OUR COMMITMENT TO CULTURE AND COMMUNITY

Culture and Community Statement

More than 60 years ago, our founder Fred C. Adams was inspired by a bold and ambitious idea. He knew he couldn’t accomplish it alone, so he reached out to the community, and with a little persuasion, they embraced what would become the Utah Shakespeare Festival. Today, Fred’s spirit continues to guide and inspire. To him, no one was a stranger. When he greeted us on the Greenshow lawn, he welcomed us into the Festival community and we felt valued.

The Utah Shakespeare Festival remains committed to being a gathering space for connection and shared ideas. The Festival strives to foster a culture of respect, kindness, curiosity, and collaboration among artists, audiences, and staff. Grounded in the timeless works of Shakespeare and other playwrights, we celebrate the richness of diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences.

Our responsibility is to help every person at the Festival feel included, seen, heard, and valued. As the Festival grows, so does our community. The more folks we embrace, the better we become. The work is ongoing, and just like all those years ago, it takes all of us, together.

Ongoing Culture and Community Initiatives

Accessibility

• Provide accessible childcare for company members with children.
• Offer ASL-interpreted, open captioned, and sensory-friendly performances for select season shows.
• Provide assisted listening devices for all performances.
• Continuously evaluate our facilities for physical accessibility and barriers to participation.

Artistic Practice

• Build a culture of safety and care within the creative process.

• • Include safeguards during rehearsals for physical combat and intimacy.

  • Eliminate “10 out of 12” rehearsal days, when actors and crew work ten hours over a 12 hour period during technical rehearsals leading up to a show’s opening. 

• Regularly evaluate the stories we tell and the voices we elevate on our stages.
• Ensure dramaturgical support includes cultural and historical context when presenting non-Eurocentric works.
• Maintain transparency through the casting process and programming decisions.
• Provide adequate hair care resources and culturally competent styling support.

Company Culture

• Foster an environment that welcomes diverse ideas and perspectives.
• Set new company members up for success with continuing to improve clear onboarding and expectations.
• Establish a culture of feedback and continuous listening through: debriefs, post-mortems, listening sessions, and exit interviews.
• Assure that physical therapy and mental health resources are available to all company members.

Facilities & Housing

• Maintain and improve equitable housing options for company members.
• Offer options for single-occupancy housing or family accommodations where possible.

Education & Community Engagement

• Shakes in Schools and other educational programs: Bring high-quality Shakespeare performances and curriculum-aligned workshops to K–12 classrooms across the region, increasing access to theatre for students who may not otherwise experience it.
• Juvenile Justice Program: Partner with local juvenile justice centers to offer theatre workshops that center on voice, agency, and self-expression for incarcerated youth.
• Ticketing Discounts: Provide subsidized ticket options for students, educators, veterans, seniors, and local community members to reduce financial barriers to attendance.
• Curriculum Development: Collaborate with teachers and education specialists to design inclusive, standards-aligned materials that reflect diverse perspectives and learning styles.
• Community Partnerships: Build long-term relationships with local schools, libraries, and cultural organizations to co-create programming that reflects and serves the broader community.

Human Resources & Hiring Practices

• Provide equal employment opportunities regardless of ethnicity, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, religion, height, weight, or veteran status.
• Collaborate with Southern Utah University (SUU) to implement reduced-bias hiring practices in job searches.

Culture & Community Committee

• The Culture and Community Committee will help ensure that Festival productions and experiences are accessible and welcoming to all patrons, company members, and community members.
• The Committee will advise staff, support implementation, and help prioritize future initiatives.
• Include rotating members from different departments, seasonal staff, and the Board of Governors.