To large arts organizations:
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CCEDA'S VALUES
The Calgary Collective for Equity & Diversity in the Arts (CCEDA) was initiated in late 2015, by Stage Left Productions – which secured seed funding from the Canada Council for the Arts Equity Office's Sector Innovation fund, with the support of our founding members.
The Calgary Collective for Equity & Diversity in the Arts (CCEDA) was initiated in late 2015, by Stage Left Productions – which secured seed funding from the Canada Council for the Arts Equity Office's Sector Innovation fund, with the support of our founding members.
RECONCILIATION |
Reconciliation is commitment to discovering and revealing past wrongdoing by a government, in the hope of resolving conflict left over from the past. Reconciliation is a systems-wide process that restores lands, economic self-sufficiency, and political jurisdiction to First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, and develops respectful and just relationships between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous people of Canada. Visit Canada's Truth & Reconciliation Commission.
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RADICAL CHANGE |
One definition of "radical" refers to "affecting the fundamental nature of something". CCEDA aims to affect the fundamentally inequitable nature of the professional arts sector, by attending to the roots of inequity that are still deeply embedded (aka "rooted") in it's colonial status quo.
The root of inequity in the arts is a status quo which enables hegemony ("hedge-em-on-nee"!), which simply means the predominance of some social classes over others. Specific to the arts sector, hegemony describes to the fact that funding, resources and access to positions of influence and authority are concentrated in a relatively small number of individuals, companies and institutions. These individuals then disproportionately – if unintentionally – uphold the interests of their immediate peers: Other members of the hegemonic classes – those of us who are white, middle-class, able-bodied, heterosexual, Christian, English-speaking, and so on. Artists from equity-seeking communities are only able to tap into this system by appealing to and maintaining the status quo. In order to bring about the equity that enables a truly vibrant, diverse arts ecology, we must confront our complicity with the status quo and collaborate to undo the inequity it maintains. |
RECIPROCITY° |
Reciprocity is an integral aspect of valuing equity and diversity in the arts. In a reciprocal collaboration, there is an ethos of mutual respect and sharing of resources. All contributors give and receive things – be it resources, knowledge, ideas, time, energy, space or other commodities. The knowledge, expertise and experience of diverse artists is valued, sought out, acknowledged and integrated. The contributions made by those of us on the margins are understood as just as significant as those that are made by the "core".
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REFLEXIVITY° |
Reflexivity requires that we all be aware of, and critically reflect on, our own position in society and how it shapes our relationships with our communities, collaborators and networks. We must learn to recognize where we hold both individual agency and social power, and how that power impacts our relationships with colleagues, community members and other arts stakeholders. Reflexivity enables reciprocity in cross-cultural collaboration.
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° CCEDA acknowledges and thanks the Neighbourhood Arts Network for these language and concepts
that we've used here, from the really great arts equity resources they've developed. |
