Building a culture of consent in small theaters across the United States
Faultline is working to develop and pilot interventions to reduce the risk of sexual violence and harassment in U.S. theaters.
UPCOMING BRAVE SPACE RESIDENCY WORKSHOP
April 23-27, 2020, Faultline planned to lead a Brave Space residency in Wilmington, NC, in partnership with the Cucalorus Film Foundation. This was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but we are continuing work virtually and anticipate holding an in-person residency in the future. Please be in touch if you are interested in joining us in the future to workshop consent practices, ensemble processes and best practice recommendations. Information about the postponed residency is available below as a preview of our future hopes.
In the face of rising awareness of abuse in the performance industry, the Brave Space project seeks to develop interventions to prevent sexual assault and harassment in small theaters. Interventions will target vulnerable early-career artists, and will reduce abuse by creating workplace culture change across the industry. In collaboration with the Cucalorus Film Foundation, this project will pioneer the application of occupational health research on workplace sexual violence to the fields of theater and performance. It will harness the current national attention to this issue to pilot interventions that reduce violence and build consent culture in creative spaces.
Needs Assessment Interviews
In Fall 2019, Faultline conducted a needs assessment - a series of in-person interviews with ensemble theater practitioners, along with site visits with interested companies and ensembles. We continue to have these conversations virtually and over the phone. Are you an artist who has experienced the complexity of consent dynamics in creating work? A fight choreographer, director or intimacy director with thoughts about how the artistic community might move forward? An occupational health or workers' rights specialist with interest in abuse and assault prevention? A dancer or physical performer interested in the unique challenges of physical performance and bodily autonomy? Get in touch with us at [email protected] to set up a time to share your insights with us. They will help inform Brave Space as a project and intervention.
This needs assessment was supported in part by a Network of Ensemble Theatres Travel Grant.
Why This Project?
The past three years have seen a massive rise in awareness of abuse, violence and harassment in the theatre and performance industries. In June of 2016, the American theater community was rocked by the revelation of 20 years of abuse at Chicago’s Profiles Theatre at the hands of an Artistic Director. The shockwaves created began national conversations about abuse prevention and safety.[1] Soon after, this story was joined by allegations against Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey and others, raising awareness of widespread abuse and harassment of women and gender minorities throughout the entertainment industry.
Women who experience workplace sexual harassment are at risk for a wide range of health impacts, from anxiety and depression to nausea, insomnia and substance use.[2] Recent accounts from Hollywood to Profiles Theatre to New York’s acclaimed performance Sleep No More demonstrate that performing artists are especially at risk. Admonished to be bold, embrace spontaneity and give their art everything, early career artists are pressured to push their limits of comfort and discouraged from reporting abuse. As a result, some silently endure repeated assault and harassment from directors, coworkers and audience members.[3] Early career artists tend to lack union protections, reporting procedures, and often even formal contracts with their employers. Artists fear that objecting to abusive treatment will result in loss of work and of reputation within this close-knit industry.[4]
In the wake of the #metoo movement and recent abuse allegations, individuals have come forward across the country to report abuse and harassment in the performing arts. The scope of these allegations point to large-scale problems within the theater industry, and a systemic disregard for artist safety and consent on and off stage. Workplace sexual violence has been studied significantly in the occupational health field, and while the theater industry shares many risk factors with wider workplace abuse, it also possesses unusual elements that have the potential to increase artists’ risk. However, no data is available on specific risk factors for workplace abuse in the performing arts.
Brave Space is among the first proactive interventions to prevent abuse and harassment through industry practices that promote artist safety and bodily autonomy. This is the moment for action – while national attention has been turned to this issue, while it carries weight and validity by virtue of recognition, and while it is becoming clear that it has been ignored far too long.
[1] Levitt, Aimee and Christopher Platt, “At Profiles Theatre the drama – and the abuse – is real,” Chicago Reader, 8 June 2016.
