The theme of sustainability has never been so closely tied to cultural policy; it is with this in mind that, having become the first theatre in Europe to join the New European Bauhaus – the multi-disciplinary cultural network promoted by the European Union to serve as a catalyst for the new European Green Deal –, we are underscoring our commitment to ensuring that our stages serve as a driver for the culture of sustainability.
 

We see sustainability in its broadest terms, in its representation of a relationship between the environment, the economy and society, and therefore equally related to accessibility and inclusion.

There is a wide and articulated range of initiatives that we are implementing in this regard; on a structural level, through the progressive adapting of our spaces (thanks to the NRRP and both public and private partnerships) and our equipment (with a “light relamping” project funded by Regione Lombardia with a view to favouring the use of LED technology for auditorium lighting), as well as a commitment to reusing materials both on and off stage; and on a productive level, with shows created as part of the European projects STAGES - Sustainable Theatre Alliance for a Green Environmental Shift and UNLOCK THE CITY!, which contributes to promoting a culture of sustainability (Benvenuti al Piccolo! Green tour of the island of trees by Michele Dell’Utri; Semidei by Pier Lorenzo Pisano), of inclusion and of dialogue with the community (Dance Me to the End of the World by Sotterraneo).

In addition, through a series of significant collaborations and alliances: our partnership with the Politecnico di Milano for international projects (and beyond); our involvement in the Festival of Sustainable Development organised by ASviS – The Italian Alliance for Sustainable Development; our relationship with schools and libraries in Milan and Lombardy, which sees us carrying forward our commitment – previously expressed in past seasons, also through our involvement in the Affido Culturale project, organised by the Associazione Mitades and the KPMG Foundation – to fighting educational poverty; and the close collaboration with AI. Di. Qua. Artists – the first ever association of and for disabled people in entertainment – and with Associazione Culturale Fedora, which continues to develop in multiple directions, from the training of staff to audio-description projects, and from the creation of materials and kits dedicated to people with specific needs (for example with Jérôme Bel by Marco D’Agostin, in the 2023/24 season), to the translation in Italian Sign Language (LIS) of a range of events.  

To facilitate access to our programmes for an ever-wider-ranging and diverse audience, with the contribution of the Fondazione di Comunità Milano, the 2024/25 season saw the launch of the Piccolo Aperto project, a structured process aimed at fostering profound and lasting change. Audio-descriptions, tactile tours, surtitles, translations into Italian Sign Language (LIS), simplified materials and an accessible website are just some of the aspects of a constantly evolving process aimed at consolidating the role of our theatre as a model for inclusion.

This is an ongoing and developing process, which underscores the fact that “sustainability” is much more than just a word, representing constant dialogue between areas, needs and openness.