Our mission at The Wayward Artist is to transform a wayward world. Through collaboration, theatre artists participate in the human conversation in ways that expand our understanding of ourselves and each other.  We believe telling stories that reflect the diversity of life moves this wayward world toward justice. The Wayward Artist strives to foster a creative atmosphere where all are welcome. We aim to create an inclusive and safe environment for all.  We are not only taking steps towards being anti-racist, but we are also implementing practices and policies that strive for equity and accessibility in our space at Grand Central Art Center.  In both our casting and ensemble, we seek to celebrate the identities of all theater artists, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, age, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, physical abilities, nationality, language, religious beliefs, or socioeconomic background.  We have no tolerance for bigotry or discrimination of any kind.  Here are the policies and practices we are striving to realize to ensure The Wayward Artist remains the home for the lost, the naked, and the vulnerable.

 

• 50% of the artists who work creatively in our space will be black, indigenous, or other persons of color (BIPOC) or LGBTQIA+. 

• 50% of the artists working creatively in our space will be female, non-binary, or gender non-conforming.   

• 50% of artistic programming will be committed to BIPOC, disabled, female, or LGBTQIA+ characters, playwrights, and stories. 

• The company will strive to increase BIPOC representation as resident artists and board of directors, as having diversity in leadership is key to having representation at all levels of production.

• Color-conscious casting will always be employed in productions at The Wayward Artist.

•  IDEA will always be a topic of discussion at the monthly company meetings.

• The company will participate in annual IDEA training as education is paramount to anti-racist thought and behavior.  Furthermore, the company will provide annual assessments gathered through demographic surveys to monitor progress.

• An IDEA statement and resources will be included in all artist contracts and our website, with specific language meant to welcome people to our theater, as well as strong language regarding our response to any sort of discrimination or harassment.

• An IDEA representative will participate in the audition process as well as the first rehearsal to explain our commitment to all artists who enter our space.

• The company will provide an avenue for all our artists to provide honest feedback to the company during and after every significant creative endeavor without fear of punishment or reprisal.

 

In the event The Wayward Artist falls short of its commitment to IDEA on an individual or group experience, a 3rd party mediator outside the organization will be hired to mediate conflict and ensure the safety of all members.