Values

Environmental sustainability

The earth’s environment is under severe stress from uncontrolled human activity, threatening the survival of our society. The Regional Arts Australia National Conference thus accepts that it must as part of its core activities work to preserve the environmental sustainability of the planet, at all levels of its operations – in its own practice, as a participant in a community of practice, and as a participant in the Australian social discourse.

The Regional Arts Australia National Conference aspires to minimise its impact on our environment and maximise the effective use of resources. We strive to achieve this by increasing communication and awareness of our efforts in accordance with this policy and fostering responsible environmental behaviour amongst staff, volunteers, presenters, artist, delegates, suppliers and users at all levels.

The Regional Arts Australia National Conference is committed to minimising the environmental impact of the conference on the local, national and global community.

Carbon offset

Offsetting carbon emissions is part of Kumuwuki / Big Wave's commitment to environmental sustainability.  As part of this commitment, a $5.63 carbon offset will be added to each registration.

Delegates' contribution to offsetting will help Kumuwuki / Big Wave to offset the emissions associated with the conference, calculated to be a total of 211.6 tonnes of Co2e.

Kumuwuki / Big Wave has entered into an agreement with Climate Friendly to support two projects: Tasmanian Native Forest Protection and the Cambodian Cookstove Project.

Policy

The Kumuwuki / Big Wave Environmental Policy provides a framework to bring together the different accountabilities involved in different areas of environmental responsibility, and to clarify the content of these responsibilities in each area. It aims to integrate a philosophy of sustainable development into all the conference’s activities and to establish and promote sound environmental practice in our operations.

Objectives

1. Reduce waste and hazards
2. Conserve energy and resources
3. Offset carbon emissions
4. Increase environmental awareness.

Procedure

1. Conduct research, through sources such as Julie’s Bicycle and Climate Friendly, to inform development of an environmental plan.
2. Develop a written environmental plan that states strategies, actions and performance indicators for the four objectives of reducing waste and hazards, conserving energy and resources, offsetting carbon emissions and increasing environmental awareness.
3. Undertake an emissions audit of the conference through a provider such as Climate Friendly
4. Develop clear guidelines for staff, volunteers, presenters, artists, delegates and suppliers to adopt sound environmental practices regarding their involvement with the conference, travel to and during the conference, reducing use of paper, recycling materials
5. Wherever possible, meet or exceed all applicable government requirements and voluntary requirements generally observed in its field, and will in addition adhere to the more stringent requirements of its own environmental policy.
6. Ensure that every employee, volunteer, contractor, presenter, artist and supplier is informed of and expected to follow this policy and to report any environmental, health, or safety concern to management so that prompt action may be taken.
7. Encourage delegates to be aware of and to follow this policy and to report any environmental, health or safety concern to management so prompt action may be taken.
8. Include in its criteria for selection of suppliers and contractors their environmental performance.
9. Avoid partnership, sponsorship or support from organisations whose business operations conflict with, or detract from, the environmental objectives of this policy.
10. Conduct a rigorous evaluation of success in achieving our environmental objectives and provide recommendations for future Regional Arts Australia national conferences.

Accessibility policy

There are around four million people with disability in Australia representing a considerable proportion of people involved in the arts in regional Australia.

The cultural choices and experiences of people with disability can also influence the choices of their colleagues, family and friends.

Everyone benefits when access is better, including other delegates, presenters and artists, people making deliveries, people with heavy baggage, people for whom English is a second language and many older people.

The Federal Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) provides protection for everyone in Australia against discrimination based on disability. Under the law, the Regional Arts Australia National Conference has a legal responsibility to prevent discrimination against people with disability and to make reasonable adjustments to make the event inclusive and accessible. Complaints of discrimination could result in costly court proceedings and rulings.

The Regional Arts Australia National Conference is committed to staging an event that is accessible to people regardless of their access requirements, including physical, sensory and intellectual access.

The Accessibility Policy and action plan have been developed with guidance from Kate Larsen from Arts Access Australia and Gaelle Mellis from the Disability & Arts Transition Team at Community Arts Network SA (CANSA).  The Disability & Arts Transition Team (DATT) is a disability-led project committed to increasing access to arts, creativity, equality, diversity and inclusion for Deaf and disabled people to participate in arts and culture.

 

Policy

This Accessibility Policy is intended to provide a framework to bring together the different accountabilities involved in different areas of responsibility associated with accessibility, and to clarify the content of these responsibilities in each area. It provides a basis for removing barriers which may limit the participation of people with disability in the 2012 Regional Arts Australia National Conference. It aims to integrate a philosophy of accessibility into all the conference’s activities and to establish and promote sound accessibility practice in our operations.

Definition and description of disability

This policy uses the Social Model of Disability. In this context, disability is the loss or limitation of opportunities to take part in the mainstream of the community on an equal level with others due to physical and social barriers. It has little to do with the individual’s condition or impairment.

This means the term ‘disability’ is used to refer to barriers, rather than medical conditions or impairments. The Social Model looks at society instead of individuals, and gives us all power over things we can change.

The conference has an inclusive approach to disability. When we say we work with ‘people with disability’ we mean anyone with sensory or physical impairments, hidden impairments, learning disabilities or mental health conditions.

The DDA also protects people who have some form of personal connection with a person with a disability like relatives, friends, carers and co-workers if they are discriminated against because of that connection or relationship.

