Inclusion & Diversity Strategy 2018 - Poetry Ireland
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Inclusion & Diversity Strategy 2018
Poetry Ireland:
Inclusion & Diversity Strategy 2018
P oetry Ireland’s mission is to connect people and
poetry. That mission can only be achieved when
we fully represent the diversity of voices within our
religion, age, disability, race, and membership of the Traveller
community.
poetic community. We have also sought feedback from poets from diverse socio
economic backgrounds.
It is for this reason that Poetry Ireland has embarked on a
review and analysis of its activities and policies to ensure In response to the feedback provided, we have focused this
poetry from Ireland in all its diversity is visible. strategy on four key areas in an attempt to confront and correct
the existing inequities in Irish poetry.
We do not believe this mission to be altruistic; we know
that it is necessary for the health and relevance of Irish poetry. This commitment will be met by piloting a series of initiatives
during 2018, as well as a schedule of actions for 2019-2020. The
Poetry Ireland has sought out feedback from poets from piloted 2018 events and initiatives will be reviewed at year-end
marginalised communities, with particular consideration to by the staff and director of Poetry Ireland, and reported to the
the nine grounds of the Equal Status Acts: gender (including organisation’s Board, with a view to ensuring those successful
transgender), civil status, family status, sexual orientation, initiatives are continued and developed in future years.Theme Objectives Actions 2018 Actions 2018-2020
Breaking Down Right now, not all poets receive
equal opportunities in Irish poetry.
• A writing workshop geared towards
poets of colour was facilitated by
• Meetings will be hosted at Poetry
Ireland three times a year for poets
Barriers To correct this imbalance, Poetry
Ireland will:
Jackie Kay in January 2018. who face discrimination in Ireland
to discuss their experiences and to
• A writing workshop geared towards assess and modify existing plans to
Poetry Ireland recognizes the • Offer professional development LGBTQI+ poets was facilitated by
importance of highlighting and combat discriminatory practices.
seminars and workshops on a Eileen Myles in March 2018.
developing diverse voices. We will wide variety of topics for poets • Poetry Ireland Review will undergo
encourage poets with disabilities and falling under the protection of the • A seminar on reviewing poetry will a redesign to make it more
of all genders, ethnic and social groups Equal Status Acts. Poetry Ireland be held in autumn to upskill poetry appealing to a wider readership.
to develop and present their work by will take steps to ensure that critics from diverse backgrounds. If necessary we will solicit
providing an increased number of these opportunities are made as submissions for Poetry Ireland
specialized opportunities. • We will host a seminar in autumn
physically and financially accessible 2018, responding to the debate Review from excellent writers from
as possible to everyone who wishes concerning gender representation underrepresented groups. We will
to participate. in the Irish poetic canon, featuring ask each new editor of the review to
papers exploring ‘Missing Voices: write their own inclusive
• Offer specialized mentorship manifesto for Poetry Ireland
opportunities for poets. Irish Women Poets, 16th-21st
centuries’. A call for papers will be Review, which will be available on
• Facilitate networking events for announced later in the spring. the submissions page.
poets from diverse backgrounds. • We will ensure that the submissions
• The ‘Access Cúirt’ bursary will
• Seek feedback on an ongoing basis be offered by Poetry Ireland and process for Poetry Ireland Review
from poets from marginalized Cúirt for an emerging poet from a is promoted widely to a diverse
groups to assess and modify marginalized community to attend market, and that our submission
existing needs. the Cúirt festival in April 2018. guidelines include an explicit
invitation welcoming poets from
• Rafeef Ziadah will deliver a diverse or under represented
workshop in Poetry Ireland on May communities to submit.
