Davenham Players Equality & Diversity Policy
Overview Statement
Davenham Players commit to providing and continuing to develop a welcoming environment for anyone who wants to take part in theatre activities at Davenham Theatre.
Improving access, being representative, and welcoming a diverse membership are core strategic priorities for the Davenham Players Committee. We aim to develop a diverse programme of opportunities and theatrical experiences. We continue to take steps to improve the accessibility of our premises.
We aim to create an open, welcoming and tolerant environment where our membership encompasses diversity in age, gender, race, ethnicity, faith, class, economic disadvantage and disability.
This document outlines our guiding principles with regard to diversity and representation within and for our organisation. It goes hand in hand with our Members Code of Conduct.
This document is reviewed and updated regularly and shared with the whole membership.
Programming
Diversity will be a key consideration in artistic planning, ensuring what we programme within a season has opportunities for all our members and a broad spectrum of work that welcomes new individuals to join us. Within the building, we will encourage external bookings from outside groups who expand our community and how our building is used.
Equal Opportunities
Davenham Players is made up of a voluntary membership striving to provide creative opportunities to the local community. We aim to ensure that member, participant or visitor receives no less favourable treatment on the basis of their Protected Characteristics as outlined in the 2010 Equality Act. (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equality-act-2010-guidance)
These Protected Characteristics are:
● age
● disability
● gender reassignment
● marriage and civil partnership
● pregnancy and maternity
● race
● religion or belief
● sex
● sexual orientation
We embrace diversity of lifestyles, experience and thought, and we seek to cultivate a membership that is representative of this. We look outside of theatre to encourage individuals from the visual arts, dance and music whose perspectives and systems can help change us and make us better.
We will review, refresh and revise our procedures and practises for new members to ensure we are reaching, attracting and welcoming a membership who will bring to us a diversity of background and experience.
Access
Our theatre is inside an old Victorian Schoolhouse. Deaf and disabled people are welcome in our theatre. We commit to continued fundraising to improve the access of our building. We have created a vision and long-term strategy to make the premises accessible.
Audience Development and Public Engagement
We will foster a culture of simultaneously attracting new audiences and encouraging repeat attendance and loyalty.
We will seek to broaden our local engagement, actively taking steps to reach out to all sections of our local community through participating in local events outside of our premises.
Partnerships and Collaborations
We are committed to a culture of collaboration; embracing partnerships and relationships which enrich both the offer within our artistic programme and our operational and strategic approach.
Governance Development
The committee aims to increase our understanding of Diversity and Accessibility and to create a membership which is skilled, supportive and engaged as well as diverse.
We commit to ongoing reflection and ask if we have made enough active choices and fulfilled every opportunity across the theatre to be as representative, open and diverse in the membership as we can be.
Status of this Policy
This policy document Version 1.0 was approved by the Davenham Players Committee at the meeting held Tuesday 15th February 2022.
SIGNED
Chairman
