In the ongoing discussions about the relationship between the school and the surrounding world and the professional field, diversity and inclusion is a recurring and important topic.
Many of the programmes are concerned with diversity and inclusiveness which leads to discussions, changes in curricula, experiments and investments in the programmes. In 2018, the diversity and inclusiveness platform was established within the ATD that is responsible for developing policy and developing and implementing the various initiatives in order to achieve a consistent approach.
For the field of work and the academy to truly represent our diverse society, we need to change and create an environment that welcomes new stories and repertoire, alternative codes and visions, and alternative forms of movement and reflection - while maintaining mutual recognition and connectedness in all these subjects.
We are aware that not everyone feels that the ATD is a safe haven for them. Making the school more inclusive involves much more than just inviting students from non-Western backgrounds to audition. An example of activities in this area are the ATD staff training courses that focus on unconscious bias, diversity and inclusion. In the intro week of the academic year 2019-2020, all students - not only the first years - participated in activities aimed at inclusiveness and diversity, such as the Black Heritage Tour and the HALf6 meetings with Jörgen Tjon A Fong and others.
If ATD really wants to change its learning environment and offer inclusive education in an inclusive environment, current staff and students need to investigate who they are as individuals and as an organization. What role do they play in maintaining the existing system? How could they change the system and what would be the consequences of those changes? A common point from which we start is the value we attach to the performing arts and the significance of the arts for the world in which we live.
For steps and areas of attention that we have formulated to work on inclusiveness see the Diversity and Inclusion Policy Plan ATD, 2018.