Our vision

Our vision is for a Kent that is thriving, creative, connected, confident and compassionate.

Our mission

Our mission is to be Kent’s engine house for the performing arts, shaping the spirit of our region.

Our values

Supportive and collaborative
Working together with kindness, compassion and mutual understanding.

Authentic and inclusive
Diversity is our strength, and we thrive through truth and connection.

Creative and ambitious
We embrace opportunity with imagination and purpose.

Sustainability

We’re aiming to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2032. Here’s how.

The climate emergency is one of the defining challenges of our time – and we recognise our responsibility to reduce our environmental impact and to play our part in creating a more sustainable future.

Our action plan

We’re committed to taking transformational action that will reduce our environmental impact and create a pathway to achieve Net Zero by March 2032.

We’ve developed an Environmental Action Plan, which forms part of our Business Plan for 2027–2032 and sets out the steps we’ll take to achieve Net Zero by 2032. We’ve committed to using the framework set out in the Theatre Green Book, an industry-wide initiative created in response to the climate crisis, to plan and monitor our actions across three key areas:

• Buildings
• Operations
• Productions

Our comitments

We will:

• Embed environmental sustainability into the way we work.
• Work towards achieving a Net Zero carbon pathway by March 2032.
• Follow the standards and principles of the Theatre Green Book.
• Provide ongoing sustainability training and support for our team.
• Monitor, track and report on our carbon footprint and environmental impact.
• Advocate for environmental sustainability across our region and champion best practice with our audiences and communities.
• Learn from and contribute to peer networks across the cultural and theatre sectors.
• Communicate our progress openly, celebrating our successes and sharing the challenges we encounter along the way.

Our responsibilities

Three groups have primary responsibility for shaping and driving environmental change at the Marlowe.

• The Marlowe Trust Board is providing strategic oversight of our progress towards Net Zero.
• Our Executive and Strategic Management Teams are responsible for ensuring that environmental priorities and targets are embedded across the organisation.
• Our Environmental Action Group is leading and supporting the delivery of our Environmental Action Plan, as well as monitoring progress across the three key areas of buildings, operations and productions.

Creating meaningful environmental change is a shared responsibility – and every member of our team has a role to play in our journey towards Net Zero. We’re embedding environmental sustainability both in departmental priorities and in individuals’ objectives, helping to ensure that it feeds into the decisions we make and the way we work every day. Our commitment also extends to the freelancers, visiting companies, partners and audiences who are part of the life of the theatre.

Monitoring and reporting

We know that ambition must be matched by action and accountability – which is why we will regularly monitor and evaluate progress against our Environmental Action Plan and Theatre Green Book standards.

Our Environmental Action Group will review progress and report regularly to our Strategic Management Team, with annual reporting to the Marlowe Trust Board. We will also monitor our CO₂e emissions and carbon footprint using recognised industry tools us to understand our environmental impact and identify where further action is needed.

We are committed to being open about our progress. We will report on our environmental performance through our Annual Reports, sharing updates with staff, audiences and the wider community as we continue our journey towards Net Zero.

By working together, measuring our impact and holding ourselves accountable, we aim to make lasting change and ensure that the Marlowe can play its part in building a more sustainable future for the next generation.