Safer Spaces Policies
Summary
When you are part of the Fringe, you join a community that is vibrant, diverse, inclusive, welcoming, and safe. Whether you are an audience member, artist, volunteer, or employee, engaging with the Fringe means taking on the shared responsibility of maintaining that community.
Because the Fringe involves risk-taking on the part of both audiences and artists, we recognize the need to ensure that we create an environment of kindness and safety. We want to ensure everyone feels physically and emotionally safe and welcome. But we need the help of our community to make that possible.
Code of Conduct
We work to create a space where everyone feels welcome and safe. To the best of our ability, we ensure that everyone engaging with the Fringe feels physically, emotionally, and psychologically safe.
We expect all Fringe participants (staff, artists, patrons, volunteers, and Board members) to adhere to this Code of Conduct and associated policies. This includes any person who comes on site to the Vancouver Fringe offices, the Vancouver Fringe Festival grounds, or our partner venues. These policies also apply throughout our business year-round.
To maintain a safe environment at the Fringe, we ask everyone to:
- Maintain positive, respectful relationships with fellow community members;
- Act with honesty and integrity, declining to participate in or condone any activities that may be considered unethical or illegal;
- Avoid participating in or condoning activities that may put people in harm’s way or risk their physical, emotional, or mental wellbeing;
- Practice active consent when engaging in activities with others;
- Support people who have experienced or disclosed harassment, violence, or discrimination, with the option to report any incidents that you witness when able;
- Not participate in or condone activities that may be bullying, non-consensual, discriminatory, harassing, or violent in nature.
Anti-Harassment, Violence, and Discrimination Policy
We are committed to creating a space free of harassment, violence, and discrimination. The following actions, as defined by British Columbia’s Human Rights Act, will not be tolerated: actions that discriminate on the grounds of Indigenous identity, race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or age.
Fringe participants will not participate in or tolerate any conduct which undermines the dignity or self-esteem of an individual, or which creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment, or any other prohibited conduct. Conduct includes speech, behaviour, and visual representations, including clothing. Community members are encouraged to be thoughtful about the attire they wear. Attire containing offensive images or words, such as hate symbols or culturally appropriative attire, is not tolerated at Vancouver Fringe events.
If a claim of harassment, violence, or discrimination is proven, disciplinary measures will be applied, up to and including termination of employment, or in the case of Fringe participants or patrons, a ban from events presented by the Vancouver Fringe.
In the spirit of an open, inclusive, and safe Fringe community, we ask all participants in our Festival to commit to the following:
- Zero tolerance for harassment
We have zero tolerance for harassment, including but not limited to discrimination, bullying, intimidation, and any form of unwelcome conduct. - Our shared responsibility
Creating a harassment-free space is a shared responsibility, and we help others if necessary. We support each other when it’s appropriate and safe to do so. Support can take many forms and can include helping a person leave an unsafe situation, de-escalating or diffusing interactions, and/or seeking advice and assistance from Fringe volunteers or staff. - Constructive dialogue
We bring together people from many walks of life. Recognize that someone else’s frame of reference is likely to be different from your own. When constructive dialogue isn’t possible, understand when it’s appropriate to disengage. - Privacy and confidentiality
All parties to a harassment complaint are expected to respect the privacy and confidentiality of all other parties involved and to limit the discussion of a harassment complaint to those that need to know.
How We Define Harassment
Harassment includes,
but is not limited to:
- Offending or humiliating someone physically or verbally;
- Threatening or intimidating someone physically or verbally; or
- Making unwelcome jokes or comments about someone’s race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, disability, or pardoned conviction.
Sexual Harassment includes,
but is not limited to:
- Offensive or humiliating behaviour that is related to a person’s sex or gender;
- Behaviour of a sexual nature that creates an intimidating, unwelcome, hostile or offensive work or social environment; or
- Behaviour of a sexual nature that could reasonably be thought to put sexual conditions on a person’s job or employment opportunities.
Violent Behaviour includes,
but is not limited to:
- Hitting, kicking, or otherwise using physical force directly on another person;
- Throwing objects or other uses of physical force towards another person;
- Incitement of violence towards any individual, including encouraging a person to engage in self-harm or suicide;
- Any violence or threats, whether conveyed verbally, in writing, or through physical behaviour.
Reporting
If harassment, discrimination, or violence takes place, we support empowerment to speak out and to be able to report abuses in good faith. Fringe participants can expect thorough, timely investigations and appropriate follow-up measures or consequences. You can make a report at any time if you believe you have witnessed or experienced something that violates our Anti-Harassment, Violence, and Discrimination Policy and/or the Code of Conduct.
The form below allows for both anonymous and non-anonymous reporting. Reports will be forwarded directly to Duncan Watts-Grant (Executive Director) and Martin Alldred (Managing Director). As necessary, the Vancouver Fringe management may reach out to Board members, or professional service providers when appropriate, to best handle a report. In the event that your report relates to either the Executive Director or Managing Director, we encourage you to email the Board of Directors. They can be reached at board@vancouverfringe.com.
We are not professional counsellors, social service responders, or mental health providers. If you need professional help or support, please access the community crisis resources listed below. This is an evolving list of community crisis resources available to anyone who requires support. If you are in immediate danger, please call 911.
- Vancouver Police Services Non-Emergency: 604-717-3321
- BC Crisis Centre 310-6789
- Crisis Centre Emergency Line (Call or text): 988
- BC Sexual Assault Assistance: 1-866-660-3888
- BC Victim Link: 1-800-563-0808
- Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868
- Indigenous Crisis and Support Line: 1-800-588-8717
If you have any questions about this policy, please do not hesitate to reach out to administration@vancouverfringe.com.
Safer Spaces Report
Please note that most fields are optional
