DIVERSITY AND EQUALITY IN THE WORKPLACE
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In keeping with its commitments related to its double AFNOR certification, obtained in 2021, for ‘Diversity’ and ‘Equality in the Workplace’, the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence is actively engaged in the fight against discrimination and sexual and gender-based violence and harassment. To this end, it also focuses, through its Académie, on the training of women opera makers, including composers, authors, conductors and stage directors, among others.
Since 2019, the Festival has been committed to fighting discrimination and gender-based and sexual violence and harassment, and has implemented specially designed awareness and prevention measures for everyone: administrative staff, technicians and artists alike. A listening and prevention unit has been in place since 2019; and since 2021, a network of trained employee contacts has been added, to provide easily accessible support to the various teams in all Festival spaces. The annual questionnaire sent to team members has demonstrated the effectiveness of this structure, which mobilizes all teams around the prevention of discrimination and gender-based and sexual violence and harassment.
In 2024, the Académie is continuing its efforts for better representation of women in opera, and will host two women conductors in residence — Camille Delaforge and Sora Elisabeth Lee — and two women composers — Golfam Khayam and Diana Soh. In addition, British stage director Katie Mitchell will be leading the Women Opera Makers Workshop, which aims to mentor women who are pursuing an artistic career and offer them a space for discussion and exchange, while addressing issues of gender equality and, more broadly, diversity in opera. This workshop, taking place from 15 to 19 April, will address the obstacles and challenges that the selected artists face in their professional lives.
Atelier Créatrices d'Opéra © Vincent Beaume
