Purpose

The Board and management of BCC recognize it is essential through our classes and programming, that instructors, staff, students, and volunteers – regardless of their gender, race, ethinicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation or identity, education, or physical or mental ability — feels welcome to learn and express their artictic voice or vision.

Responsibility

This policy is created by the Executive Director and Board President and approved no less than every 2 years by the Board of Directors.

The Executive Directory or designee is responsible for creating, maintaining and or training staff and volunteers on procedures and job aids needed to implement this policy.

Guiding Principles

This policy has been established to ensure that the BCC is able to provide informed, authentic leadership for cultural equity. BCC is therefore committed to:

• Seek diversity, inclusion, and equity as connected to our mission and critical to ensure the well-being of our staff and the arts communities we serve.
• Consistently review existing policies and procedures and dismantle any inequities within our policies, systems, programs, and services, and continually update and report organization progress.
• Practice and encourage transparent communication in all interactions.
• Allocate time and resources to expand more diverse leadership within our board, staff, and contributing artists.
• Lead with respect and tolerance. We expect all Board Members, Officers, employees, faculty, volunteers, and students, to embrace this value and to express it in workplace interactions and through everyday practices.

Guiding Actions

To promote diversity and inclusion the Brookfield Craft Center will:

• Seek out artists who represent the BIPOC community to participate in our education programs, either as teachers or students.
• Offer artists in the BIPOC community opportunities to participate in our gallery exhibitions.
• Recruit faculty to create opportunities for students to learn and explore techniques unique to other cultures.

• Improve our cultural leadership pipeline by creating and supporting programs and policies that foster leadership that reflects the diversity of American society.
• Pool resources and expand offerings for underrepresented constituents by connecting with other arts organizations committed to diversity and inclusion efforts.
• Develop and present sessions on diversity, inclusion, and equity to provide information and resources internally, and to members, the community, and the arts industry.
• Seek and welcome diversity of our board membership.