To support a full creative life for all, LexArts commits to championing policies and practices of
cultural equity that empowers a just, inclusive, equitable nation.
“As part of our efforts to advance diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion, LexArts seeks to both strengthen and build the capacity of organizations that promote the arts and cultures of diverse communities as well as to provide meaningful creative opportunities for diverse
communities, programs, projects, and ideas that are doing important work that benefit traditionally underserved communities. “– LexArts
Definition of Cultural Equity
Cultural equity embodies the values, policies, and practices that ensure that all people including but not limited to those who have been historically underrepresented based on race/ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, socioeconomic
status, geography, citizenship status, or religion—are represented in the development of arts policy; the support of artists; the nurturing of accessible, thriving venues for expression; and the fair distribution of programmatic, financial, and informational resources.
Acknowledgements & Affirmations
• In the United States, there are systems of power that grant privilege and access unequally such that inequity and injustice result, and that must be continuously addressed and changed.
• Cultural equity is critical to the long-term viability of the arts sector.
• We must all hold ourselves accountable because acknowledging and challenging our inequities and working in partnership is how we will make change happen.
• Everyone deserves equal access to a full, vibrant creative life, which is essential to a healthy and democratic society.
• The prominent presence of artists challenges inequities and encourages alternatives.
• The ability to express, celebrate, and champion cultural tradition and heritage is elemental to honest civic discourse and the well-being of our community.
Modeling Through Action
To provide informed, authentic leadership for cultural equity, we strive to:
• Pursue cultural consciousness throughout our organization through substantive learning and formal, transparent policies.
• Acknowledge and dismantle any inequities within our policies, systems, programs, and services, and report organizational progress.
• To be intentional in our engagement and support of more diverse, equitable, and
inclusive arts communities.
Fueling Field Progress
To pursue needed systemic change related to equity, we strive to:
• Encourage substantive learning to build cultural consciousness and to proliferate pro-equity policies and practices by all our constituencies and audiences.
• Improve the cultural leadership pipeline by creating and supporting programs and policies that foster leadership that reflects the full breadth of American society.
• Generate and aggregate quantitative and qualitative research related to equity to make incremental and measurable progress toward cultural equity more visible.
• Advocate for public and private-sector policy that promotes cultural equity.
Commitment In Action
Through current programs and initiatives in development, we strive to:
• Adoption of Equity Values and Practices: Expand the commitment to equity, diversity,
inclusion, and gender parity as stated values and adopted practices, across the field.
• Diverse and Inclusive Boards and Staffs: Increase diversity of its staff and Board of
Directors. and work with members to increase diversity on their staff and boards and
among their audiences.
• Diverse and Inclusive Administrators: Increase the recruitment, leadership
development, and mentorship of administrators who are women, LGBT individuals, and
people of color.
• Diverse and Inclusive Hiring: Work with members to understand and overcome biases
and barriers to commissioning and the funding of diverse groups.
• Diverse and Inclusive Training: Increase the recruitment, nurturing, and retention of artists, artisans, musicians, and technicians of color, and encourage the progress of administers of color; and increase opportunities for women and LGBT individuals who
are, or are aspiring to be, artists, musicians, and company leaders, through grants and mentorship.
• Equity Training and Learning: With a focus on undoing racism and other biases, provide training and other learning resources on equity, diversity, and inclusivity to members through consultations, workshops, online resources, and other means.
Developed by the LexArts Diversity, Equity & Inclusivity advisory committee using the tools
provided by the Americans for the Arts and Opera America
