Commitment to Diversity
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS & AFFIRMATIONS
In the United States, systems of power exist which have distributed privilege and access unequally for generations. Continuous work is required to acknowledge, dismantle, and correct such systemic intergenerational inequities.
Only by holding ourselves accountable to acknowledge, address, and challenge both our privilege and our inequalities can we work toward equity and justice.
Equitable access to a full, vibrant creative life is essential to a healthy and democratic society.
Cultural equity is critical to the long-term viability of the arts sector.
The prominent presence of artists challenges inequities and encourages alternatives.
KC VITAs is dedicated to the creation and performance of new music through inclusivity, equity, and diversity. We raise our united voices against marginalization of all federal, state, and local protected classes (and those that have been traditionally marginalized in the Arts) so that voices from all walks of life continually exist in, and inform, our policies, programming, and audiences. With guidance from Americans for the Arts, KC VITAs is adopting the following policies:
1. KC VITAs pledges to program at least 50% of our total music per year by composers representing a marginalized community.
2. KC VITAs pledges to reserve the position of “Composer-In-Residence” for a composer representing a marginalized community.
3. KC VITAs will continue to strive to keep access to performances as financially accessible as possible by keeping admission prices low for our general audiences, and free for students. We pledge to seek new partnerships with organizations to help identify and distribute complimentary tickets to communities without means and to continually address location concerns of our concert venues by way of proximity to communities and general accessibility.
KC VITAs is committed to reviewing and adding to the policies above in order to best reflect how we can most positively impact our communities and promote inclusion, equity, and diversity.