Objectives

To meet our accessibility commitment, the RAANC will address the following:

Participation

• Provide equal opportunity for people with disability to participate in all aspects of the conference (as conference delegates, presenters, volunteers and artists)

Support

• Provide support for people with disability to access services and facilities associated with the conference

Awareness

• Increase awareness and understanding of disability issues amongst staff, contractors, volunteers, delegates, presenters, artists and suppliers

Physical access

• Ensure all venues are fully accessible wherever possible
• Provide adequate parking and transport options for people with disability

Marketing and information

• Ensure all marketing and information materials, including print and electronic, are accessible to people with disability

Procedure

1. Form a disability advisory group to provide advice on how to enhance the accessibility of the conference
2. Seek advice from individuals and organisations that have expertise in disability and accessibility
3. Develop a written accessibility plan that states strategies, actions and performance indicators for the objectives relating to participation, support, awareness, physical access, and marketing & information.
4. Nominate a member of the conference team to be the primary contact person regarding accessibility for conference delegates, presenters, volunteers and artists.
5. Undertake an accessibility audit for all venues involved in the conference
6. Ensure that there are transport options to and from and during the conference for people with disability
7. Ensure all marketing materials (including the conference website, written materials, emails, and signage) are available in accessible formats
8. Develop an accessibility/disability arts stream to the conference, guided by a disability curatorial panel
9. Ensure the registration process asks all conference delegates, presenters, volunteers and artists about their access requirements
10. Provide appropriate training, guidelines, checklists and briefing sessions to conference staff, contractors, volunteers, presenters, artist, venue and transport operators regarding accessibility
11. Ensure that every employee, volunteer, contractor, presenter, artist, delegate and supplier is informed of and expected to follow this policy and to report any environmental, health, or safety concern to the Conference Coordinator so that prompt action may be taken.
12. Conduct a rigorous evaluation of its success in achieving its environmental objectives and provide recommendations for future Regional Arts Australia national conferences.

Indigenous engagement policy

The Regional Arts Australia National Conference is committed to staging an event that is culturally inclusive and one that confers with and acknowledges the traditional owners of the land on which the conference is held.

In developing the conference programs Regional Arts Australia encourages planners and directors to work with caring for country strategies that involve cultural engagement and cultural maintenance.

Regional Arts Australia encourages that the cultural knowledge is passed from conference to conference so that we may learn together through the respect of cultural heritage.

Policy

This Cultural Engagement Policy is concerned with providing a formal recognition, respect and appreciation of ‘difference’ or of ‘both ways’. In this way, the policy can provide a formal basis for collaborative and respectful organisational relationships.

This document describes how the 2012 Regional Arts Australia National Conference is working with members of the Ngarrindjeri Nation.

Indigenous Reference Group

The 2012 RAANC will consult with Ngarrindjeri Elders and local Ngarrinderi people and artists collectively called the Indigenous Reference Group. There will be no less than four official consultation sessions held in the months prior to the conference dates regarding Indigenous elements of the conference.

These will include:

• Specific Ngarrindjeri involvement in the conference program.
• Other Language Groups involvement in conference program.
• Welcome to Country
• Official opening and closing events

Two nominated Elders of the Ngarrinderi Nation – Eileen McHughes and Phyliss Williams - are members of the National Executive Committee.

Objectives

The meet our cultural engagement commitment, the RAANC will address the following objectives:

Acknowledgement

• To give proper credit and appropriate acknowledgement to all artists, presenters and performers including all Indigenous people.
• Indigenous people will be given proper credit and appropriate acknowledgement for the use of their cultural material

Intellectual Property

• To recognise all laws in relation to intellectual property, and agree to negotiate upfront with Indigenous people about any use of an artist’s story, the use of any artwork or performance in whatever form produced by the artist, or the use of any images of the artists themselves.
• No use will be made of any story, artwork, performance or image without the specific agreement of the artist. Community ownership of a cultural story will be acknowledged as appropriate.

Consultation and consent

• To consult with the Indigenous Reference Group to ensure the ways in which their history, community, interviews, lives and families are represented respects their moral and community cultural rights to control such representations. Indigenous people will be consulted on the use and representation of their Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property.
• Prior to use, Indigenous peoples will be informed on the implications of consent. Consultation will address the communal nature of Indigenous society and cultural expression.

Confidentiality

• To respect the right of Indigenous people to keep secret and sacred their cultural knowledge and conform with this request. Sacred and secret material refers to information that is restricted under customary law.
• For instance some information may only be learned or viewed by men or women, or only after initiation. Indigenous people have the right to maintain confidentiality about their personal and cultural affairs.

Procedure

Recognise and practice the protocols identified in the five art form specific Australia Council for the Arts Indigenous protocols guidelines booklets.

Hold consultations with members of the Ngarrindjeri and Ramindjeri community at key points to seek input and advice on Indigenous aspects of the conference.

Utilise the funds from the Regional Arts Fund Strategic Initiatives Project for Indigenous engagement in the conference to cover costs of consultation, including travel, accommodation and meals for participants, venue hire and consultancy fees
Nominate a member of the conference team to be the primary contact person regarding accessibility for conference delegates, presenters, volunteers and artists.

Conduct an evaluation of its success in achieving targets for Indigenous engagement and provide recommendations for future Regional Arts Australia national conferences.