BreakOut West Code of Conduct
1. BreakOut West (BOW) and Western Canadian Music Alliance (WCMA) has a zero-tolerance for discrimination (see definition below). Incidents of discrimination will be addressed immediately and perpetrators will be given a verbal warning or asked to leave the premises. Second chances are determined on a case-by-case basis by festival organizers.
2. All BOW Volunteer Venue Managers and host venue staff Managers and core WCMA Staff, are required to have Safer Spaces training. A Safer Spaces partner will provide this training through WCMA with a partner qualified in the field. Venue managers will be easily identifiable at all BreakOut West venues.
3. All volunteers who will be working with children must have a current criminal abuse check completed.
BreakOut West Safer Spaces Policy
Safer Spaces Resources
As outlined in this document, patrons (any person attending a public event of BreakOut West) volunteers and performers (any artist who has been programmed to showcase at the festival or other special events of BreakOut West) have the right to address a concern related to these guidelines with BreakOut West Venue Managers or Organizers and have that concern addressed in a respectful and timely manner. Patrons, volunteers and performers also have the right to be made aware of these guidelines by BreakOut West, as they are expected to comply with the policies contained within this document.
Any services offered by the festival for a patron who has experienced an incident are to be extended for the evening of the incident unless otherwise indicated.
1. All volunteers, venue managers and core BreakOut West staff are required to attend Safer Spaces training through an accredited organization. Workshop to be organized by festival organizers at the expense of WCMA.
a) Reviews of policy and practices as they relate to the event and organization will be done annually with additional workshops done as relevant to ensure all information regarding safer spaces is up-to-date and ongoing education is occurring.
2. WCMA has a Zero Tolerance policy for discrimination – if an incident is reported, the perpetrator is given a verbal warning and has reasons explained. Depending on the nature of an incident or if there is a repeated incident, the person will be ejected and a more permanent ban is put in place. This policy is relevant to all patrons, performers, staff and industry in attendance.
3. WCMA has a responsibility to advise all contracted performers of our policies regarding the creation of safer spaces and zero tolerance for incidents in the various spaces occupied by BOW events. A copy of our safer spaces policy will be provided in all artist packages. All artist offers and contracts will include the zero tolerance policy statement.
a) WCMA reserves the right to nullify artist contracts upon discovery of any performer history that is in violation of our policy.
4. Performers with a known and proven history of sexual or discriminatory violence will not be booked to play unless they have participated in some form of demonstrable rehabilitative counselling.
5. Potential volunteers with known offences of sexual or discriminatory violence and/or abuse cannot volunteer for BOW events unless they can demonstrate that they have participated in some form of demonstrable rehabilitative counselling.
6. WCMA / BOW will try to provide a safer space at each venue (office or some other enclosed area) where a person can recover from any incident that happens at venue. If a safer space is unavailable, Venue Managers must work with the patron to identify ways to make them feel safer.
7. Safer Spaces-trained Venue Managers to whom a patron who experiences an incident can speak safely will be present on site at all times the venue is operating.
Looking for more information on creating safer spaces? Check out this guide, courtesy of Good Night Out and Women in Music BC.
TERMINOLOGY
[i] For the purposes of this document, the term incident is used as a blanket term to encompass the following:
Incident: can refer to discrimination* against, verbal and/or physical harassment of, and sexual and/or physical assault of any person within a venue used by BOW perpetrated “because of the ancestry, Nationality or national origin, Ethnic background, race, religious beliefs, colour, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, physical disability, mental disability, ancestry, place of origin, marital status, source of income, family status, or age (as defined by the Canadian Human Rights Code)
*Discrimination refers to the attempt to “deny any person or class of persons any goods, services, accommodation or facilities that are customarily available to the public.”
[ii] All “second chances” mentioned above are determined by organizers on a case by case basis.
If you need support or have comments about our code of conduct and safer spaces policy please contact us at conduct@breakoutwest.ca