DVAA stands against racism and prejudice in all its manifestations. We stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and other movements protesting the inequities in our society that have been laid bare by the violence committed against George Floyd and all those who have died at the hands of police, before and since, because of the color of their skin.

As a cultural institution serving the public good, DVAA has an obligation to speak out in support of the protests for equality and social justice that are taking place. We must take this moment to actively listen to those disadvantaged by these inequities, learn from them, and take action to ensure that our Constitution’s promise is afforded to all citizens.  Inaction is not an acceptable option. 

At DVAA, this means strengthening our efforts to provide more diversity and inclusion in our platforms, to ensure equitable distribution of arts resources across all communities that we serve, and to remove any barriers to participation. We pledge to program with relevance to the world we live in; to ensure our organization’s board and staff reflects the diverse makeup of our community; and to build bridges to audiences who are underserved and under-recognized. 

Let us all commit ourselves to work together in this moment as well as in the long term, online and face-to-face, personally and professionally, through gestures big and small to ensure that the communities we live in and the world that we are building are more just and equitable for all.

There is much work to be done: the time for change is now.

Sincerely,

The Staff and Board of Directors of the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance