Arts4MC Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement
The Arts Council for Monterey County (Arts4MC) provides a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace – one where all employees, board and volunteers, whatever their gender, race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation or identity, religion, socioeconomic status, education or disability, feel valued and respected. We are committed to a non-discriminatory approach to provide equal opportunity for employment and advancement throughout our organization and programs. We respect and value diverse life experiences and heritages and ensure that all voices are valued and heard.
We are committed to modeling diversity and inclusion for the entire arts sector and to maintaining an inclusive environment with equitable treatment for all.
To provide informed, authentic leadership for cultural equity, Arts4MC strives to:
- Recognize diversity, equity and inclusion as connected to our mission and critical to ensure the well-being of our staff and the arts communities we serve.
- Acknowledge and dismantle any inequities within our policies, systems, programs, and services, and continually update and report organizational progress.
- Advocate for and support thinking at the board-level about how systemic inequities impact our organization’s work, and how best to address it in a way that is consistent with our mission.
- Challenge assumptions about what it takes to be a strong leader in our organization, as well as who is well-positioned to provide that leadership.
- Practice and encourage transparent communication in all its interactions.
- Commit time and resources to expand a more diverse leadership within our board, staff and committees.
- Lead with respect and tolerance. We expect all our employees to embrace these values and to express them in workplace interactions and through everyday practices.
Arts4MC abides by the following actions to help promote diversity and inclusion in our workplace:
- Pursue cultural competency throughout our organization by creating substantive learning opportunities and formal, transparent policies.
- Generate and aggregate quantitative and qualitative research related to equity to make incremental, measurable progress toward the visibility of our diversity, equity and inclusive efforts.
- Improve our cultural leadership pipeline by creating and supporting programs and policies that foster leadership that reflects the diversity of our community.
- Pool resources and expand offerings for underrepresented artists by connecting with other arts organizations committed to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
- Develop and present workshops on diversity, equity and inclusion to provide information and resources internally, to the community, and to the arts sector.
- Develop a system to be more intentional and conscious of bias during the hiring, promotion, or evaluation process.
- Advocate for public and private sector policies that promote diversity, equity and inclusion. Challenge systems and policies that create inequity, oppression and disparity.