The ReStage Script launched 7 July 2026
The ReStage Script is Live!
Today, 7 July 2026, The ReStage Script (report, plan and roadmap) was launched at the National Theatre’s Buffini Chao Terrace, to an audience of participants, supporters and funders.
ReStage’s founding partners and collective, represented the power of environmental action led by creative industries, towards a 10-year plan to reach Zero Waste Use for Stage and Screen across the UK.
At the launch event, held at the National Theatre, a panel chaired by environmental journalist and broadcaster Lucy Siegle brought together Deputy Mayor of London for Environment and Energy, Mete Coban MBE; National Theatre Executive Director and Co-Chief Executive Kate Varah; Arts Council England's Nicola Saunders Director of Environmental Responsibility and Innovation; and ReStage Chair Sara Turnbull.
The culmination of two and a half years of collaborative R&D The ReStage Script reflects the shared expertise and collective insight of over 100 dedicated industry practitioners and the ReStage Collective’s network of reuse hubs.
Sara Turnbull, Chair and ReStage CIC Director, said,“The ReStage Script shows what can be achieved through collective action and the impact of collaborating to create the infrastructure which is wanted and needed. With a strong evidence base and a clear road map, I’m excited to see ReStage’s new leadership unite funders, the screen and sector and public sector to make circular production a reality.”
Mete Coban, Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy said: “It’s great to see such a bold, practical plan to make the theatre, film and screen industries more sustainable. With the first circular production hub to be based in London, the capital is once again leading the way in showing how we can cut carbon, save money and create a more sustainable future for world-class stage and screen production, building a better and greener London for everyone.”
The proposed network will be designed to keep sets, scenery, props, costumes and materials in circulation for longer, reducing waste and strengthening supply chains. Kate Varah, Executive Director and Co-Chief Executive at the National Theatre, said: “What if the end of a show was not the end of the story for its sets, props and costumes? Theatre and film are not only cultural cornerstones; they are drivers of economic growth and environmental sustainability. Supporting these sectors to become more sustainable is not just necessary, as this important new report makes clear, it can be transformative.
That’s why we are proud to have been supporting ReStage since the beginning,and delighted that our National Theatre Green Store has helped provide the blueprint for a long-term, costed vision to deliver reuse at industrial scale. This report marks an important step towards helping the creative industries transition to a circular economy, where production materials are reused, repurposed and restaged rather than wasted.”
Nicola Saunders, Director of Environmental Responsibility and Innovation, Arts Council England said: “We’re delighted to have supported ReStage to reach this phase of development. The collaboration and strong nationwide network they’ve built, alongside robust evidence and forecasting, is the right foundation to deliver the 10-year plan to reach zero waste use for stage and screen across the UK.”
The inaugural ReStage Executive Director Sherry Dobbin now will take this roadmap to secure its future. “Our resources, the network we have built, and our breakthroughs in logistics and storage represent a decade-long roadmap for our collective. We are a unique and passionate fusion of theatre, film studios, grassroots initiatives, commercial partners, and philanthropic supporters.”
Sherry invited everyone to support the ReStage Script’s journey:
There will be two online ‘ReStage Script Sessions’ available to share and discuss for a broader audience: https://restage.org.uk/stories/join-us-at-the-restage-sessions
Please download The ReStage Script here and get engaged, share and consider supporting.
For further information and interview requests contact: Sherry Dobbin at sherry@ReStage.org.uk
Photo credit: James O Jenkins for @restage_org
