Equity and Inclusion

Statement of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Partners in Art (PIA) is a volunteer membership organization that supports art, artists, and organizations to provide thoughtful and challenging perspectives on our world.

We recognize that racism, systematic inequities, and colonialism in Canada present ongoing challenges in our society. We strive to take this into account in our funding by supporting projects that:

  • Honour diverse and complex cultures
  • Challenge both historical and ongoing traumas
  • Illuminate the creativity of artists from underrepresented communities
  • Celebrate the past, present and future achievements of all people of Canada

We are committed to:

  • Respectful dialogue and ethical engagement with artists, audiences and communities
  • Building a more diverse membership within PIA
  • Advancing equity and inclusion within the governance of the organization
  • Adhering to PIA values and our Code of Ethics Respect and Responsibility Agreement

Ethics and Respect Agreement

PIA members are expected to adhere to the core values of the organization and to this Ethics and Respect Agreement.  

PIA members are committed to respectful, ethical, and responsible conduct in all meetings, administrative processes, and governance of the organization.

Respect 

  • We treat each other and members of our broader arts community with dignity and respect. 
  • We value diversity of voices, opinions and perspectives, and welcome respectful debate and dissent, and champion inclusivity. 
  • We do not tolerate racism, discrimination, bullying, defamation, harassment or victimisation. This includes, but is not limited to, discriminatory or abusive language, micro aggression, and dismissive language or behaviour.      
  • We acknowledge that our work is voluntary and that we seek to understand each other through candid and constructive conversation.   
  • We do not make assumptions regarding the identities, backgrounds, socio-economic status, capabilities, and beliefs of others. We make every effort not to use language that assumes or infers anyone’s identity.

 Ethical Behaviour  

  • We are committed to respectful, ethical, and responsible conduct in all meetings, administrative processes and governances of the organization.
  • We are committed to inclusive, respectful, and ethical engagement with artists, audiences, and communities.
  • We are expected to declare any potential and perceived conflicts of interest that might preclude our participation in a funding decision. 
  • We respect the intellectual property rights of artists.
  • We will keep all non-public information held by PIA, and non-public decisions made by the PIA, confidential.
  • We will abide by PIA policies and procedures, which members can access through the members’ side website.

Responsibility 

  • We take responsibility for our behaviour and conduct in meetings and discussions. 
  • We take responsibility for carrying out our commitments, and for communicating in a timely fashion, if changing circumstances preclude continuing membership on a committee or completion of commitments.  
  • PIA takes responsibility to acknowledge, and try to resolve, any disrespectful or unethical behaviours brought to the attention of the leadership and/or the Chairs of the Equity and Inclusion Committee. We invite you to privately report or seek confidential advice, for any such behavior you might have seen or experienced to report@partnersinart.ca (who will reach the Chair of the Board of Directors), or alternatively to equity@partnersinart.ca (who will reach the Co-Chairs of the Equity and Inclusion Committee).

 Acknowledgement

We recognize that this is a living document, and we are committed to receiving feedback and further refinement of this document as PIA moves forward.  

“Commissioned by PIA, LandMarks2017/Repères2017 was a pivotal moment in my practice. Art is one way to critically contemplate the conditions of society, and this series of projects by 12 artists was impressive and necessary to mark Canada’s sesquicentennial. The photographs from my project, entitled Long View, have been reworked for the façade of the National Gallery of Canada, currently on view until Spring 2026.”

Jin-me Yoon
Visual Artist

“We are immensely grateful for Partner’s in Art’s support for the creation of an original work by Anila Agha Quayyum for the Aga Khan Museum’s Light: Visionary Perspectives exhibition. Through the generosity of PIA, Quayyum created A Thousand Silent Moments (Rain Forest) – a unique, immersive installation inspired by works from our permanent collection. We are proud to be able to be the first venue to display a work by Anila Agha Quayyum in Canada and thrilled to see how this work continues to enthrall and inspire our visitors.”

Marianne Fenton, Special Projects Curator, and Bita Pourvash, Associate Curator
The Aga Khan Museum

“Partners in Art provides valuable funding to help realize a variety of compelling contemporary art projects across Canada. We are very grateful for the contributions PIA has made to a number of projects at MOCA Toronto in recent years, meaningfully supporting the museum’s commissioning programme, which works closely with artists to provide them with opportunities to explore and expand their practice while also delivering unique, site-specific experiences for audiences.”

Kathleen Bartels
Executive Director & CEO, MOCA

“Partners in Art has demonstrated exceptional commitment to highlighting Canadian artists on the world stage. Since its inception, PIA has offered invaluable support to Canada’s representation at the Venice Biennale and the National Gallery of Canada’s commitment to providing Canadian artists with a platform to exhibit their work and receive global recognition. This exposure not only benefits the artists themselves but also serves to showcase the diversity and richness of Canada’s arts scene to the rest of the world. The National Gallery of Canada and the National Gallery of Canada Foundation are privileged to collaborate with such a devoted, passionate, and generous organization as PIA.”

Lisa Turcotte
Chief Executive Officer, National Gallery of Canada Foundation