Inclusion

In summer 2017, after several years of internal discussion, the English Language Arts Network (ELAN) embarked on a process of creating an inclusion plan.

The Inclusion Plan outlines the actions that have been taken by ELAN in the development of our policy and introduces actions that will be taken over a five-year period from 2017-2022.

When ELAN began in 2004, the organization was focused on building positive bridges between the two solitudes of French- and English-speaking arts communities. This focus will remain present throughout our work. However, we recognize that in the 15 years since ELAN started, the context of the arts community has shifted and other issues have been raised.

Conversations about inclusion, diversity, and equity have made clear that many of Quebec’s English-speaking artists face specific barriers due to discrimination based on race, gender, disability, Indigeneity, language, and a number of other factors.

This plan mobilizes our priorities as an organization serving the English-speaking community of Quebec to integrate values of inclusion and equity in the specific areas of our work in Membership, Human Resources, Governance, Advocacy, and Communications.

Continuing Dialogue

Recognizing the need to support this ongoing work, ELAN commits to using our platforms to amplify the voices of organizations and communities who are directly implicated by a given issue and have lived experience and expertise. Through our role as a member-driven umbrella organization, we work toward filling existing gaps and, unless specifically requested, defer to grassroots groups on issues that impact them directly. Meaningful community consultations and the democratic participation of our members will continue to be part of our mandate and inform our programming.

To ensure that we use our platform to amplify voices that need to be heard, ELAN commits to investing time and resources to build strong, meaningful, and reciprocal relationships with organizational partners and individuals who work towards a more inclusive arts and culture sector in Quebec.

Community Feedback

At the heart of this plan is an acknowledgement that our work on inclusion and diversity is ongoing, will evolve, and will involve mistakes. It is active work, involving all of us and all parts of ELAN. We would like to invite our members and communities to provide feedback on our Inclusion Plan. This can be done via email. Send us a message.

Did You Know?

Inclusion Committee

The Inclusion Committee  is mandated by ELAN’s Board to promote and advance inclusion within the organization, its activities and projects

Committee Activities & Engagements

Disability, arts practice, and COVID-19 in Quebec by Renée Yoxon. An Inclusion Committee Meeting
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Disability, arts practice, and COVID-19 in Quebec 

Initiative by ELAN's Inclusion Committee Written by Renée Yoxon As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to unfold, artists everywhere have had their livelihoods impacted. In Canada, no province has been harder hit than Quebec. Quebec’s Premiere,…
This is the Time for Real Change, Give space, listen, read, learn, support, donate, call out, reach out
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This is the Time for Real Change

The ELAN team and Board are united in their shared revulsion at last week’s murder of an unarmed Black man by police in Minneapolis. This incident has sparked international outrage because every country in the world, and every city, has its…
Staying Connected: Asian Artists in Quebec

Staying Connected: Asian Artists in Quebec

Initiative by ELAN's Inclusion Committee Written by June Park Edited by Li Li During May’s Asian Heritage Month, mandated social distancing and regulations due to Covid-19 continue, with artists and companies of all disciplines…

Funding Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the Conseil des arts de Montreal (CAM) for their financial support of this work.