We believe the involvement of our Staff, Company and Board in non-bias conversations and planning is both necessary and mandatory. To create an actionable plan, we require all staff and Board Members of Dragonfly Theatre to take part in the review of current practices, planning anti-bias protocols, execution of the plan, and periodic assessment.
Our non-bias work will continue to be, a living, changing document that will grow as we grow. We acknowledge that as individuals and artists we still have much to learn. Our ongoing hope is that together, we can build a theatre that is for everyone.
Land Acknowledgement:
We acknowledge that our theatre company is located on the traditional territories of the Council of the Three Fires, a united nation comprised of the Ojibwe, Odawa and Bodéwadmi [Potawatomi]. The Chicagoland area is the ancestral homelands of the Potawatomi people, who cared for the land until forced out by non-Native settlers. The Ojibwe, Odawa, Peoria, Kaskaskia, Miami, Mascouten, Sac and Fox, Kickapoo, Ho-Chunk, Menomonee, and tribes whose names have been lost as a result of genocide also lived, gathered, and traded in this region.
Leadership and Staff:
-
Our Board of Directors will continue to balance the representatives of our Board to reflect the community we serve.
-
Prior to the election of new board members, we commit to an annual examination of all Board practices to ensure these practices do not present barriers to participation.
-
Just as the Board of Directors is expected to commit to a self-evaluation every year, the Artistic Directors and Executive Director will also commit to the same. Open, constructive conversation about what is working and what can be improved will be discussed after a self-evaluation conversation.
-
Accusations of bias, racism, harassment or any other exclusionary behavior by the staff or Board will be addressed promptly.
Pricing:
-
We are committed through additional fundraising and grant writing to holding ticket pricing to a minimum to increase accessibility and decrease barriers to attendance. We will offer student/senior and industry discounts and hold our ticket prices to $25/$35 and offer Pay What You Want events.
-
Staged Readings are free to all audience members, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to experience live theater.
Artists:
We commit to making Dragonfly Theatre a welcoming place for ALL artists through:
-
Widening the focusing of plays for production to include all cultures, themes and actors, as well as focusing on mature female identifying stories.
-
Adapting rehearsal schedules and reducing weekday technical rehearsal to accommodate actors with day jobs.
-
Designers and technical artists employed for each show shall have similar control over their schedules and accomodated for day jobs/other jobs.
Safe Space:
Dragonfly Theatre is committed to creating a safe space for all and maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards discrimination or bias of any kind.
-
DTC will ensure that we distribute and explain our policies to everyone working at our theatre before the production begins. A protocol for conflict resolution and communication has been established and will be reviewed during the post-mortem of each production and amended as needed.
-
Permissions will be obtained for the use of actor and designer information for marketing purposes. Our policies and procedures for marketing will be explained during the audition process so that actors can make an informed choice when it comes to accepting roles.
-
Space will be given in rehearsals for all voices to be heard, and we will endeavor to create a sense of support and community as we move through the rehearsal process by maintaining open lines of communication.
Tracking Progress:
-
DTC commits to ongoing exploration and assessment of our non-bias plan(s), including any feedback and responses to those actions from artists, staff, and patrons. Feedback will be encouraged through notices in programs for each show and on our website, and will be collected through the designated email: info@dragonflytheatre.org and shared with the Staff and Board of Directors.
-
We will commit to holding yearly full-staff assessments of our non-bias policies to explore what has or has not worked, to determine what parts of the plan need to be adjusted or expanded, and to add to the plan.
-
We will commit to publicly sharing this plan on our website, accessible from the homepage.