[2] Bond, Meg, et. al., “Expanding Our Understanding of the Psychosocial Work Environment,” National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, (2007): 5-6.
[3] Jamieson, Amber, “Performers and Staffers at ‘Sleep No More’ Say Audience Members have Sexually Assaulted Them,” Buzzfeed, 6 February 2018, https://www.buzzfeed.com/amberjamieson/sleep-no-more?utm_term=.jqKjknbLd#.kewjBV4v3.
[4] Levitt, Aimee and Christopher Platt, “At Profiles Theatre the drama – and the abuse – is real,” Chicago Reader, 8 June 2016.
Needs Assessment Interviews
In Fall 2019, Faultline conducted a needs assessment - a series of in-person interviews with ensemble theater practitioners, along with site visits with interested companies and ensembles. We continue to have these conversations virtually and over the phone. Are you an artist who has experienced the complexity of consent dynamics in creating work? A fight choreographer, director or intimacy director with thoughts about how the artistic community might move forward? An occupational health or workers' rights specialist with interest in abuse and assault prevention? A dancer or physical performer interested in the unique challenges of physical performance and bodily autonomy? Get in touch with us at [email protected] to set up a time to share your insights with us. They will help inform Brave Space as a project and intervention.
This needs assessment was supported in part by a Network of Ensemble Theatres Travel Grant.
Why This Project?
The past three years have seen a massive rise in awareness of abuse, violence and harassment in the theatre and performance industries. In June of 2016, the American theater community was rocked by the revelation of 20 years of abuse at Chicago’s Profiles Theatre at the hands of an Artistic Director. The shockwaves created began national conversations about abuse prevention and safety.[1] Soon after, this story was joined by allegations against Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey and others, raising awareness of widespread abuse and harassment of women and gender minorities throughout the entertainment industry.
Women who experience workplace sexual harassment are at risk for a wide range of health impacts, from anxiety and depression to nausea, insomnia and substance use.[2] Recent accounts from Hollywood to Profiles Theatre to New York’s acclaimed performance Sleep No More demonstrate that performing artists are especially at risk. Admonished to be bold, embrace spontaneity and give their art everything, early career artists are pressured to push their limits of comfort and discouraged from reporting abuse. As a result, some silently endure repeated assault and harassment from directors, coworkers and audience members.[3] Early career artists tend to lack union protections, reporting procedures, and often even formal contracts with their employers. Artists fear that objecting to abusive treatment will result in loss of work and of reputation within this close-knit industry.[4]
In the wake of the #metoo movement and recent abuse allegations, individuals have come forward across the country to report abuse and harassment in the performing arts. The scope of these allegations point to large-scale problems within the theater industry, and a systemic disregard for artist safety and consent on and off stage. Workplace sexual violence has been studied significantly in the occupational health field, and while the theater industry shares many risk factors with wider workplace abuse, it also possesses unusual elements that have the potential to increase artists’ risk. However, no data is available on specific risk factors for workplace abuse in the performing arts.
Brave Space is among the first proactive interventions to prevent abuse and harassment through industry practices that promote artist safety and bodily autonomy. This is the moment for action – while national attention has been turned to this issue, while it carries weight and validity by virtue of recognition, and while it is becoming clear that it has been ignored far too long.
[1] Levitt, Aimee and Christopher Platt, “At Profiles Theatre the drama – and the abuse – is real,” Chicago Reader, 8 June 2016.
[2] Bond, Meg, et. al., “Expanding Our Understanding of the Psychosocial Work Environment,” National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, (2007): 5-6.
[3] Jamieson, Amber, “Performers and Staffers at ‘Sleep No More’ Say Audience Members have Sexually Assaulted Them,” Buzzfeed, 6 February 2018, https://www.buzzfeed.com/amberjamieson/sleep-no-more?utm_term=.jqKjknbLd#.kewjBV4v3.
[4] Levitt, Aimee and Christopher Platt, “At Profiles Theatre the drama – and the abuse – is real,” Chicago Reader, 8 June 2016.
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