Glanio ym Machynlleth

Glanio is a partnership between 3 creatives - Marla King (she/her), Clara Rust (she/her) and Fin Jordão (they/them) and Impelo.

We came together to explore a creative response to the climate and ecological emergency we face, and find alternative models of performance and socially engaged art practice.

We were in Machynlleth from 1st - 15th April

Sharing events!

Our explorations culminated in three 45 minute performances: Friday 14th at 2pm, Saturday 15th at 1pm and 3.30pm.

We met at Y Plas and followed the Dancers as they took us on a journey along the public footpath through the park to the Canolfan Owain Glyndwr. A rainy-day version of the performance went ahead in the at the Canolfan Owain Glyndwr - Billiard room on Friday 14th April, and was treated more as a sharing of the work that had gone into Glanio, with parts of the final piece being shown followed by a discussion.

Workshop Opportunities

Whilst Glanio were in Machynlleth there were many options available to join them as they created work with the local community.

Please click the images below for more information on all the Glanio workshops.

Meet the Collective

Want to know a little more about the individuals that make up Glanio?

Follow this link to learn a bit about Marla, Fin, and Clara and what each of them brings to the Glanio Collective.

You can also find out more about the inspiration, intentions, and values that have and continue to help form Glanio by taking a look at their Collective Cultural Agreement.

Extras

As part of the Glanio project, the collective are not just interested in creating a dance performance, but hope to have a wider impact on the way that dance touring is approached. During their residency in Machynlleth, attendees were encouraged to take public transport or car share where possible when coming to see the performances or take part in the workshops.

For those who want to learn more about a slower way of life, and approaching the climate crisis in a way that is positive and focuses on the good that we can do for the environment, others and ourselves, below are recommendations of where to learn more and ideas of where you can start, by making small changes.

Book Recommendations

A non-exhaustive list of books that discuss the environmental crises we face and how to understand and approach them in ways that are positive, creative and focus on the resilience and imagination imbued in the human spirit.

'From What is to What if: Unleashing the Power of Imagination to Create the Future We Want' by Rob Hopkins

'Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We're in with Unexpected Resilience & Creative Power' by Joanna Macy & Chris Johnstone

'Life in the City of Dirty Water: A Memoir of Healing' by Clayton Thomas-Muller

'Nature is a Human Right: Why We're Fighting for Green in a Grey World' by Ellen Miles

Buy second hand books here: World of Books

Podcast Recommendations

Podcasts and podcast episodes which look constructively at the ways in which we can approach the climate crisis, with some episodes that look particularly at the impacts of the dance, theatre and performance industries’ impacts upon the environment. All links are through Spotify.

Talking Moves podcast episode on environmental impacts in dance sector with Adam Benjamin and Marla King.

Climate Crisis Conversations podcast by the Climate Psychology Alliance

From What if to What Next podcast by Rob Hopkins

Fashion and Clothing

As part of her research for Glanio, costume designer Tegan James looked into the impacts that fast fashion has on the environment and how the costumes for Glanio might be approached differently. Below are some of the findings about the impacts of fast fashion.

• The world uses an estimated 80 billion pieces of clothing every year, a 400 percent increase from two decades ago. — The True Cost

• Textile production contributes more to climate change than international aviation and shipping combined. — House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee, 2019

• Buying just one white cotton shirt produces the same amount of emissions as driving 35 miles in a car. —WRAP

• By 2030, global apparel consumption is projected to rise by 63%, from 62 million tons today to 102 million tons—equivalent to more than 500 billion additional T-shirts. — House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee, 2019

• 75% of consumers believe that sustainability is important and one-third are willing to choose brands that help environmental and social improvement. — Ellen MacArthur Foundation

• The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of annual global carbon emissions. — Morgan McFall-Johnsen (2020)

• Half a million tons of plastic microfibers are dumped into the ocean every year, the equivalent of 50 billion plastic bottles. — World Economic Forum

• Around 300,000 tonnes of textile waste ends up in household black bins every year, sent to landfill or incinerators. Less than 1% of material used to produce clothing is recycled into new clothing at the end of its life. — House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee, 2019

• Clothing companies create more than 1 million garments every day. — Greenpeace

• Fast fashion emissions will grow by 50% by 2030, if current growth continues. — Ellen MacArthur Foundation

• Extending the life of clothes by just 9 months of active use would reduce carbon, water and waste footprints by 20-30% each. — WRAP

The process of making the costumes for Glanio therefore, was one which tried to reduce the environmental impact of the clothing as much as possible. Some of the costumes were repurposed from the costumes made for the original iteration of Glanio in Llandrindod. Other garments used for the costumes were sourced from second-hand clothing apps such as Vinted, or were purchased second hand from local charity shops.

Buying clothes second-hand is one of the easiest ways to decrease the impacts of fast fashion on the environment as it prolongs the lifespan of garments and prevents them from entering landfill. Charity, thrift and vintage shops are a good place to start as they reduce other waste from packaging and shipping. However, using apps such as Vinted and Depop are good alternatives as they give a wider range of clothing options from sellers in the UK whilst still ensuring that clothing has a longer lifespan, and are often budget friendly as well!

There are also a growing number of slow-fashion brands which focus on sourcing durable and sustainable fabrics for their garments, as well as ensuring that there is as little waste as possible in the manufacturing process. If you would like to buy clothes from a slow-fashion brand here is a list of 36 Conscious Clothing Brands from the UK.