UNV coordinates International Volunteer Day on 5 December every year to recognize and promote the tireless work, not just of UN Volunteers, but of volunteers across the globe. Every day, volunteers dedicate time and effort to ensure the inclusion of those often left behind, drive climate action and advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Hundreds of community cinemas across the UK are volunteer-run, with people bringing their love of cinema and the audience experience to life in their communities. There are also many other independent venues that simply would not be able to provide the special and personal experiences they do without the support of volunteers. Thanks to all these brilliant people!
Why do artists use social media? How important is social media to an artist’s career? And if artists want to use it to their advantage, what do they need to do? In this report, Gabrielle de la Puente outlines the impact of social media on artists as a tool for work, networking, and creativity. The … More
This toolkit is, foremostly, a practical guide for improving the experiences of POC (people of colour) audiences, staff and filmmakers – and other intersections including gender, sexuality, disability, income and class. Whilst the harm and discrimination POC face in the arts both as workers and audiences is firmly rooted within institutional and systemic injustice, preventing immediate harm is the key priority – and that begins with immediate, though not as radical, reform. This goes beyond representation, and towards creating a space built for all people rather than for primarily white audiences. Whether your cinema is in a rural part of the UK, or in a densely populated city, ethnically diverse audiences are there and it is your cinema’s role to serve them.
The second function of this toolkit is to create lasting change for future generations, and sustain your organisation in a meaningful way (one which is framed around serving communities and not merely securing funding). To do this, you must play your role in preventing harm on an institutional and systemic level. In addition to immediately actionable tools, this toolkit will encourage inner, reflective and dialogue-based work towards undoing systemic injustice. This work will be longer term, and may at times feel personal, however confronting these uncomfortable spaces from positions of privilege is fundamental to creating wider change. Treat the provocations as actionable on a personal level within your roles and workplaces, because the results will be structural change that will not allow harm to exist within your organisations.
It is important that this toolkit is offered to all staff members in your cinema or film organisation; from trustees and managers to programmers and front-of-house staff. Whilst some will find responsibility placed on them to action certain aspects, others will be empowered by the conversations around equity this toolkit may enable. We implore you to talk widely within your organisation about the implications of this toolkit, in an environment in which hierarchies are cut away. Pay all staff equally to feed into this dialogue, and you will see what emerges on this new ground.
Whilst this toolkit has been written in the locale of South Wales, it is aimed towards independent cinemas, festivals, film-based organisations and digital film spaces across the UK – responding to regional differences in audiences, access to funding, rurality and lived experience.
We hope that once this toolkit is worked through, you will come away with an understanding that increasing diversity and access is not a means of sustaining your organisation, but of sustaining and resourcing the communities that cinema serves. This document further hopes to provide an opportunity to reflect on your organisation’s intentions, and how to realign those back to serving all audiences and filmmakers.
Immediate implications will be a reimagining and dismantling of old ways of working, and implementing new models of equity within your organisation and for those who enter your space (whether physical or digital). This is necessary work as a cultural space. It is always possible if there is the will to change, from staff make-up to programming practices, organisational hierarchies to an equalisation of pay; but if there isn’t a will to change, there must be a divestment of power and transference of funding to the communities your organisation is failing to serve. This toolkit will help you confront these different potentials for change.
This is difficult work because it calls for challenging your positionality, your personal and emotional responses, your attachment to a workplace, your unconscious and conscious biases, your own stability, your lived experiences, and the harmful structures you may benefit from. Then, it calls for a letting go. Inequity is not any one person’s fault but it is our collective responsibility to understand and undo it. And finally, it calls for a real commitment to doing the work.
Download the plain text version.
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In April 2021, Sadia spoke with BoxOffice Podcast about the toolkit. Listen here and check at the link for a full transcript of the interview.
