Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan Overview 2021-23 - Museum of ...
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Diversity, Equity
and Inclusion Plan
Overview 2021–23
2021
Acknowledgement of Country
Museum of Contemporary Art Australiagu wawa Cadigalmirung
nura badu garrigarrang1
The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA) acknowledges the
Gadigal people of the Eora nation, the traditional owners of the lands
and waters upon which the MCA stands.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
The MCA recognises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and
cultures as central to the organisation and is informed by the guidance
and advice of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Group
in broad or emergent matters affecting the cultural representation of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, communities and cultures.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Group has a key
responsibility in delivering against the objectives of the MCA Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander Policy.
The MCA acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’
presence and ongoing custodial roles on Country and Place and supports
the social justice agency of communities to secure equity, cultural
prosperity and cultural safety.
The MCA is strongly committed to supporting and celebrating Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander art, cultures and knowledges. Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander staff are central to the success of MCA operations;
the reserved platform for the sharing of languages, stories and cultures
by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists are demonstrations of the
organisations enduring respect of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Peoples, Country/Place, histories and cultures. The language of Gadi,
in consultation with knowledge holders and keepers, is increasingly
incorporated into appropriate contexts within the MCA
Previous page: International
Mother Language Day, 21 February
2019, photograph: Jodie Barker |
Top: First Nations poetry reading
by Kaitlen Wellington, MCA Late,
5 March 2021. Featured: Vincent
Namatjira, P.P.F. (Past-Present-
Future) (detail), 2021, synthetic
polymer paint, commissioned by
the Museum of Contemporary
Art Australia, 2021, supported by
Veolia Environmental Services,
image courtesy the artist; Museum
of Contemporary Art Australia,
Sydney; and Iwantja Arts, South
Australia © the artist, photograph:
Jordan Munns | Bottom: Shirley
Purdie Artist talk, NAIDOC Week,
11 July 2016. Featured: Shirley
Purdie, Goowoolem Gijam –
Gija plants (detail), 2013–2016,
ochre on canvas, Museum of
Contemporary Art, purchased
with funds provided by the MCA
Foundation, 2016, image courtesy
and © Shirley Purdie/ licensed by
Copyright Agency, photograph:
Kai Leishman
Language translation undertaken with assistance from Professor Jakelin Troy. Endorsed by local community
1
Elders and the MCA’s Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Advisory Group.
1 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan Overview
Introduction To take a leadership role in shaping a creative and equitable Australia
that values contemporary art and artists.
The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia has a solid history of
supporting and embedding access, diversity and inclusion, both Becoming a more equitable Museum is an ongoing process. This Plan
internally and externally working to celebrate difference. A rolling will evolve and develop across the next three years, and aims to:
three year plan reviews past achievements and recent developments — reflect the plurality of our culture and our global audience;
to inform future objectives and actions. The new Diversity, Equity and — make sustainable equitable change in our professional practices
Inclusion Plan for 2021 and beyond responds to a context framed by including exhibitions, collection development, research, publishing,
the extraordinary events of 2020 and their implications: the bushfires public and learning programs and staff recruitment; and
that swept across a significant part of NSW and beyond; the Aboriginal — support current, emerging, and future professionals from diverse
Deaths in Custody reignited by the Black Lives Matter movement; and backgrounds.
the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This means recalibrating the societal role and impact of the MCA
across the next three years, striving to improve and build; alongside
the increased pressure in mental health for many of our staff and
audiences; a loss of cohesiveness and connectivity alongside living
in an age of uncertainty.
The MCA’s ongoing commitment to making a positive difference
to the quality of people’s lives through meaningful engagement with
contemporary art and artists remains key and is reflected in our vision:
Bankstown Public School, MCA
Together Access Program, 24
May 2018, photograph: Jacquie
Manning
2 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan Overview
Selected Achievements 2018–2020
MCA Access Champions
This group was formed in 2017 to represent and support access
and inclusion initiatives across all divisions of the MCA, embedding
and sharing responsibility across the Museum. Examples include
cross-departmental collaborations to support autism-friendly events;
continuing development of website accessibility; exhibition display,
programs and events.
