Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Access

What we do

EAF cultivates connections between artists, collaborators and communities to develop contemporary visual art projects in Edinburgh. In August, we present the UK’s largest annual visual art festival that is deeply rooted in the city and Scotland, with global dialogue. We envision ourselves as a platform that amplifies intersectional voices and perspectives.

EDIA is embedded and instilled into everything we do at EAF. Our renewed strategic vision, covering 2025–28 has tangible aims about how we can work beyond EDIA as an exercise, and how it intersects every area of our work. EDIA for us is recognising that those most directly affected by a specific oppression are those best placed to develop methods to overcome it. Therefore, we use our power as convenors and as a platform to give space to those most marginalised. How we work and all decisions are developed in dialogue with people who are facing intersecting barriers, in symbiosis. We recognise that this is something that needs constant work and review, and thus is something we need to evaluate constantly.

In 2018 EAF developed a three-year EDIA plan, with a particular focus on extending our relationships within areas of socio-economic deprivation; and we have updated the plan regularly since then. With a new vision, mission and purpose introduced in 2024, we have been actively reviewing all areas of our work to identify and address structural inequalities within our organisation. 

This plan outlines the steps we will take over the next three years, in line with our new strategic plan, to continue to address structural inequalities within our own organisation; and to play our part in advancing change in society as a whole. It has been developed with the full participation and commitment of the core EAF team, leadership and Board. 

This plan is available upon request, by emailing [email protected]

Fair Work at EAF 

We aim to create a culture of respect that requires behaviours, attitudes, policies and practices that support health, safety and wellbeing, and that these are consistently understood and applied. We have updated a Fair Work Policy and Action Plan which covers the period 2024-28, and we will review our Fair Work Policy annually to ensure that it remains fit-for-purpose and in-line with new government legislation and industry standards in relation to working conditions.

This is overseen by the Director of EAF and the Trustees of the Board.

Commitment to Fair Work for our Workforce

EAF is unwavering in its commitment to Fair Work principles, ensuring a respectful and collaborative environment for all staff, artists, and collaborators; an approach that also helps us achieve our Purpose. Our comprehensive Fair Work policy revolves around the 5 pillars of fair work, and all staff and collaborators are provided with our Grievance and Disciplinary Procedures to ensure our commitments and processes are clearly communicated.    

The five pillars are:

Respect: contracts include expectations for how staff members should treat one another and the actions to be taken in the event of complaints. We acknowledge the importance of respecting work-life boundaries and we actively support staff in articulating their preferred working hours and communication methods, which we adapt as circumstances change.

Opportunity: we now advertise in a wider breadth of spaces, eg in rural communities and community spaces. Our employees are offered extensive career development opportunities, including mentorship and observership, which are identified in regular 1-2-1 Director meetings. All staff members, regardless of their level, have the opportunity to undertake training.

Effective Voice: Our TIALT-led evaluation has included confidential interviews, providing staff and artists with a platform to express concerns. Weekly staff and programme meetings further encourage transparent dialogue and the opportunity for regular check-ins and requests for additional support.  We are cultivating a culture where differences are acknowledged, heard, and processes changed as a result of this.

Fulfilment: Career progression discussions and support needs assessments are included in weekly 1-1s, the annual staff away day provides a space for team members to contribute to strategic direction, and Access Riders ensure freelancers are adequately supported.

Security: We are an accredited Real Living Wage employer and offer PAYE contracts to all staff, with no zero-hours contracts or unpaid internships. Artists and freelancers receive compensation in line with SAU rates. Flexible working arrangements (including remote) are negotiated with all staff. We have worked 5% annual inflationary increase into wages and payments for freelancers and artists.

We promote respect across our organisation by: 

  • Having a clear Equal Opportunity Policy and Code of Conduct which is shared with all new members of staff, artists, and partners at the start of their employment or partnership.
  • Viewing differing perspectives as productive and creative and designing internal procedures to manage conflicting views in a constructive way. This includes opportunities for open discussion during staff meetings, away days, and one-to-one meetings. 
  • Treating all personal matters confidentially. 
  • Encouraging our staff team to use the platforms specified by each team member for communication. This includes telephone/mobile for urgent matters, WhatsApp for informal chat and non-urgent updates, email for external communication and important actions, Zoom for external events, and Google Drive for shared documents. 

Our Team

The Festival is managed and delivered by a small, friendly and dedicated core team of five staff, with additional production, technical, civic and marketing freelancers brought in to assist with delivery in the lead up to and during the Festival. Everyone’s contribution is valued. 

We are committed to addressing equality, diversity and inclusion across all our work. Our current staff team is predominantly white, cis-gender and non-disabled. We want to open our organisation up to those people facing intersecting barriers – this includes but is not limited to people from the global majority*, people with disabilities or long-term health conditions, people from low socio-economic backgrounds,. 

 *In using the term ‘Global Majority’ we refer to people who identify as Black, Asian, Brown, dual-heritage, indigenous to the global south, and or have been racialised as ‘ethnic minorities’.

If you have access requirements for our programme, or the projects more widely, please let us know and we will accommodate these. Tools available to create access documents include Access Docs for Artists. 

This is an on-going process and we will keep listening and welcoming your feedback. Please contact us via email, phone or post:

Kim, Director – [email protected]

Phone: 0131 226 6558