The arts sector has the ability to start conversations, to connect communities, and share stories. But how inclusive are the arts and how does an organization create more inclusive spaces? North Van Arts and Presentation House Theatre (PHT) presented a panel discussion during Culture Days to explore how organizations and individuals can create more safety and inclusion in arts and culture programming. Each of our speakers shared an initiative they have been stewarding to bring more inclusivity into arts and culture, from educating about the racist history of BC to gender neutral washrooms.
Event conception and moderating: Joyelle Goldbard
Speakers:
Andy Warner, North Van Arts: presented on 2SLGBTQ+ accessibility
Giselle Clarke-Trenaman, Presentation House Theatre: presenting on PHT’s Black History Matters
Andrea Loewen, Presentation House Theatre: presented on practices for decolonizing PHT
Culture Days is a national celebration of arts and culture. Culture Days programs invite the public to get hands-on and behind-the-scenes to highlight the importance of arts and culture in our communities.
Resources for More Learning
British Columbia Black History Awareness Society
(BCBHAS) creates awareness of the history of Blacks in B.C., and celebrates historical and current achievements and contributions in the arts, education, government, sports, science etc.
An Online Course from the Faculty of Native Studies at the University of Alberta that explores Indigenous histories and contemporary issues in Canada.
Inclusivity from a trans perspective
Andy Warners’ blog post North Van Rec and Culture
Developed in collaboration with Indigenous Elders, Knowledge Keepers and educators, the KAIROS Blanket Exercise (KBE) is an interactive and experiential teaching tool that explores the historic and contemporary relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in the land we now know as Canada.
Kickstart Disability Arts & Culture
Supports and promotes artists who identify as living with a disability
Catalyzing social change to transform colonial narratives & impacts with workshop facilitation, transformative organizational development, decolonizing workbooks, and communication design grounded in Squamish Matriarchy.
This one-hour video is an introduction to some basics of gender, sexuality, and sexual orientation.
Vancouver’s queer, 2 Spirit and trans resource centre.
A registered charitable organization dedicated to enhancing opportunities for artists with disabilities to contribute to the cultural fabric of our society
The Trans/gender Expressions Haven (The Haven)
A virtual performance art venue for transgender, non-binary, Two-Spirit, intersex artists and other artists transcending gender.
An on-going collaborative process between Elwood Jimmy and Vanessa Andreotti hosted and funded by the Musagetes Arts Foundation. This collaboration involves several modes of relational engagement with Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists, scholars, and communities, including visits, gatherings and consultations.