Anti-Racist + Anti-Oppression Statement and Commitments
Diverse voices give us the richest possibilities in theatre-making. Systemic racism and other forms of oppression have too often prevented these voices from being fully heard and honoured in our theatre community. Marginalized artists can and have experienced harm and dehumanization in our theatrical institutions, and that is unacceptable to us. While we recognize that we don’t have all the answers - or even all the questions - we have created the following guidelines for ourselves as a living document, as we commit to anti-oppressive action.
The following action plan was first published in July of 2020, and was updated in July of 2021. It is subject to change as we grow and learn. Special thanks to Hunter Cardinal and Jacquelin Cardinal at Naheyawin for their consulting work. Thanks also to Gina Puntil, whose anti-oppression work we have drawn from.
Short Term Actions
1) Learning
2) Recognizing
3) Hiring
4) Running
We have gathered a toolkit of resources that ensure our workers feel safe in our rehearsal rooms and performance venues. We will be flexible in the tools we use for each project, in recognition of the fact that every process is different. Our toolkit includes:
5) Listening - Responding - Evolving
Long-Term Goals
1) Creating Opportunity.
2) Building Inclusive Structure
2020-2021 Progress Report
The following action plan was first published in July of 2020, and was updated in July of 2021. It is subject to change as we grow and learn. Special thanks to Hunter Cardinal and Jacquelin Cardinal at Naheyawin for their consulting work. Thanks also to Gina Puntil, whose anti-oppression work we have drawn from.
Short Term Actions
1) Learning
- The core members of TFDC are committed to seeking out and participating in anti-racism and/or equity education on an annual basis, including workshops, webinars and courses. For reports on education completed, see our Progress Report.
- We are committed to learning how best to make our rehearsal and show spaces safe and joyful for all artists and workers. This will be an ongoing process.
- We will educate ourselves on the history of the treaties and Indigenous culture in Canada.
2) Recognizing
- Our work is created primarily on Treaty 6 territory. The original intent of the treaties was to create harmonious, peaceful relations between Indigenous people and newcomers to the land. In the spirit of friendship and reconciliation, we aim to ground ourselves in right Treaty relations. The commitments laid out in this statement reflects some of our efforts.
- As treaty people who are the descendants of settlers and white immigrants, we recognize that there is work for us to do.
- In an effort to care for the land we inhabit, we commit to ensuring our work is carbon-neutral.
- We commit to considering, on a show-by-show basis, how to best acknowledge and celebrate the land on which we gather. Our goal is to honour the needs of each artistic work while also giving respect and prominence to this land and its Indigenous peoples. Additionally, on the first day of rehearsals, we will engage all artists in a conversation on our individual relationships to the land we are on.
3) Hiring
- We recognize that consultation in the creative process is good, but collaboration is better.
- Moving forward, we will prioritize hiring artistic teams (on and off-stage members) that accurately reflect the diverse makeup of our community. In the 2016 Edmonton census 57.4% of the population identifies as of European descent, with 37.1% of the population identifying as South Asian, Chinese, and other people of colour, and 5.5% as Indigenous. We endeavor not to hold a “quota” system, but to stay accountable to good representation that celebrates and amplifies the many voices of culture in our city. Our past hiring stats will be included in our Progress Report.
- In the past, we have hired within our own circles and networks. We recognize that this system has the potential to be exclusionary. In the 2021-2022 season, we commit to widening our calls for artists. Some ways we hope to do this include holding show-specific and/or general auditions, as well as posting open calls to public boards.
- We will bring languages other than English into our work to make room for artists and audiences who speak other languages
4) Running
We have gathered a toolkit of resources that ensure our workers feel safe in our rehearsal rooms and performance venues. We will be flexible in the tools we use for each project, in recognition of the fact that every process is different. Our toolkit includes:
- The Rules of the Space; at the beginning of each rehearsal process, the entire team will collectively create and agree to a “Rules of the Space” document. This document will be posted in the rehearsal space and available for updates throughout the process.
- The “Ouch” clause; a way of calling attention to thoughtless language or action in the moment, without judgement or the pressure of lengthy procedure.
- Inclusion Officer; a designated and compensated representative to whom incidents of racism or oppression can be reported or discussed.
- Check-Ins and Check-Outs; a practice at the beginning and end of the rehearsal day to collectively share where we’re at
- Individual Check-Ins; Proactive one-on-one meetings to identify any issues or ways that the process can better serve our company
- A post-mortem anonymous survey about the process, including feedback on safety, communication and conduct over the course of the contract.
- Incident reports will be made available for health and safety concerns, as well as racist or oppressive incidents.
- Because our work is highly interactive, every production must have intervention protocols for racist or otherwise harmful audience members.
5) Listening - Responding - Evolving
- We will follow up our productions with surveys to the artists involved. Surveys will be anonymous and will help us assess how well we fulfilled the goals of this document.
- We recognize that un-settling our way of working will take time, and that we will make mistakes along the way. We will listen and be receptive to all of our artists, workers, and audience members. We will continue to learn, and we will improve this document and our own ways of working as we move forward.
Long-Term Goals
1) Creating Opportunity.
- We will be mentors and cheerleaders for the next generation of artists, and where possible provide opportunities for emerging artists to be part of our productions.
- Should funding allow, we will create internships for young artists who might otherwise lack opportunity.
2) Building Inclusive Structure
- TFDC still currently operates as a collective, creating projects without a set schedule and without a formal operating structure. Should the collective ever formalize, we will ensure that any board of directors, administrative team, or other institution is representative of the demographics of our city.
- Should TFDC ever occupy a specific rehearsal space or administrative offices, we commit to ensuring our spaces are fully accessible.
- We will make every effort to understand and meet the access needs of artists and audiences.
2020-2021 Progress Report