A Report on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Efforts

Over the last few years, the Canadian Crafts Federation has been committed to establishing real and dedicated effort to affect systemic change in the arts ecosystem. 2020 was a wake-up call for the CCF/FCMA, and organizations across arts and culture, to pause, reflect, and then transform those reflections into actual Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) policies and procedures. As a response to #BlackOutTuesday in 2020, we knew the CCF/FCCMA had to make changes within our own organization to inspire and support our members to do the same across the country. As a result, we are happy to share some of our results and invite you to reflect or comment on the CCF/FCMA’s Draft Equity Statement.

In late 2020, the CCF/FCMA  joined the 3rd cohort of CPAMO’s Pluralism and Organizational Change program.  As a non-profit National Arts service organization, we take our leadership role at the federation seriously. We aim to better-equip ourselves, and our membership, with the information, tools and skills required to evolve our internal operations and our public-facing programming. We’re delighted that two of the CCF/FCMA’s Craft Council Members will be joining the 4th cohort of CPAMO’s Pluralism and Organizational Change as well. These working sessions help organizations to strategize, build and implement inclusive arts practices. The CCF/FCMA has learned so much from CPAMO’s working sessions and we are motivated to implement, assess and evaluate change within our organization.

Strengthening Connections

The CCF/FCMA strategically engages in organizational processes and outcomes to include Indigenous and racialized communities with every project. We’ve integrated EDI in every program and activity, as this is a priority in our work plan and projects. Sectoral change is an ongoing and evolving process directed through research, review, and assessment. 

What We’ve Done So Far

• Established a CFF/FCMA Equity and Action Working Committee and created a Draft Equity Statement
• Integrated Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) considerations into all activities (S3 Citizens of Craft Podcast¹, 2021 Digital Conference, 2022 Summit², National Research and Surveys, etc.)
  • Implementing and releasing accessible documents through informed graphic design
  • including EDI questions in participation forms to gather baseline data for planning and implementation outcomes. 
    • Hired BIPOC and diverse reviewers before releasing questionnaires and position papers to the public.
• Incorporated a minimum 15% of BIPOC artists into our artist selection processes (Including our Fabrique 1840 virtual market project, the Faces of Craft campaign, and the Craft Spectrum position paper)
  • As a result, significantly increased the diversity of the artists we feature through marketing and published documents.

Draft Equity Statement

As part of this process, we invite you, the craft-informed public, to review our draft of the new CCF/FCMA Equity Statement. This statement was developed by CCF/FCMA Executive Director, Maegen Black, with language adapted from SaskArts equity statement, CCF/FCMA Craft Spectrum document, National Ballet of Canada equity statement and the Writers Union of Canada equity policy. The draft was reviewed and edited by members of the CCF/FCMA Equity & Action Working Committee Members, including: Heather Steinhagen, Victoria Hutt, Fabiola Martinez, David Freeman & Tara Owen, as well as Charles Smith from CPAMO.

The Canadian Crafts Federation (CCF/FCMA) acknowledges, respects, and values the diversity of voices, perspectives, and experiences of craft from across the nation. We recognize that craft is a spectrum with no rigid definition. Driven by a desire to see craft appreciated by and accessible to everyone, the CCF/FCMA works with craft communities, organizations, associations, and institutions to achieve these goals.

The CCF/FCMA believes in an equitable, diverse and inclusive world, where our members have fair access to the tools and resources they need. We are committed to action so that individuals and communities have access to opportunities free from barriers based on cultural and racial backgrounds, citizenship, beliefs, disabilities, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, marital and family status, socio-economic status, age or geography. 

We recognize that we live in one of the most culturally diverse nations in the world, and as a national arts service organization are committed to reflecting that diversity through our organization, and our membership. We also acknowledge the historic inequities in our systems, and look to further partner with our community and peer institutions to remove barriers that exist.

The CCF/FCMA acknowledges that this is a living document which will continue to develop in step with the sector, as well as our role in honouring the craft of this place.

While the CCF/FCMA has made great strides to identify, build and implement EDI strategies, policies and procedures, we acknowledge there is still a lot of effort to ensure sustained pluralism initiatives affect change within the craft sector. We continue to ask ourselves “who’s benefiting from CCF/FCMA conversations and who’s missing from the table?” We continue to leverage these discussions to sustain equity and diversity through knowledge, experiences, and resources within our organization and membership, and we welcome your input to help us strengthen and expand that much further.

1. Releasing Fall 2022

2. Fall 2022