Agent: any trustee, freelancer, volunteer, employee or other third-party that is in the position to act on behalf of British Arts Festivals Association.
BAFA: British Arts Festivals Association, a charitable incorporated organisation (registered charity number 1193943) based in the United Kingdom.
BAFA team: any grouping of trustees, freelancers, volunteers, employees (if any) working as agents of BAFA, and where the context admits, a team of all of the agents of BAFA.
We, us and our means BAFA, and where the context permits includes any of its trustees, agents, freelancers and volunteers acting on BAFA’s behalf.
Workplace means both the physical spaces where BAFA team members work together and remote or online (‘virtual’) working environments of BAFA team members.
Equality in the workplace means equal job opportunities and fairness for trustees, volunteers, employees, long term freelancers and job / role applicants. Equality in an organisation should also be a framework that enables access, participation and contribution that is fair and inclusive.
Diversity is the range of people in the whole BAFA team. For example, this might mean people with different ages, religions, ethnicities, people with disabilities, and both men and women. It also means recognising, respecting, and valuing those differences.
An inclusive workplace means everyone feels valued at work and when volunteering their time. It lets all people feel safe to:
This policy’s purpose is to ensure that BAFA, acting through its agents:
BAFA is committed to encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion within the BAFA team, and to eliminating unlawful discrimination whether within the BAFA team, in relation to BAFA members or members of the public.
A workplace encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion can help:
Whilst acknowledging the small size of BAFA as an organisation, and the limited number of people within the BAFA team, the aim is for the BAFA team to be truly representative of all sections of society and our members, and for each person to feel respected and able to give their best.
BAFA commits to:
a. Encourage equality, diversity and inclusion in the BAFA team as a matter of best practice.
b. Create a working and volunteering environment free of bullying, harassment, victimisation and unlawful discrimination, promoting dignity and respect for all, and where individual differences and the contributions of all agents are recognised and valued.
This commitment includes training all agents about their rights and responsibilities under the equality, diversity and inclusion policy. Responsibilities include agents conducting themselves to help BAFA provide equal opportunities in employment, and prevent bullying, harassment, victimisation and unlawful discrimination. All agents should understand that they, as well as BAFA, can be held liable for acts of bullying, harassment, victimisation and unlawful discrimination, in the course of their employment, contract for services and volunteering, against fellow agents, customers, suppliers and the public.
c. Take seriously complaints of bullying, harassment, victimisation and unlawful discrimination by agents of BAFA, customers, suppliers, visitors, the public and any others in the course of BAFA’s activities. BAFA makes a commitment to protect trustees, employees, freelancers and volunteers, wherever possible, from being victimised or treated less fairly if they make a complaint in good faith under this policy.
d. Make opportunities for training, development and progress available to all long term freelancers and employees, who will be helped and encouraged to develop their full potential, so their talents and resources can be fully utilised to maximise the efficiency of BAFA.
e. Make decisions concerning employees and freelancers based on merit (apart from in any necessary and limited exemptions and exceptions allowed under the Equality Act).
f. Review employment and freelancer contracting practices and procedures when necessary to ensure fairness, and also update them and relevant policies to take account of changes in the law.
g. Monitor the make-up of the BAFA team regarding information such as age, sex, ethnic background, sexual orientation, religion or belief, and disability in encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion, and in meeting the aims and commitments set out in the equality, diversity and inclusion policy.
Monitoring will also include assessing how the equality, diversity and inclusion policy, and any supporting action plan, are working in practice, reviewing them annually, and considering and taking action to address any issues.
h. Ensure, where possible, full access to everyone applying for a vacancy whether for freelance work, a volunteer or trustee role or through employment. Everyone responding to a vacancy will receive fair and equal treatment.
Any monitoring of equality, diversity and inclusion done in the course of filling a vacancy will be conducted so that the monitoring forms are anonymous and received by the BAFA agent responsible for such monitoring, in an anonymised manner.
Being a member of BAFA offers access to the UK’s leading arts festivals, and an invaluable opportunity to build a strong network of professional contacts across the breadth of the festivals sector.
Our members range from volunteer-run organisations to large, well-established festivals, and we also have special memberships available for universities and associate members.
BAFA is supported by funding from...
Upper Ground Floor, Overross House, Ross Park, Ross-on-Wye HR9 7US
BAFA is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (1193943)
© BAFA 2026
Website Designed & Built by we are CODA
