Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Diversity Statement

Arts Council of the Valley (ACV) promotes cultural equity and fosters an inclusive environment by building diversity in leadership, staff, artists, and the community. We actively welcome, recognize, and include people of all backgrounds and identities relating to race, socioeconomic class, color, national origin, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, neurological or physical ability, veteran status, educational level, and other diverse perspectives.


Commitment Statement

We recognize the history of systemic racism and discrimination in the Shenandoah Valley and its continued impact on the present day. ACV's Board of Directors is continuously engaged in anti-racism training. We are developing a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion action plan. ACV is committed to working towards an equitable and inclusive community.

Statements unanimously approved by ACV Board of Directors, October 20, 2021.

GOALS

  • To cultivate relationships with others who are already contributing to BIPOC/ Global Majority audiences, ACV will establish four projects or events annually highlighting multicultural arts or BIPOC/Global Majority artists and art consumers in direct partnership with local BIPOC/Global Majority-centric organizations, beginning January 1, 2022. 

  • To incorporate cultural diversity during First Fridays of the Valley, ACV will invite multicultural musicians to perform at the Smith House during opening receptions, making up at least 25% of the schedule, beginning July 2021. 

  • To celebrate, uplift, engage, and center BIPOC/Global Majority artists and diversify the art and artists we promote, at least 25% of ACV’s visual arts programming (Smith House Galleries) will center BIPOC artists by December 31, 2023. 

  • To foster accountability and to value and highlight a commitment to anti-racism work, ACV will include advancing racial equity and inclusion in the executive director’s annual evaluation each May/June. 

  • To diversify and influence ACV programming and to better reflect the demographics of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, ACV will intentionally recruit BIPOC/Global Majority board members to achieve equal BIPOC/Global Majority representation on the board by July 2023. 

Definitions

BIPOC: The acronym BIPOC refers to black, indigenous, and people of color.

Global Majority: We use "people of the global majority" interchangeably with "black, indigenous, and people of color" (BIPOC), since black, indigenous, and people of color represent over 80% of the world’s population. This wording points out the demographic inaccuracy of the euphemism "minority." 

Goals unanimously approved by ACV Board of Directors, November 17, 2021.