The cedars union's ART AND EQUITY POLICY

At The Cedars Union, we believe artists thrive in strong, diverse, and inclusive communities and the current greater arts ecosystem is in need of real change to break down barriers that have created elitist environments. We are committed to creating a fair, equitable, and just community of artists that holistically influences artists, other arts organizations, and the greater community.

As our values state, The Cedars Union exists to: be inclusive and diverse; uphold the highest standards; respect artists’ creative expression; protect artist’s rights; and inspire collaboration within the community and the arts. Within these values lives a spirit to expand who feels compelled to call themselves an artist and sustainably pursue that path. We work to create inclusive spaces regardless of age, ethnicity, ancestry, gender, national origin, disability, race, size, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, or any other status. When there is collaboration and community, art has the power to unite and uplift us.

DIVERSITY EQUITY INCLUSION & ACCESS PLAN

The Cedars Union promises to incorporate these values into the daily work that we do. To hold ourselves accountable, the following policies & commitments have been created

1. Anti-racist, anti-harrassment, and anti-discrimination policy

1. Anti-racist, anti-harrassment, and anti-discrimination policy The Cedars Union staff and board members are anti-racist, anti-sexual harassment, and anti-discrimination. We commit to creating a safe, welcoming environment for our artist members and patrons. We prohibit discrimination, disrespect, harm, and harassment in our facilities and within The Cedars Union administration. As an equal opportunity organization- racism, hate, injustice, and prejudice are not welcome here.

    2. Board & Staff Training

    In 2020 the organization went through Cultural Competency training with all board members and staff through an expert EDI facilitator. The Cedars Union will continue to provide ongoing professional development opportunities and resources in the areas of equity, inclusivity, diversity, and accessibility for staff, board members, and artists. The committee is currently looking for more training opportunities in 2022 for board and staff members.

    3. Board Diversity & DEAI Committee

    The organization is working to diversify The CU board to include people of all genders, races, ages, sexual orientations, cultural backgrounds and levels of ability. The goal is for the board to be as diverse as the artists that are served, and to include a variety of perspectives, in order to better serve the community. Since 2019, The Cedars Union board has doubled in size and continues to grow a socially and professionally diverse group of leaders. In September 2020, the Board created a Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion Committee to oversee and direct further DEAI initiatives and plans.

    4. Equitable Hiring Practices

    The organization is committed to ensuring that hiring practices are free from biases. The CU will advertise employment opportunities through diverse channels. Candidate pools of applicants for future employment with the organization will have both inherent and acquired diversity, prioritizing the recruitment and hiring of qualified staff to fill existing gaps to adequately serve The CU’s diverse groups of artists.

    5. Artist Diversity and Scholarships

    The CU commits to all artist applications remaining inclusive and accessible, and continuing to ensure membership pricing is affordable. The CU has an incredibly diverse group of artists, in medium, background, ages, genders, and ethnicities. The CU is proud of the community and how they support each other and the power of that is in its diversity. The values stated on the wall at The CU are: Inspire collaboration between the community and the arts; be inclusive and diverse; uphold the highest standards; respect artists' creative expression and protect their rights.

    In 2020 The CU created an Art & Equity Scholarship for BIPOC artists. 3 artists are funded every 18 months, 1 for a dedicated studio, and 2 for shared workspaces. In 2021 The CU expanded its Art & Equity program to include a one year Woodshop Fellowship. In 2022, the Woodshop Fellowship application will become an opportunity for BIPOC, ALAANA, or LGBTQ artists to gain more experience in the woodshop and work with The CU and its Cohort and community for one year. The organization is in search of funding for this scholarship.

    7. Programming

    The CU will seek out partnerships and collaborations with more artists and organizations who focus on supporting BIPOC, LGBTQ, disabled, and underprivileged audiences.

    8. Fair Wages for Artists

    In April 2021, The Cedars Union became a W.A.G.E. certified organization. W.A.G.E., Working Artist and the Greater Economy, creates minimum wage standards for creative work with a mission to establish sustainable economic relationships between artists and the institutions that contract our labor, and to introduce mechanisms for self-regulation into the art field that collectively bring about a more equitable distribution of its economy. Being certified by W.A.G.E. is a promise from The Cedars Union to abide by their payment standards for artists we hire.
    Questions, comments, or feedback? Please contact rstanfield@cedarsunion.org