PiPA Statement of principle
PiPA believes that a truly world class performing arts is inclusive of all talents and circumstances
Being inclusive and being more representative, on and off stage, is essential if the performing arts are to be vital, successful and relevant in our diverse world. Inclusion is evidenced by greater diversity among all those involved in the industry: in the wider workforce, in its leadership and in our audiences.
We believe that this moral and creative case for greater diversity in our industry stands alone. But it is given additional strength by the business benefits of diversity for performing arts organisations: wider talent pool, greater innovation, better decision-making and better financial performance.
And inclusion and diversity is core to PiPA itself. To best deliver our charitable objectives we must operate by the values we promote. PiPA will be an open door to all parents and carers in the industry, enabling true inclusion of all backgrounds and perspectives in our work and how it develops. And we shall also create change across the full diversity of all performing art forms - theatre, opera, orchestra, live music, dance - by engaging with the people who create and work in them.
What a commitment to diversity means for PiPA
We work together to amplify the voices of parents and carers
- We commit to reaching, hearing and understanding the full diversity of parents and carers, including those who might experience disadvantage because of their age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, or socio-economic disadvantage.
We encourage a new mindset, that parents and carers enrich the performing arts
- We commit to ensuring that the examples, case studies and illustrations we use reflect and promote the diversity of parents and carers working in the performing arts
We show what’s possible
- We commit to authentically doing ourselves what we ask others to do, in our employment practice, recruitment, governance and conduct as an organisation.
We respect and value what everyone brings to PiPA
- We commit to creating an environment where everyone feels that they have a voice, whether staff, trustees, ambassadors, service users, industry partners, funders or donors of time or money.
Board accountability
PiPA's Inclusion and Diversity strategy and its delivery are a priority for which the Board is accountable. It is a continuing work in progress, and an active item at our quarterly Board meetings. Since becoming an Arts Council England Investment Principle Support Organisation (IPSO), elements of our I&D strategy have become embedded in our IPSO deliverables. Each area of PiPA’s work is both informed by and delivered against the Investment Principles. We acknowledge that there is additonal work around Inclusion and Diversity that needs to be happen at PiPA. The Equality Diversity Inclusion and Belonging Committee, led by PiPA Vice-Chair Shazia Mustafa, will be reviewing and developing a new PiPA I&D strategy during 2024. The co-CEOs and Trustees will share responsibility for identifying and agreeing measurable criteria against which we can publicly assess our progress.