The team are committed to delivering a sustainable festival.
Leamington’s Spotlight Festival is founded by BID Leamington and Whittle Productions. The festival is curated by creative director Kate Livington, who is mentored by Katherine Jewkes.
We know that all events impact our environment and have a wider impact on the health of our planet. BID Leamington, Whittle Productions and the wider team are committed to minimising the environmental impact of our activities in the town centre.
Spotlight Festival is giving particular consideration to event infrastructure and reuse, energy use, waste reduction, and how people can travel to our events sustainably.
You can read more about our plans below. We are constantly learning and welcome your feedback as we go forward.
Event Infrastructure & Materials
- Using Warwick District Council UKSPF capital funding, we have invested in fixed energy infrastructure in Jephson Gardens. This means we will not have to rely on generators and there will be longer-term benefits to all other events and activities in this space in future.
- Some strategic reusable event equipment has also been purchased. This will be used during the Spotlight Festival and will be made available to support Leamington Spa town centre and local business events. A list of what is available for community use will be published in 2025 and managed by BID Leamington and the Warwick District Council events team.
Energy Consumption
- We aim for Spotlight Festival to be as low-energy and sustainable as possible. As above, energy for the installations will come from the grid.
- We have purchased some low-energy LED lighting with rechargeable batteries which can be reused at future events.
- SLX installations use LED lights.
- Lights will only be switched on during the duration of the event.
Travel to Spotlight Festival
- All aspects of Spotlight Festival are located in the heart of Royal Leamington Spa town centre. The town centre is easily walkable and accessible via foot, bike and public transport – including within 5 – 10 minutes’ walk from the town centre bus stops and the train station. Details are available from the ‘Plan Your Visit’ section of this website.
- Cycle parking is available in racks near the park.
- We are working closely with the Warwick District Council and Warwickshire County Council Active Travel teams to support investment in sustainable travel. This includes providing advice on routes, and support with bike maintenance, safety and security. There are also plans to install more cycle parking and purchase reusable cycle parking racks for events in future.
- We will be carrying out surveys to better understand how people have reached us in 2025 – year 1, so we can identify improvements and identify ways to incentivise and support sustainable travel in the future.
Waste
- Where possible materials, such as signage have been designed and procured so they can be re-used at future events.
- The ‘By the Lake’ installation uses equipment that has been in operation in other locations, and our ‘Power of Love’ installation has been designed to travel to other towns and cities in future, therefore enabling re-use of the artwork. Other installations have been designed and procured with sustainability and waste minimization in mind.
- The event will not be using outside traders. This will help reduce the use of packaging, and encourage visitors to eat and drink in town centre restaurants, cafes and bars who need this support. Any traders who are engaged will be locally based and encouraged to follow our policy of reducing packaging and waste, and using sustainable products wherever possible.
- We will encourage visitors to bring reusable cups for takeaway drinks.
- Water bottles can be filled in local venues if requested.
- All visitor information will be provided online, though some printed material will be available to support wider accessibility. Where possible this will be printed on recycled paper.
Thank you for your support in this area. The team are passionate about progressing ideas as part of our ‘Green Leamington’ strategy in 2025. Please get in touch if you would like more information or have any queries or suggestions: info@bidleamington.com