Community Accountability & Agreements
When we gather in community, questions of accountability, conflict, and harm may arise. These agreements are intended to support equity, access, safety, and collective wellbeing throughout the GIA Annual Conference.
GIA is committed to addressing structural inequities and increasing grantmaking and government support for African, Latine, Asian, Arab, and Native American (ALAANA) artists and arts organizations.
GIA does not tolerate racism, harassment, ageism, homophobia, sexism, transphobia, ableism, or prejudice based on race, ethnicity, nationality, class, gender, gender presentation, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, body size, age, religion, color, language ability, immigration status, asylum status, or religious affiliation.
Care for One Another
Treat attendees, presenters, artists, venue staff, residents, volunteers, and GIA team members with respect.
Respect people’s names, pronouns, identities, access needs, and the stated identity parameters of sessions, gatherings, and affinity spaces.
Listen to understand. Ask for clarity before making assumptions or reaching conclusions.
Acknowledge intent and attend to impact.
Be mindful of the identities, roles, positions, and privileges you bring into a space and how they may affect others.
Use the WAIT practice: Why Am I Talking? Why Aren’t I Talking?
Make room for others to participate and avoid interrupting.
Be attentive to the language you use. Do not use ableist, demeaning, or otherwise harmful language.
Ask for what you need and listen when others communicate what they need.
Language is powerful. Be aware of the language you use in discussions and exchanges and how this relates to others. Do not use ableist and other harmful language. More can be learned from Self Defined.
Recognize the difference between identity-first and people-first language, especially when discussing disability. More information on this can be found in Cara Liebowitz's “I am Disabled: On Identity-First Versus People-First Language,” on The Body is Not an Apology blog.
Practice Shared Responsibility
The 2026 conference takes place across multiple venues and neighborhoods throughout Memphis. Participants will move through the city more independently than they might during a conference centered in a single hotel.
Review your schedule, transportation information, venue details, and access guidance in advance.
Allow adequate time to travel between locations and arrive prepared for each part of the conference.
Follow the access, safety, photography, food, transportation, and facility guidelines shared by GIA and each host venue.
Pay attention to conference updates in the Whova app.
Help maintain spaces that are welcoming, accessible, and usable for others.
Take responsibility for your belongings, schedule, transportation, and personal needs while knowing that conference teams are available to help.
Do not assume that GIA team members, volunteers, artists, venue staff, or residents are available to provide personal assistance outside their conference roles.
Be Accountable to Place
Memphis is not simply a backdrop for the conference. It is a host city, a place of living communities, and an essential source of knowledge for this gathering.
Engage with Memphis, its neighborhoods, cultural institutions, artists, workers, and residents with curiosity, humility, and care.
Respect neighborhood life, private property, cultural spaces, host venues, and local protocols.
Recognize that residents and local cultural workers are hosts and knowledge holders, not objects of observation or consumption.
Credit local knowledge, ideas, and cultural contributions.
Avoid extractive documentation, storytelling, or social media practices.
Ask before photographing, recording, quoting, or sharing another person’s image, story, or contribution.
Follow venue and presenter guidance related to photography, recording, and social media.
Be mindful of the impact of your presence and how you move through the city, its venues, and its communities.
Treat conference venues, transportation providers, hospitality workers, and other local partners with care and respect.
Want to see or hear a great example of considering place?
In her opening remarks, Korina Emmerich, Puyallup, designer, and activist offers an exemplary reminder that Indigenous peoples are still here and present and we must actively fight against their erasure.
To learn more about the Native land you occupy and how to compose your unique land acknowledgement that is local to your community, we recommend this USDAC guide and this Native Land map. We also encourage you to reach out to your local Native and Indigenous communities for guidance on how to do this respectfully.
Respond to Conflict, Harm, or Discomfort
When appropriate and safe, begin with direct and respectful communication rather than a public callout.
Check in for clarity, context, and understanding before assuming intent.
Do not pressure someone to engage directly when they have expressed discomfort or when a significant power or safety concern is present.
Take responsibility when someone identifies the impact of your words or actions.
Seek support from a GIA team member, the Access Team, Help Desk, or Safety Team when direct communication is not appropriate or has not resolved the concern.
Cooperate with requests intended to restore access, safety, respect, or community well-being.
Understand that GIA may take action when conduct threatens the safety, access, or well-being of conference participants, partners, or hosts.
Know Where to Go for Support
Different conference teams can help with different needs. These roles may overlap, and any team member can help connect you with the appropriate support.
GIA Team Members and Volunteers
GIA team members and volunteers can help with essential conference support, including registration, wayfinding, schedules, venue information, buses and transportation, and guidance about where to find additional assistance.
Find us at the registration or help desk, throughout conference venues, and in the Whova app.
Access Team
The Access Team can assist with conference access needs, including navigating accessible routes and seating, locating quiet or low-stimulation spaces, and connecting attendees with available accommodations or other access support.
Access Team members can also help identify the appropriate person when a need falls outside their role.
Help Desk
The Help Desk serves as a central point for general conference questions and practical support, including registration, schedules, directions, transportation, lost items, venue information, and assistance using Whova.
The Help Desk can also connect attendees with the Access Team, Safety Team, or a GIA team member when additional support is needed.
Safety Team
The Safety Team supports the physical and interpersonal safety of conference participants. Team members can assist when someone feels unsafe, experiences or witnesses harassment or threatening behavior, or needs help de-escalating a difficult situation.
The Safety Team can help assess immediate needs and coordinate with GIA, venue staff, emergency responders, or other appropriate support when necessary.
Contacting the Conference Team
For on-site questions, concerns, or support, speak directly with a GIA team member, volunteer, or member of the appropriate conference team.
Contact the GIA team through the Whova app.
Email will not be monitored reliably during conference hours.
For questions before or after the conference, email conference@giarts.org.
In an immediate emergency, call 911.
Learn and enjoy!
We invite everyone to participate with openness, care, responsibility, and a willingness to learn. Our goal is not to avoid all disagreement. It is to create the conditions for meaningful exchange while remaining accountable to one another, our hosts, and the places that welcome us.
Acknowledgements
GIA acknowledges and thanks the folks at Allied Media Conference, Daniel Lim Consulting, and ArtPlace America for inspiring the creation of these guidelines.
