA Super resource with new subcontractor‍
  • Outloud is a tenant of Bankstown Arts Centre and is keen to lobby council to shift to a renewable energy provider.
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1

#

PVI collective
Boorloo - Perth, WA
>
  • Banks with Bendigo Bank
  • Will divest from Media Super
  • Will consider alternative energy providers for more renewable energy, though options are limited as the power grid in WA is far more complex than across Australia
  • Have solar power and hot water
  • Developed a code of ethics template
  • Multiple artworks & creative interventions
    • The Artwash Awards
    • Eaters
    • Tiny Revolutions
    • The Social Licence Watchdogs
3
3
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
3
3
3
3
3

#

Platform Arts
Djillong - Geelong, VIC
>
  • Banks with Bendigo Bank and have a term deposit with Sandhurst Trustees.
  • Platform are happy to share ACFA Super resource with new subcontractors.
  • Platform energy provision is via Powercor (a subsidiary of CitiPower) with no public record of renewable generation. With co-tenants Back2Back Theatre, they have been lobbying council to retrofit more sustainable fitouts and are keen to lobby a renewable energy provider. Their building is heritage listed which presents some challenges‍
  • Is interested in receiving guidance from other orgs towards their own Sustainability Action Plan.
3
3
3
1
1
1
2
2
2
1
1
1

#

Rebus Theatre
Ngunnawal, Ngunawal & Ngambri country - Braddon, ACT
>
  • Banks with Bendigo Bank.
  • Default super is Australian Ethical Super.
  • Are required to confirm their energy provider as a tenant at Ainsley & Gorman Arts Centre.
  • Produced socially engaged work that often contends with climate change, having worked on projects with communities affected by the 2019 bushfires.
3
3
3
3
3
3
1
1
1
2
2
2

#

Schoolhouse Studios
Naarm - Melbourne, VIC
>
  • In the process of signing off on opening an account with Bank Australia and have put NAB on notice
  • Committed to sharing ACFA Super resources with their tenants and staff
  • Currently supplied by Momentum who are a strong renewable energy provider
  • Have lobbied the City of Merri Bek to engage in a bulk green energy purchase for themselves and other businesses in their area
  • Have worked with a biodigester onsite through one of the projects they hosted
  • Through their relationship with tenants are interested in furthering regenerative practices around closed loop cycles in waste management and food security
2
2
2
1
1
1
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2

#

Seventh Gallery
Naarm - Melbourne, VIC
>
  • Have put NAB on notice and the board signed off on opening an account with Bank Australia.
  • Committed to sharing ACFA Super resources with staff and artists
  • Will advocate for cleaner energy providers with their property management.
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1

#

Theatre Network Australia
Naarm - Melbourne, VIC
>
  • Banks with Bank Australia
  • Has developed their Contractor Agreement Form
  • Is going to pick up conversations with Creative Spaces about energy providers again
  • In a period of deep learning, factoring in the meta-crisis and how to metabolise and transform methodologies that can contend with our times
  • Currently developing a partnership policy to create an ethical framework around sponsorships and donations to dive deeper into the issue and are not quite ready to publicly commit to the Cut All Ties campaign. There are considerations they need to take for members nationally who might be based in WA or the NT and what their support would mean for their membership
3
3
3
3
3
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2

#

Trocadero
Naarm - Melbourne, VIC
>
  • In the process of building a Sustainability Checklist with inspiration from Next Wave.
  • Interested in the HeatSafe project to achieve better energy efficiency.
  • Looking at Telecoms and carbon emissions as an outcome that they can organise around‍
  • Interested in lobbying Arts West and connecting ACFA with membership.
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

#

West Space
Naarm - Melbourne, VIC
>
  • Raised at board meeting and interested to make it a regular agenda item
  • Built it into their operational plan
  • Overgrown program – supported by City of Yarra’s Climate Justice Fund
  • Meeting in November with other CY tenants to chat about lobbying landlord to shift energy provider
  • Developed an Ethical Guide to their Funding and Sponsorships
  • Will generate quarterly catch ups with ACFA
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
2