Sustainability Manager and Strategist for Cultural Institutions
Hybrid programme (Online and On-site)
Sustainability is becoming a defining challenge for museums, theatres, festivals, foundations, heritage sites and cultural organisations worldwide. As ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) criteria become increasingly important for funding, partnerships and public accountability, the sector needs professionals who can turn sustainability ambitions into measurable results. This intensive one-month programme prepares participants to take on that role.
The programme is structured in two parts. The first (31 August - 18 September 2026) consists of three weeks of live online sessions, with recordings available for all participants. The second (21–27 September 2026) is an intensive one-week residency in Santa Sofia, a small town in the Apennines between Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany and a gateway to the Foreste Casentinesi National Park. Participants who complete the entire programme are awarded the Professional Certificate in Sustainability Management and Strategy for Cultural Institutions, while those who attend only the online phase may obtain the First Level Certificate in Sustainability Management for Cultural Institutions.
At the heart of the programme is the development of a Sustainability Portfolio, a professional document built around a real case study: the participant’s own organisation, for those already working within a cultural institution, or an institution assigned by the programme in the case of independent professionals. The portfolio includes organisational analysis, stakeholder mapping, ESG frameworks, impact measurement tools, sustainability strategy, KPI systems, communication plans, and sustainable fundraising and sponsorship strategies.
The residency week is dedicated to applying acquired competences within a real and complex cultural ecosystem, including a contemporary art gallery, a theatre, heritage assets, festivals and territorial projects. The week culminates in the International Forum on the Sustainability of Culture, offering participants the opportunity to engage with professionals, public administrators, researchers and cultural practitioners from a variety of international contexts. While the online phase provides technical tools and professional competences, the residency develops practical skills, strategic vision, leadership and professional networks.
The residential week in Santa Sofia is open to a limited number of attendees.
The programme is coordinated by Martin Neureiter, founder of CSR Company International and one of Europe’s leading experts in sustainability, corporate responsibility and ESG strategy. Alongside him, the programme brings together some of the most important international figures working at the intersection of sustainability and culture, including Jean Savitsky (Director of Sustainability, MoMA, New York), Eliana Glicklich (Senior Manager of Real estate and sustainability, MoMA, New York), Marta Lovato (Head of Sustainability, Santarcangelo Festival), Virginia Rollando (Sustainability Consultant including Terraforma, Nextones, Walking Life and Nuits Sonores), Kim Kraczon (conservator/sustainability specialist), Laura Pando (Julie’s Bicycle CEO), Grace Redmond (Julie’s Bicycle Environmental Coordinator), Pierluigi Sacco (Professor of Biobehavioral Economics, Gabriele d'Annunzio University, Consultant with OECD and the European Commission), Eike Schmidt (Director of Museo di Capodimonte) and Fabio Cavallucci, former Director of the Centro Pecci in Prato and the CCA Ujazdowski in Warsaw, and founder and director of Institution.
A significant part of the programme is devoted to strategic and sustainable fundraising, exploring how cultural institutions can develop long-term partnerships that create lasting value for cultural organisations and their funding partners. It features experts in impact investing, cultural finance, and crowdfunding, including Laura Callanan (Founding Partner of Upstart Co-Lab), Nathalie Courville (Professor at the Chair in Arts Management at HEC Montréal, Founder of ArtExpert), and Anders Rykkja (Lecturer in Arts & Cultural Industries Management, Queen’s University Belfast). Depending on the level of certification achieved, participants will be able to design and implement sustainability plans, develop KPI systems and ESG reports, coordinate stakeholder engagement processes, build sustainable fundraising and sponsorship plans, or even conduct audits and support organisations in developing increasingly sophisticated and integrated sustainability strategies.
The program is held in English.
Consult the detailed programme here.
The full programme costs €1,850 (Third Tier until 25 August 2026: €1,600). Preferential accommodation rates are available for participants attending the residency week in Santa Sofia at this link.
Purchase the full programme here.
Participation in the online phase only costs €850 (Third Tier until 25 August 2026: €750).
Purchase the online programme here.
Institution offers reduced participation fees for selected applicant categories. Applicants who meet the eligibility criteria may enrol in the programme at a reduced rate.
Students under 26
Full programme
Online programme
Entry-level Professionals (until 28 years old)
Full programme
Online programme
Lower-middle and Lower Income countries
Full programme
Online programme
Individual participation grants
Institution offers 20 Individual Participation Grants, each worth 200 EUR, to support participation in the programme. The grant may be applied to either the Online Course or the Full Course. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and grants are awarded until all available places have been allocated. Applicants are invited to submit a short motivation statement and fill out this form.
For further information, please contact: school@institution.it
Professors
Subscribe to the newsletter


