awareness
transarency
A central component of our work is transcultural artistic cooperation. This requires continuous self-examination of our methods, structural work habits, and our ideas of competencies. As an organization based in Cologne and Berlin, and therefore in the Global North, we strive to handle our privileges and resources consciously. Since the founding of our association, we have made the working principle of "fair cooperation" our goal.
Taking issues such as power dynamics, hierarchies, and the resulting inequality seriously also means being honest with ourselves that we often fall short of the standards of fair cooperation. Although we, as actors in the independent scene, can often respond flexibly and quickly to changes, we are frequently forced to proceed quickly and "as simply as possible" due to resource constraints and funding logic.
Our core team has so far participated in sensitivity workshops focusing on discrimination-sensitive language, fair cooperation, and transcultural cooperation. Additionally, we participate in network meetings and initiatives related to the topic of awareness in artistic collaboration whenever possible. We regularly reflect and discuss within the team and with our network of international artists about ways to enhance our awareness and take time to review important issues such as fair payment or conflict management. In the long term, we aim to have our processes accompanied by an external awareness team and are working to secure resources for this purpose.
Non-discrimination statement
bridgeworks firmly rejects any form of discrimination, in particular on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity, ethnic and territorial origin, membership of a national minority, skin colour, genetic characteristics, language, religion, ideology, political or other beliefs, social background, property, birth, disability or age.
bridgeworks wants to oppose exclusion and discrimination based on the criteria mentioned above. We want to contribute to the recognition of human rights – in political, economic, social, cultural or any other areas of public life.
guideline
Everyone makes mistakes. When people use discriminatory language or ways of thinking, we hope that constructive criticism will be offered in response. If others criticize us, we are open to it and listen. Should discriminatory or boundary-crossing situations arise in our projects, there is an awareness contact person from the team, designated according to the Community Agreement created before each cooperation, to whom affected individuals can turn. This contact person will discuss the situation with the affected individual and explain the possible steps. Boundary violations are defined individually by the affected persons: What incidents make people feel attacked, disregarded, discriminated against, hurt, degraded, or overwhelmed is not questioned.
At our self-organized public events, we reserve the right to warn or remove individuals who are discriminatory or overstep boundaries from the premises and the event. We also reserve the right to deny entry to events and (digital) formats or exclude individuals who are associated with racist or right-wing populist disruptions, belong to right-wing extremist parties or organizations, are associated with the right-wing extremist scene, or have previously been noted for racist, nationalist, anti-Semitic, transphobic, sexist, or otherwise inhumane statements.
