Launched in 2025, the Green Venue Certification program helps venues measure, manage, and reduce their environmental impact while demonstrating their commitment to a more sustainable future.
This year, the program expanded beyond the music sector to pilot its certification framework across five arts and cultural venues throughout Australia. This report presents the findings from five participating venues, highlighting their sustainability achievements, key learnings, and opportunities for continued improvement.
Access the full report
Image: Mamma Mia Community Musical – Produced by GECC, Gladstone Entertainment Convention Centre - Auditorium by Darren Dunnet
Key Findings
Four out of five venues provided waste and electricity data for the period of January to December 2024. Based on this data, we identified the following key findings:
- Electricity accounts for 70% of total CO₂e emissions across participating venues.
-
Natural gas contributes 9% of total emissions and is used across all venues for cooking, water heating, and space
heating. - Positive actions already taken include widespread LED lighting upgrades, improved insulation, and participation in Container Deposit Schemes.
- Landfill diversion rates range from 33% to 50% across the four venues, well below the federal and state waste targets of 80% by 2030. None of the participating venues had site-specific waste management plans.
The Green Venue Program is supported by the Australian Government through Music Australia and the NSW Government through Sound NSW. The Green Venue Certification program is powered by Amidesi, a collaboration between Green Music Australia and iSystain.
