Our Commitments: Equity, Inclusion, and Community Care
The Denman Island Readers and Writers Festival is rooted in the belief that literary culture flourishes when it is equitable, inclusive, accessible, and grounded in mutual respect. As a community-based festival on a small island, we take seriously our responsibility to create spaces where writers, readers, volunteers, and audiences feel welcomed, safe, and valued.
Our Festival takes place on the unceded traditional territories of the Coast Salish and Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw peoples. We approach this relationship with humility, ongoing learning, and a commitment to honouring Indigenous voices, protocols, and lived experience in our programming and partnerships.
Guided by provincial and federal legislation and arts-sector best practices, we have developed the following policies to make our values explicit and to hold ourselves accountable, to artists, to our community, and to one another. These policies shape how we plan, program, host, and evaluate the Festival, and they evolve as we continue to learn.
We invite all Festival participants to read these policies and join us in upholding their spirit.
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (EDIA) Policy
This policy outlines the Festival’s commitments to representation, access, fair compensation, collaboration, and accountability, and affirms our dedication to reducing barriers to participation in the literary arts.
Code of Conduct and Cultural Safety Policy
This policy sets out shared expectations for respectful behaviour, cultural safety, consent, and accountability, ensuring that the Festival remains a safe and supportive environment for everyone involved.