Harriet Morley – Waste Not, Want Not

Waste Not, Want Not: An Incomplete Manual for Artists, Technicians and Workshops is a living resource that documents the often-unseen adaptations, hacks and inclusive practices that shape how workshops function, offering insight into more accessible, sustainable and supportive ways of working.

The publication grows directly from Harriet Morley’s experience of working within technical workshops — spaces understood not only as sites of production, but as environments of learning and exchange. Developed as part of Harriet’s Technical Fellowship at the Rijksakademie, the research brings together case studies, interviews and examples from artist residencies across Northern Europe and the UK, and is designed as an evolving resource for artists, technicians and organisations.

Throughout the research, sustainability is approached from two interdependent perspectives: ecological — addressing materials, energy use and environmental impact — and holistic, which considers accessibility, social ecology and the ways people inhabit shared spaces. These dimensions continually shape one another; decisions about materials influence how people work, while workshop layouts, tools and cultures affect safety, inclusion and energy use.

In this talk, Harriet will speak through the development of Waste Not, Want Not, reflecting on her research at the Rijksakademie and how it connects to her wider artistic practice. She will discuss how observing small but meaningful adjustments raised questions around knowledge-sharing, institutional responsibility and collective action, and how foregrounding these often-unseen practices can support more equitable, resilient and sustainable workshop environments.