The Pastel Society
The Pastel Society is committed to functioning as an inclusive organisation where individuality is valued and respected. We strive to maintain a culture of fairness and equal opportunity in all our dealings with the artists who form our community as well as visitors and other agencies that we come into contact with.
The Society has a long history dating back to its foundation in 1898 but we are a forward thinking community with a commitment to embracing and celebrating diverse cultural expression. Within our aim to promote skilled artists who work with dry media we believe that opportunity should be open to all regardless of background or experience.
We believe that artistic talent must never be constrained by discrimination or bias.
Our Equality Ethos
We are fully committed to working within the spirit and guidance of the Equality Act 2010 and strive to encourage and foster widest participation, recognising the particular need to ensure equal opportunity for those with the Protected Characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation.
The Society monitors and reviews its rules and processes to ensure that these principles are upheld, putting in place appropriate measures.
This ranges from the initial exhibiting submission process when artists are invited to submit work, through to the selection process, membership elections, council participation, as well as identifying access issues for visitors to exhibitions and educational events.
These measures include for example, anonymous voting and choosing work entirely on merit in selection committees, or opening up member meetings to Zoom to enable wider participation for those with caring responsibilities or other needs.
The Society upholds principles of dignity at work concerning issues of bullying and harassment on any ground. Respectful and equal treatment of all those working for the Society in the carrying out of Society activities is to be upheld. This includes Society members and artists, Society Friends, Gallery staff, visitors, suppliers and other people not employed by the Society.
Our commitment
The Pastel Society is seeking to become a place where a truly dynamic cultural diversity is possible, a place where everyone can express their own artistic personality, and where people from all walks of life can come to enjoy art.
