The Denman Island Readers and Writers Festival (DIRWF) recognizes that the health of the arts in British Columbia depends on equity, inclusion, and access. Guided by the principles of the BC Human Rights Code, the Accessible BC Act, and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, the Festival commits to creating a literary environment where all people, regardless of race, gender, ability, age, identity, geography, or economic means, are welcomed, respected, and empowered to participate. Our Festival takes place on the unceded traditional territories of peoples of the Coast Salish and Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw Nations.
We honour this relationship through ongoing learning, partnerships, and the inclusion of Indigenous voices and cultural protocols in our programming. We are committed to:
- Representation: Ensuring diversity in author selection, panels, volunteers, and leadership.
- Access: Providing sliding-scale tickets, free community events, and accessible venues and formats.
- Fair Compensation: Paying all artists, facilitators, and knowledge keepers at or above industry standards.
- Collaboration and Respect: Building reciprocal relationships with communities across BC, particularly those historically underrepresented in the literary arts.
- Accountability: Reviewing our practices annually and inviting community feedback to identify and reduce barriers.
Through these measures, DIRWF seeks to embody the guidelines of the federal and provincial governments as well as the Canada Council for the Arts and BC Arts Council concerning reconciliation, inclusion, and accessibility in all aspects of our operations and programming.