Celebrating Bisexuality every September 23 Bi Visibility Day started in 1999 as International Celebrate Bisexuality Day, created by three bi activists from the USA – Wendy Curry of Maine, Michael Page of Florida, and Gigi Raven Wilbur of Texas. It has also been variously known as Bi Pride Day, Bi Day and Celebrate Bisexuality Day. That … More
A doubleheader of educational special events from Into Film celebrating language, communication and d/Deaf cultural identity. Summary of project The central tenet of the project was to challenge the assumption that accessible cinema screenings need to be separated from mainstream programming. We promoted the events encouraging schools working with d/Deaf or hearing students to attend, … More
Volunteers’ Week takes place in June every year, this week it runs from 3rd – 9th June. It’s a chance to say thank you for the contribution millions of volunteers make across the UK to support our communities.
The Week is open to anyone to take part – this can include carrying out an act of kindness, doing some volunteering or contributing to discussion. Find more information here.
The week is led in partnership by NCVO, Volunteer Scotland, Volunteer Now (Northern Ireland) and Wales Council for Voluntary Action and supported by organisations across the UK.
Hundreds of community cinemas across the UK are volunteer-run, with people bringing their love of cinema and the audience experience to life in their communities. There are also many other independent venues that simply would not be able to provide the special and personal experiences they do without the support of volunteers. This is a week to give extra thanks to these brilliant people.
Hosted by the Mental Health Foundation, Mental Health Awareness Week takes place from 18-24 May 2020. The theme is kindness.
How much of the built environment was accessible in 1980s Britain? This government-sponsored film aimed to raise awareness about the importance of inclusive design to give disabled people independence. Ten years before the first UK disability discrimination legislation came into force, we can see a lot more needs to be done.
There are several access schemes operating in the UK which provide benefits, transparency when negotiating a trip to the cinema.
CEA Card – The CEA Card is a national card scheme developed for UK cinemas by the UK Cinema Association (UKCA). The Card enables a disabled cinema guest to receive a complimentary ticket for someone to go with them when they visit a participating cinema. The Card is also one way for cinemas to make sure they look after their disabled guests. If you require an adjustment to visit a cinema because of your disability, cinema staff should make them for you whether you have a CEA Card or not.
Nimbus Card – The Access Card translates a cardholder’s disability / impairment into symbols which highlight the barriers they face and the reasonable adjustments they might need. This then informs providers quickly and discreetly about the support needed and may gain holders access to things like concessionary ticket prices and complex reasonable adjustments without having to go into loads of personal detail. It’s all based on rights outlined in the Equality Act and providers responsibilities.
HYNT Card – Hynt is a national access scheme that works with theatres and arts centres in Wales to make sure there is a consistent offer available for visitors with an impairment or specific access requirement, and their Carers or Personal Assistants. If you need support or assistance to attend a performance at a theatre or arts centre then you may be eligible to join hynt. Each year HYNT holds a symposium for venue staff and other professionals working in the sector.
Nimbus CredAbility – CredAbility is Nimbus’ quality mark. Like the Access Card itself CredAbility was designed and developed by Nimbus; with and for disabled people. It reflects what a commitment to good practice should look like when providing services to a disabled customer.
Gigbuddies – Gigbuddies is NOT about providing free support or replacing statutory services. It’s about enabling people with learning disabilities to have people in their lives who aren’t paid to be there. Gigbuddies match people up with a volunteer who commits to attending at least one gig per month. Gigbuddies is a campaign run by charity, Stay Up Late.
Euan’s Guide – Euansguide.com is the disabled access review site where disabled people, their family, friends and carers can find and share reviews on the accessibility of venues around the UK and beyond. The site is an invaluable tool for everything from planning a day out, to picking a last-minute place for coffee or lunch. “The aim of Euan’s Guide is to empower disabled people by providing information that will give confidence and choices for getting out and about.” Founder, Euan Macdonald.
AccessAble – AccessAble is here to take the chance out of going out. To give you the accessibility information you need to work out if a place is going to be accessible for you. They’ve surveyed 10,000s of venues across the UK and Ireland, including shops, pubs, restaurants, cinemas, theatres, railway stations, hotels, colleges, universities, hospitals and more. Use AccessAble to find wheelchair friendly venues or check out disabled access and facilities.
Christa Holmans, an autistic self-advocate from Texas, runs the the internationally recognized neurodiversity lifestyle blog Neurodivergent Rebel. She also manages Neurodivergent Consulting. Her career background is in recruiting, employee retention, marketing, and consulting.