Partnerships
— January 2019 – Createability Internship Program, a partnership
between Create NSW and the Department of Family and Community
Services, in partnership with Accessible Arts.
— Art is for Everyone Weekend – a free two-day festival celebrating
access and inclusion at the MCA presented in partnership with
The Big Anxiety, Australia's largest mental health event and Project
Art Works, UK in September 2019.
— Special edition of Contemporary Kids School Holidays program in
collaboration with Fambo, a queer festival for all kinds of families,
and presented in association with Sydney Festival, January 2020.
Included workshops by LGBTIQA+ artists Liam Benson, Claudia
Nicholson, Radha La Bia, Nicole Barakat and Bhenji Ra.
— December 2020 – ArtScreen – a new video artwork initiative for artists
and filmmakers with disability, in partnership with Accessible Arts.
— Ongoing development of meaningful relationship with the deaf
community; bespoke, holistic, led by peers. Supported into online
experience – filmed Auslan version of audio guide for Lindy Lee:
Moon in a Dew Drop, with people tagging one another on MCA
Learning Instagram. Deaf-led content developed by Artist Educators
for all audiences including Creative Insights video, blog posts on
Stories and Ideas on the MCA website and Instagram takeovers during
National Week of Deaf People.
— Ongoing partnership with Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect): supporting
and developing autism friendly gallery openings and workshops. Staff support
— Building mental health awareness amongst staff by offering increased
Resources training opportunities: from two sessions in 2019 to a range of
— New online learning resource filters were created for more easily approaches in 2020 including onsite mental health related training
searchable resources to fit specific learning needs. for Directors and Managers; and an online program for all staff during
— Development of Artful: Art & Dementia Online Toolkit – including COVID-19 lockdown.
100 free Artful toolkits to those in need funded by the Jibb Foundation. — An ongoing flexible work arrangement for family commitments.
— Five Visual Stories developed and available on MCA website covering: In addition to Government Maternity Leave pay, the MCA offers three
Early Learning, Visitor Information, Autism Friendly, ARTBAR and GENEXT. months of parental leave pay; in addition to two weeks of government
paid partners leave, MCA offers paid two weeks for secondary parents.
The MCA also offers Foster Parents leave which is not covered in Fair
Work Act. Recently, a week of paid Domestic Violence Leave was agreed.
— MCA website accessibility consultation with Guide Dogs NSW March 2019.
— Audio-described and tactile tour training for MCA Coordinators,
Educators and Hosts.
Contemporary Kids x Fambo
presented as part of Sydney
Festival, School Holiday family
workshops, 24 January 2020,
photograph: Maja Baska
3 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan Overview
Key terms Legislative Landscape
Diversity is the representation of all our varied identities (race, ethnicity, This Plan works to comply with our legislative responsibilities as detailed
gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, cultural identity, in the following documents:
socio-economic status, thinking and communication styles, etc.), Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986
collectively and as individuals. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Age Discrimination Act 2004
Peoples as First Peoples of Australia are represented at the MCA through Racial Discrimination Act 1975
identified processes in policy, advisory and employment priorities that Fair Work Act 2009
align with appropriate cultural and political standpoints. Sex Discrimination Act 1984
Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW)
Equity seeks to ensure fair treatment, equality of opportunity, and Federal Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (D.D.A)
fairness in access to information and resources for all; aligned with United Nations Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW). It acknowledges the needs (CRPD) Australia was one of the first signatories of the CRPD.
