DEI Statement

Our Commitment to Inclusion

The Acadia Festival of Traditional Music & Dance is committed to welcoming people of all backgrounds, including but not limited to: racial, ethnic, religious, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, socioeconomic and musical.

The Festival acknowledges that it can be difficult for people from marginalized communities to feel welcome in traditional music spaces – whether due to a lack of racial diversity, gender binary language used in dances (expectations of female-male partners), financial status impacting access to instruments/musical tools/educational resources, or a history of oppression connected to the music learned and played – among many possible factors.

Among the ways the Festival plans to foster a welcoming climate for everyone are to hire faculty that include people of different racial, ethnic and cultural identities and backgrounds and artists who exemplify the voyages of musical styles over time; to hold gender-neutral dances; to avoid tunes that have an oppressive background in our teaching repertoire; to provide need-based scholarships and other financial assistance necessary to attend Trad School.

These are just a few of the ways we hope to make our spaces more inclusive, and the Festival is dedicated to continually evaluating how it can improve. If in need of support, please reach out to any staff member or the Festival Director.

Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy

The Acadia Festival of Traditional Music & Dance is committed to maintaining a community which recognizes and values the inherent worth and dignity of every person; fosters tolerance, sensitivity, understanding, and mutual respect among its members; and encourages each individual to strive to reach their own potential. We believe that there is strength in diversity which stimulates creativity, promotes the exchange of ideas, and enriches our lives.

Exclusion and harassment are antithetical to the creative process. Therefore, Acadia Trad does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender identity and expression, physical appearance, body size, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of our activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, employment practices, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services including scholarships. In addition, our business practices will reflect the value of diversity.

We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all of our students, faculty, volunteers, subcontractors and vendors. Further, we are dedicated to providing a harassment-free educational experience and will not tolerate harassment of participants in any form.

Harassment includes offensive verbal comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, or military status in public spaces, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention. Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately.

If a participant engages in harassing behavior, Festival staff may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning the offender or expulsion from the event with no refund. If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact a member of the staff immediately.

Acadia Festival of Traditional Music & Dance staff will be happy to help participants contact venue security or local law enforcement, provide escorts, or otherwise assist those experiencing harassment to feel safe for the duration of the event. Your attendance is valued. All participants are expected to follow these guidelines for the duration of the event including classes, workshops and event-related social activities.