Courts Circuits

Services:

Consultancy, Advocacy, Policy Advising

Links:

Year:

2025

Partners:

echnopol, Le Collectif des festivals, DJ4 Climate Action, Music Declares Emergency France

VibeLab with Technopol, Le Collectif des festivals, with the support of DJ4 Climate Action and Music Declares Emergency France, are bringing together key sectors of the performing arts to experiment with a change in programming and touring practices for artists.

Touring DJs emit an average of 35 tonnes of CO₂ annually—4 times more than the average Dutch citizen and 17 times the recommended individual carbon footprint. A shift towards sustainable practices in electronic music is urgent. Courts Circuits is an initiative exploring strategies to reduce artists and events’ carbon footprint, such as: low-carbon touring, coordinated bookings, and local artist promotion. 

Focus areas include:

Experiment slow-touring 

  • 3 slow-tours (or more) showcasing emerging electronic music artists  

  • Cultural mediation activities  involving touring artists : panel  discussion on art & climate change,  djing masterclass, artistic residencies 

  • Environmental impact evaluation  using the carbon footprint methodology 

Develop a consistent economic model

  • Economic foresight study on the state  of programming in electronic music and  its evolution according to different  scenarios 

  • Working groups with music professionals to address existing  challenges preventing the adoption of  slow-touring in electronic music and  other cultural sectors.  

Train professionals and artists 

  • Professional training for emerging artists focusing on balancing  professional growth and environmental  commitment (as an artist). 

  • Support for partnering venues and  professionals (curators, promoters,  bookers and managers, artists, etc.)  willing to implement slow-touring 

  • Development of an online pool of  resources and tools to implement  slow-touring. 




Courts Circuits initiative will experiment artistic short circuits (slow touring) to test their economic viability and  provide on-the-ground resources to support their adoption  widely.