The Art Gallery of Alberta (AGA) acknowledges the legacies of racial oppression, violence and exclusion that are a part of our history and shape our current world. We are committed to supporting the dismantling of structures that perpetuate racist and social inequities through actions - both immediate and future - to direct our organization, its resources and programming, to drive positive change.
We unequivocally believe that Black and Indigenous lives matter, and oppose racism against Black, Indigenous and all people of colour as well as discrimination in all forms against 2SLGBTQ+ people, and those with stigmatized identities and disabilities. We support the fight for racial equity and social justice, and are committed to representativeness, inclusion and access. We will work to disassemble the practices, behaviours and structures that perpetuate and prolong systemic racism within our organization and the arts sector. Overarching highlights of how we will do this include:
- Fostering a culture of continuous listening, learning and improvement where we embrace challenge and are open and willing to take the steps needed for positive change.
- With our exhibitions, collections and programming, acknowledge the historic lack of representation of the work of Black, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQ+ and artists of colour and actively present and support these artists work now and in the future.
- Building a workforce that is reflective and representative of our diverse community with policies and practices that are committed to equity and inclusivity. This includes ensuring equal pay, anti-racism HR policies and racial-equity training and resources provided for all staff.
- Establishing an Equity Committee, with input from community representatives, to provide thoughtful leadership and to undertake regular reviews and revisions of our practices, policies and structures.
The AGA is committed to promoting representativeness within our organization and strives to provide and maintain a fair and equitable environment for all by valuing and respecting individual differences for our enrichment and that of the community we serve. Building an equitable organization takes time, investment and ongoing work and the AGA has a vision that commits the organization: staff, volunteers and Board of Directors to advancing racial equity now and for the future.