10th. Four of the 12 places in the
workshop will be reserved for free
attendance by Creative Space and
Direct Provision writers.Theme Objectives Actions 2018 Actions 2018-2020
Communication & In order to achieve this, we will: • Poetry Ireland will run a year-long
campaign from summer 2018 –
• Poetry Ireland will increase its
communications with organisations
Outreach • Ensure that Poetry Ireland’s
commitment to inclusivity
2019 to increase the visibility of
poets of all backgrounds.
that work with diverse
communities to ensure that the
Poetry Ireland will be more proactive is communicated clearly and opportunities that we provide are
energetically in all our promotional • Poetry Day Ireland 2018 will signposted as open to all.
about developing audiences from digitally spotlight a number of
diverse communities. We want Poetry material and publications.
diverse voices. • Poetry Ireland will develop ongoing
Ireland and more broadly the Irish • Build new connections to actively relationships with organisations
poetry community to represent a space market existing Poetry Ireland • Poetry Ireland will work in that have expertise in the field of
of inclusivity and equality. resources and opportunities to conjunction with organisations diversity & inclusion, eg. Artsekta.
more diverse communities. such as Mother Tongues to
facilitate events that celebrate
• Collaborate with a wider range multiculturalism and
of organisations to welcome new multilingualisim.
audiences and broaden the idea
of what is considered ‘proper’ or
‘legitimate’ poetry.
Leadership We will meet this objective by: • Poetry Ireland will develop
guidelines for its event partners,
• Actively promoting and recognising which will be listed on our website
As Ireland’s national organisation
diversity and inclusion efforts beginning in 2018, and circulated
for poetry, Poetry Ireland has a
through our online platforms. to partners prior to funding
responsibility to set a standard not
agreements.
only for itself, but for other poetry
organisations across the island.Theme Objectives Actions 2018 Actions 2018-2020
• Before confirming financial or • The progress of this strategy will
promotional support to events, be an item on the agenda of every
Poetry Ireland will ensure that second Poetry Ireland board
adequate efforts have been made to meeting.
meet guidelines around diversity
and inclusion. We will ensure that • Poetry Ireland will utilise our
our values around inclusivity and social media platforms to ensure
diversity are communicated to all all relevant diversity and inclusion
our partners. activities are shared and promoted.
Opening Doors Poetry Ireland will nurture a more
inclusive environment by:
• Poetry Ireland will have practical
access advice available on its
• Poetry Ireland will work with
Access Consultancy Ireland to
• Poetry Ireland can take increased website from 2018. conduct an access audit.
• Undertaking an assessment of the
steps as a physical and online space
ways in which it currently does and • Poetry Ireland will carry out • Poetry Ireland will include an
to ensure that people from all
does not offer equitable access to an online survey in summer increased emphasis on accessibility
backgrounds feel that our premises
all. 2018 to obtain feedback on in our ongoing discussions around
is welcoming.
what a welcoming space looks the architectural plans for 11
• Poetry Ireland will work in and feels like to people from all Parnell Square East.
• On a practical level, Poetry
conjunction with specialized backgrounds.
Ireland’s new home at 11 Parnell
organizations to ensure that we are • From winter 2018 onwards,
Square East, Dublin 1, is currently
equipped to provide a space that is • Poetry Ireland staff will undertake Poetry Ireland will utilize its social
in the process of fundraising to
as inclusive as possible. Disability Equality Training in media platforms to livestream an
become Ireland’s first dedicated
April. increased number of events.
Poetry Centre. As an integral aspect • Poetry Ireland will clearly display
of this development, a lift will be a code of conduct, requesting • Consideration will be given to the
added to make the building more that visitors to Poetry Ireland are accessibility of our submission and
accessible. expected to behave in a way that is application processes, as well as to
respectful and never exclusionary the accessibility of our workshops,
or demeaning. performances and other events.I f you have any comments or suggestions on Poetry Ireland’s Inclusion & Diversity Strategy, please contact us at the details below. We welcome all feedback. Elizabeth Mohen Poetry Ireland, 11 Parnell Square East, Dublin 1 01 678 9815 | elizabeth@poetryireland.ie | www.poetryireland.ie | @poetryireland
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