Liberating Tate and other moves for divestment

The movement to divest from Fossil Fuel companies has been building over the past year. BP's sponsorship of Tate and Edinburgh International Festival has ended and campaigning support has grown into the mainstream with notable individuals such as actress Emma Thompson, fashion designer Dame Vivienne Westwood and shadow chancellor John McDonnell giving their support.

The focus has moved to the remaining UK cultural organisations that are benefiting from BP sponsorship including the National Portrait Gallery, Royal Opera House and specifically the British Museum. A public letter has been addressed to coincide with the appointment of the Museum’s new Director Hartwig Fischer. This growing momentum has been providing greater pressure on companies to divest, including the Royal Bank of Scotland who cut 70% of their investments in oil and gas in 2015.

Liberate Tate has been on the forefront of this cause; campaigning since 2010, they have become renowned for their interventions into social change considering oil sponsorship of the arts. Birthmark was a work created in response to the international climate talks in Paris. Liberate Tate occupied Tate Britain and marked tattoos on each other, which stated the number of estimated co2 concentrate in the atmosphere at the time of their birth.

We will be hosting Liberate Tate and their work Birthmark on Saturday 30 April 2016 marking the launch of our next LADA Screens series, which will feature the film Birthmark online for 2 weeks. The event is also a celebration of their achievements and a platform to discuss the future of environmental arts practices and ethical funding.