“‘Equity in the arts is a complex subject which requires more than a simple desire for change,’ Werckle said. ‘We need to educate ourselves comprehensively and engage in challenging conversations. These workshops give arts leaders and participants alike a safe space in which to dismantle harmful practices of the past and imagine new creative spaces in which everyone is able to navigate equitably.’”
EDI WORKSHOPS FOR THE ARTS
The national arts community is engaged in a conversation about how to become more accessible and equitably diverse. In response to this, The West Side Show Room has collaborated with EDI Facilitator Denise Yvette Serna to create an ongoing series called EDI (Equity Diversity Inclusion) Workshops For The Arts which addresses the needs of the Rockford area arts community.
The workshops are funded by generous grants from the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, Illinois Department of Human Services/Chicago Community Trust, and Rockford Area Arts Council. These grants enable The WSSR to offer the workshops at reduced cost or free to anyone associated with a Rockford area arts organization.