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UrbanApa

Community for culture, art and events

Ethical guidelines

What?

UrbanApa is an anti-racist and intersectionally feminist art platform whose purpose is to create space for multivoiced feminist and communal art making. Multivoiced feminist working means that we do not aim at a consensus. There must be space for new viewpoints and experiences, but the atmosphere must also remain respectful, safe and inclusive.

Freedom and responsibility

The platform is based on trust and the freedom of doing, but also on responsibility. These ethical guidelines are taken into account during every event and platform, and all working groups are made aware of them. In conflict situations, UrbanApa’s production team has the right to intervene.

No one should make assumptions of or question someone’s background, gender or experiences. Everyone has the right to share what they feel is necessary and meaningful about themselves.

Every actor on the platform (artists, producers, technical staff, facilitators and other content producers) is treated equally and respectfully. Discrimination and any kind of harassment, sexual or otherwise, are strictly forbidden. This includes language. We do not use discriminatory, subordinating, repressive or offensive terminology (different slurs and invectives), not even in examples or to describe something.

We are not perfect; sometimes (or often) we fail. We therefore urge everyone to take responsibility for their words, actions and failures. Dealing with complex and painful things can be emotional. A few pieces of advice regarding this (feel free to suggest additions):

  • in accordance with intersectional ways of working, it is good to acknowledge our own privileges
  • we come from different experiences, cultures and situations in life; we differ in opinion
  • we acknowledge that language is imperfect and we are bound to have misunderstandings: sometimes we use different words to describe the same things, or vice versa, same words to describe different things
  • we recognise and acknowledge that we do not know everything
  • sometimes we utter painful things through emotion, but this should not lessen the importance of the message
  • we seek to interact with others respectfully despite our differences of opinion
  • we disagree on things, criticise structures and working methods, but we treat other people with respect
  • at times, it is good to take a small break and just breathe
  • at times, we need outside help to make sense of things
  • at times, “sorry, I acted offensively, I will think on it and do better next time” is a good start

What is discrimination?

A simple definition of discrimination is that a person is treated unfavourably, or someone’s character is defamed in a way that is connected to at least one of the following grounds:

  • gender
  • transgender identity or non-normative gender expression
  • cultural or ethnic background
  • religion or other conviction
  • functional ability
  • sexual orientation
  • age
  • nationality
  • origin
  • language
  • appearance

Discrimination can be direct or indirect. Inadequate accessibility, harassment (sexual or otherwise) and instigation of discriminatory practices are also types of discrimination.

What is harassment/sexual harassment?

Everyone has the right to not be sexually harassed while they’re working, regardless of whether the harasser is a facilitator, employer, colleague, guest or other content producer. Harassment is an action that offends a person’s honour and is tied to one or more of the grounds of discrimination mentioned above.

Harassment can be holding someone up to ridicule, or demeaning generalisations that are connected to grounds of discrimination. Harassment can also by nature be sexual. In addition to comments and words, this can include unwanted touching, meaningful glances, groping, jokes, suggestions and sexual images. It can include sexually-toned language. It can also include unwanted compliments, invitations or innuendos. Sexual harassment differs from normal flirting in that the former is unwanted. The target of harassment determines whether or not the behaviour is offensive and defamatory.

If you notice a problem

If there is a problem or something we should know about please contact us. We will do our best to help you.

On the importance of dreaming

UrbanApa was born from the need to find soft, breathable, pleasurable, gentle, loving, playful, odd, fragile, undetermined, meandering and solidary platforms where we can work side by side, different but equal. We have different wants and needs, different energies and capacities, our own aches and confusions, but let us still celebrate, cheer and support each other.