and experiences of all individuals in society and promotes active The Disability Inclusion Act 2014 and the Disability Inclusion Regulation
measures to eliminate barriers so that all persons can thrive. 2014
Disability (Access to Premises – Buildings) Standards, 2010
Inclusion is the act of creating environments in which any individual NSW State Plan: A New Direction for NSW for People with Disabilities
or group can be and feel welcomed, respected, supported, and valued National Arts & Disability Strategy, 2009
to fully participate. NSW Creative Ageing Framework, 2021
Access means providing a range of ways for everyone, of all abilities,
to engage with MCA and learning programs, for example: Left: Poetry and song performance
with Priyanka Bromhead, MCA
— tailored programs for people with disability or access requirements; Late, 28 May 2021, photograph:
— access support across all programs as requested; Bianca De Marchi | Right:
Bankstown Public School, MCA
— Auslan interpretation on request for all MCA openings; Together Access Program, 24 May
— tactile touch tours; 2018. Featured: Nicole Foreshew,
ngayirr (sacred) (detail),
— Auslan and audio-described tours; and 2015-2017, minerals, salt, wood,
— autism-friendly gallery openings. installation view, MCA Collection:
Today, Tomorrow, Yesterday, 2018,
Museum of Contemporary Art,
purchased with funds provided
by the MCA Foundation, 2017,
photograph: Jacquie Manning
4 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan Overview
Plan Objectives
DIVERSITY
— Identify an appropriate methodology for ensuring cultural diversity
and reporting within exhibitions, Collections and public programs.
— Develop a plan to engage new and diverse audiences and voices
across three years.
— Creation of new Leadership team to ensure different cultural
perspectives and experiences.
— Pursue diverse representation on all MCA advisory committees.
— Revisit recruitment practices and language within position
descriptions to increase diversity of applications.
— Increase supplier diversity within procurement to leverage financial
equity.
EQUITY
— A focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy objectives
e.g. research, publications and international impact.
— Investigate individualised support structure(s) for new staff who
identify within diverse communities and other who require this.
— Provide diversity, equity, access and inclusion training for all staff
across all departments and levels (including casuals who will be paid
to attend), some of this training will be compulsory.
— Develop and distribute internally MCA Guidelines to Terminology.
— A diversity, equity and inclusion commitment to be included within
MCA staff performance goals.
— Develop robust reporting and debriefing procedures that support
staff, especially those interacting with the public.
— Ensure systems are in place to capture data and inform business
decisions.
INCLUSION
— Continue social impact programs (context dependent on financial,
pandemic constraints etc).
— Continue commitment to Access programs and building partnerships.
— Ongoing development of inclusive content for online and onsite
audiences.
— Develop new Creativity and Wellbeing program.
A detailed plan for internal use will be developed to support the
achievement of these objectives over the next three years.
Autism-friendly gallery viewing
and workshop, 18 April 2019.
Featured: Eugenia Lim, The
Australian Ugliness, 2018,
installation view, The National
2019: New Australian Art,
Museum of Contemporary Art
Australia, Sydney, 3-channel
high-definition video, colour,
audio, carpet, steel, ply, MDF,
fleece, beanbags, inflatable, image
courtesy the artist and Museum of
Contemporary Art Australia © the
artist, photograph: Anna Kučera
5 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan Overview
Monitoring, reporting and review
The Director, Audience Engagement, Access Manager and Human
Resources Manager are responsible for monitoring, reviewing and updating
the Plan in consultation with key internal and external stakeholders; with a
report on Plan objectives to be given at one staff meeting and one Board
meeting annually.
Shared responsibility
The implementation of the Plan is a responsibility shared across the
Museum. The new group of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Champions
will support the delivery of the Plan, by acting as sponsors of the DEI
objectives that align with their strategic priorities. The Champions are
invited to share their insights and ideas in meetings, along with updates on
reaching objectives; and to be advocates for the Plan.
MCA Director
The MCA Director is responsible for the implementation of the Plan and
accountable to the board of the MCA in relation to the progression of the
commitments contained in the Plan.
Divisional Directors
Are responsible for the implementation of the Plan within their divisions,
have performance expectations included in their work plans and are
Artful: Art and Dementia program,
accountable against these expectations to the Director. 4 December 2019, photograph:
Maja Baska
6 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan Overview
mca.com.au @mca_australia
mca.australia mcaaustralia
@mca_australia mca.art
Wairoa Primary School Bella Program, 5 July 2018. Featured: Lara Merrett, Paint me in (detail), 2018, synthetic
polymer paint and ink on canvas, steel, commissioned by the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia for the
Jackson Bella Room, 2018, image courtesy and © the artist, photograph: Jacquie Manning
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