DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION STATEMENT

Vocal Arts Nashville desires to constantly listen, learn, and grow. We believe being a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization is the best way to achieve this. We will not get it right every time. We will learn from our successes as well as our failures. This is an evergreen effort, not limited to an individual concert or season. Below is our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement of Principle which outlines our commitment.

Diversity: We affirm our similarities as well as find value in our differences. We believe appropriation denies the inherent worth of the original culture. We believe diverse musical traditions should work in tandem with each other. We know that diversity brings more voices to the table and helps us experience the world more fully. We will continue to seek opportunities to incorporate diverse musical cultures, performers, and venues so that we can more effectively present distinctive and engaging performances to the community.

Equity: As we pursue our mission, we must hold ourselves accountable to cultural equity and authenticity. We acknowledge there is a difficult balance between equity and appropriation. This requires being able to recognize systemic inequities to avoid blind spots that perpetuate those inequities. While our primary repertoire is Western classical music, this is just one of many musical traditions. We will continue to collaborate with other musicians to authentically advance other traditions.

Inclusion: We believe the most effective organizations are those who work to build a culture of trust, candor, and respect. We will support a culture that encourages people – musicians, volunteers, and audience – to bring their whole and authentic selves to the work of our organization.