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Not in Our House DC

Seeking to create a culture of safety, respect, and accountability in our theatres

“When creative environments are unsafe, both the artist and the art can become compromised. Spaces that prize “raw,” “violent,” and otherwise high-risk material can veer into unsafe territory if there are no procedures for prevention, communication, and when necessary, response. Too often, artists have been afraid to respond to abusive or unsafe practices, particularly where there is a power differential between the people involved. Artists have been afraid that speaking out will ruin a show or harm their reputations, and artists subjected to extreme abuse sometimes leave the craft, cutting their careers short. We believe that even in the absence of high-risk material, having pathways for response to unsafe conditions and harassment help to maintain the integrity of the work, its participants, and the organization.” 

- Not in Our House Chicago Declaration of Purpose

 

Not In Our House D.C. (NIOHDC) is in solidarity with victims and survivors of sexual harassment, abuse, and intimidation. We believe that the vibrant Washington, D.C. area theatre community should be a space of inclusion and fairness in which everyone involved is treated with respect, dignity, and honesty regardless of position. When the emotional or physical safety of any one of our community members is threatened through abuses of power, harassment, or assault, we all suffer.

 

We believe we have an obligation to one another that extends beyond our personal individual needs.  To that end, NIOHDC is working to draft a Community Code of Conduct that will outline simple practices to prevent and respond to everyday challenges in performing arts environments.  The overriding tenets of this Code of Conduct are communication, safety, respect, and accountability. 

 

Because a Code of Conduct may not be enough to address the systemic issues in our industry, NIOHDC continues to explore the potential community benefits of future programming such as:

 

• Town halls and teach-ins to share information about best practices and other community needs.

• Training sessions around building rehearsal room culture and consent processes.

• A facilitator program for victims and survivors of harassment, abuse, or safety violations.

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