Our Action Plan for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

FACT is where people, art and technology meet. We strive for greater equality, diversity and inclusion in every aspect of what we do - the audiences we reach, the artistic programme we present, and in our team of staff and trustees.

This action plan was written by a working group of staff from each department, a member of our Executive Team and a Trustee with support from consultant, Rachel Gnagniko. The plan responds to the priorities identified by the working group and outlines 7 key objectives for FACT.

1. Shared Language

The language around diversity and inclusion is as fluid as the individuals it describes. For many people, this can be intimidating and a barrier to embracing more inclusive practices.

Action	Timeframe	Progress
Through staff training and consultation with external focus groups, write and agree across the organisation a glossary of terms and explanations of how we use them in order to develop a shared language around EDI for internal and external communications.	6 months to develop the glossary. 6 months to put into practice and review	We have set up a cross-organisation working group who have identified external consultants and experts to deliver staff training and how to translate organisational values into a shared language.
Regularly review this language to keep up to date with new terminology and current debates.	Reviewed annually

2. Training and Implementation

Specific areas of work for FACT need additional support and guidance to allow equality of access and inclusion to inform the processes and delivery of the work we do. Through training, we will identify what best practices for different teams will look like.

Action	Timeframe	Progress
Provide all-staff workshops to help staff gain confidence in speaking on protected characteristics and additional criteria identified by FACT team, and to create a safe and open forum for informal conversations on concerns, how to address different perspectives and experiences, and to ask questions and learn without fear or embarrassment.	All staff workshops at least quarterly	All staff have received training on disability awareness and specific teams have received training on inclusive recruitment and neurodiversity awareness.
Write additional guides for different teams to support the needs of specific teams, e.g. Customer Care guide for Front of House, style guides for Marketing and Communications and Development.	8 months to write additional guides

3. Recruitment

Who works for and with FACT is of vital importance as our staff and freelancers shape the work that we do and share with the public. The processes we use to recruit also impact the ways new opportunities are accessed and inclusive of artists and practitioners from a broad diversity of backgrounds.

Action	Timeframe	Progress
Create more accessible systems for recruitment, including reviewing essential criteria and educational backgrounds for roles, and writing job descriptions and background information in accessible and inclusive language.	3 months to revise processes. Implement and monitor for the remainder of 2021/22 and review annually
Research and widen our networks to promote new opportunities, only working with recruiters that can demonstrate a commitment to EDI.	Review annually
Offer staff training on inclusive recruitment practices.	1 month to implement training	All members of our Senior Management Team have participated in Inclusive Recruitment training. We are trialling new application procedures to widen access and simplify recruitment calls.
Use clear language to state FACT’s commitment to EDI in all recruitment calls asking for evidence of the candidate’s experience with diversity and inclusion at interview.	Immediate and reviewed annually
The diversity of our staff currently does not reflect national working-age demographics with regards to race. We will use positive action to shortlist and appoint between applicants of equal merit.	Immediate and reviewed annually

4. Rewrite Monitoring Forms

Collecting demographic monitoring data is a vital tool in understanding who we currently reach and engage, and in monitoring our progress towards greater inclusion of those currently under-represented in our sector. However, not all the data we collect is useful and this process can become alienating and dehumanising. We will set clear objectives of what data we need and why.

Action	Timeframe	Progress
We will rewrite our demographic monitoring forms to reflect the organisation’s priorities and choice of language.	6 months to write, followed by 6 months of implementation before review
We will share our revised form with peer organisations and with Arts Council England and relevant funding bodies to encourage a broader debate on the collection and use of data.	Within the next 12 months

5. Board Recruitment

FACT’s Board of Trustees does not adequately reflect national demographics with regards to race and disability. We are also conscious that our governance may not include representation of lower socio-economic backgrounds or those with neurodiversity.

We are committed to having a Board of Trustees that brings diverse experiences and expertise to our governance.

Action	Timeframe	Progress
We will actively look to increase the diversity of the Board with an initial priority towards race and disability, aiming to increase the diversity of the board to 30%.	Recruit new board members by April 2022
Bring in artist expertise (e.g. an annual artist-in-residence) to help lead artistic intervention and institutional critique into governance functions, which can often feel exclusive due to their bureaucratic nature.	Appoint an artist-in-residence for the board by April 2021	We have appointed artist Jack Tan to be our annual artist-in-residence for 2021-22. Jack will be attending all Board of Trustees meetings as well as organising events and developing a performative work around questions of governance, trust and accountability.

6. Programme Advisory Panel

To help improve how we reach and are inclusive of under-represented groups in our audiences, we will set up a Programme Advisory Panel. The paid panel will compose of artists, community group representatives, and art sector peers to give feedback on our programme plans. The objective of the panel is to help us understand how relevant our programme is to:

Diverse local, national, and international audiences.
Current discourse around race, sexual and gender identity, and class.
Current artistic practices in relation to science and technology.
Developing opportunities for young people.

Action	Timeframe	Progress
Research and invite panelists.	Confirm Advisory Panel by April 2021 and review their ongoing involvement annually	Our Programme Advisory Panel has been selected, please see below.
Meet regularly to discuss the strategic aims of the programme and how these might be achieved	Every 6 months	We held our first Programme Advisory Panel meeting in July 2021.

PROGRAMME ADVISORY PANEL

Philomena Harrison - Liverpool based academic and social worker experienced in anti-racism and youth work

Janet Price - An activist and cultural advocate for feminist, queer, and disability arts in Liverpool.

Mimi Thornton - Young cultural producer based in the North West focussed on platforming under-represented voices in the region through Go Off, Sis.

Uma Breakdown - Newcastle based artist working with new technologies at the intersection of many of our core critical concerns, part of FACT Together

Zaiba Jabbar - London-based curator and cultural producer working with new digital technologies.

7. Supply Chain

Where, how, and from whom we source the resources and services that enable the institution to function behind the scenes is often subject to finding the cheapest provider, which often limits opportunities for smaller, independent, female or ethnic-minority-owned businesses.

Action	Timeframe	Progress
FACT will review all of its existing suppliers. In establishing or renewing contracts with suppliers of sums over £2000. FACT will commit to inviting quotations from local, female or ethnic minority-owned, environmentally sustainable suppliers for comparative offers before awarding contracts.	Immediate and reviewed annually
For contracts where FACT is the sole payee (i.e. not sharing costs with Picturehouse), FACT will give preference to the local, minority-owned, or sustainable business if their offer matches those of other suppliers within 5%.	Immediate and reviewed annually
For contracts awarded jointly, FACT will lobby Picturehouse to adopt a similar position.	Immediate and reviewed annually