Code of Conduct for Professional Relations

1. Purpose

Page Not Found is committed to creating professional relationships based on respect, fairness, trust, openness and mutual responsibility.

Artistic and cultural work involves close collaboration, differences of opinion, experimentation and, at times, challenging conversations. We value these exchanges and recognise that disagreement and criticism can be productive. At the same time, everyone working with Page Not Found should be able to do so without harassment, discrimination, intimidation, bullying or abuse of power.

This Code sets out the standards we expect in our professional relationships and the standards others can expect from us.

2. Who and what this Code applies to

This Code applies to everyone working for or with Page Not Found, including staff, board and advisory board members, invited artists, designers, curators, speakers, workshop leaders, publishers, freelancers, interns, volunteers, contractors, institutional partners and other collaborators.

It applies throughout a collaboration, including its preparation and follow-up, and to interactions taking place in person, online or through other forms of communication. This includes meetings, correspondence, production and installation periods, events, travel and social situations connected to our work.

These expectations apply regardless of a person's role, seniority, professional reputation or relationship with Page Not Found.

3. How we work together

We expect everyone involved in our work to contribute to professional relationships based on mutual respect.

This means:

Treating staff, artists, volunteers, interns, participants, contractors and other collaborators with respect, regardless of their role or seniority.

Communicating clearly, respectfully and constructively.

Respecting agreed roles, responsibilities, schedules, budgets and working processes.

Respecting professional and personal boundaries.

Raising concerns, disagreements and criticism without humiliation, intimidation or hostility.

Being willing to listen and engage with feedback.

Recognising that misunderstandings and mistakes can occur and, where appropriate, allowing space to acknowledge and address them.

Being mindful of differences in power, status, professional visibility, experience and access to resources.

Respecting people's time, labour and expertise.

Contributing to accessible and welcoming working environments.

Taking responsibility for the impact of one's behaviour, including when harm was not intended.

Page Not Found commits itself to these same standards in its relationships with artists, workers and partners.

4. Power and responsibility

Professional relationships are not always equal. Differences in institutional authority, employment status, professional reputation, financial dependency, age, experience or access to networks can affect people's ability to speak freely or challenge inappropriate behaviour.

We therefore expect people in positions of greater power or influence to exercise particular care in how they communicate, make requests, give feedback and respond to disagreement.

A person's artistic or professional reputation, seniority or importance to a project does not exempt them from the standards of this Code.

We do not tolerate the use of professional position, reputation, institutional authority or dependency to intimidate, coerce, humiliate, silence or retaliate against another person.

5. Behaviour we do not accept

Page Not Found does not tolerate:

Violence, threats of violence or incitement to violence.

Harassment, discrimination or hate speech.

Bullying, humiliation, coercion or repeated hostile or demeaning behaviour.

Deliberate intimidation, stalking or threatening behaviour.

Inappropriate or unwelcome physical contact or sexual attention.

Abuse of a position of power, authority, professional status or dependency.

Retaliation against someone for raising a concern, making a complaint or supporting another person who does so.

Repeated disregard for reasonable professional or personal boundaries.

Discriminatory or degrading comments relating to a person's identity, background, appearance, ability or lived experience.

Behaviour that creates an intimidating, hostile or unsafe working environment.

A single serious incident may constitute a breach of this Code. Less severe behaviour may also constitute a breach when it is repeated or continues after concerns or boundaries have been communicated.

6. Artistic freedom and Responsibility

Page Not Found values artistic freedom, critical exchange, and challenging conversations. We recognise that artistic practice may address difficult, uncomfortable, or contentious subjects. This Code is not intended to prevent artistic, intellectual, or political disagreement, nor legitimate criticism of Page Not Found or the people with whom we work.

Artistic freedom does not exempt work presented through Page Not Found from the principles of this Code. Works, performances, presentations, publications, or other materials presented as part of our programme may not promote or constitute hate speech, incitement to violence, or discrimination against individuals or groups.

This does not prevent artists from addressing, examining, quoting, depicting, or critically engaging with hate speech, discrimination, violence, or oppressive ideologies as part of their artistic practice.

Artists and other contributors must inform Page Not Found in advance when proposed work includes material that could reasonably be understood as hate speech, incitement to violence, discriminatory content, or similarly harmful material, so that its context and presentation can be discussed before it is made public.

Disagreement, criticism, and challenging conversations are not in themselves violations of this Code. We distinguish between disagreement and behaviour that attacks, intimidates, humiliates, discriminates against, or threatens another person. Criticism should be possible without retaliation, and disagreement should not be used as a justification for disrespectful or abusive behaviour.

7. When problems arise

We encourage concerns to be raised as early as possible when it feels safe and appropriate to do so. Many difficulties in professional relationships can be addressed through conversation, clarification of expectations or changes to working arrangements.

No one is required to confront another person directly if they do not feel comfortable or safe doing so.

If you experience or witness behaviour that you believe may violate this Code, you can raise the matter with a Page Not Found staff member. If the concern involves that person, or if you do not feel comfortable raising it with staff, you can contact:

board.secretary (at) page-not-found (dot) nl

Reports will be handled with care and discretion. Information will be shared only where necessary to understand the situation, respond appropriately or meet Page Not Found's legal responsibilities.

8. How Page Not Found responds

When a concern is raised, Page Not Found will consider the nature, seriousness and context of the behaviour, as well as its impact and, where relevant, whether similar concerns have previously arisen.

Where appropriate, the people involved will have an opportunity to be heard. The fact that harm was unintended does not in itself mean that no action is necessary.

Depending on the circumstances, Page Not Found may:

facilitate a conversation or clarification;

establish or reaffirm professional boundaries or working arrangements;

request that particular behaviour stop or change;

issue a warning;

change how communication or collaboration takes place;

limit someone's participation in an activity or project;

ask someone to leave Page Not Found's premises or an activity; or

in serious or repeated cases, suspend or end a professional collaboration, subject to applicable agreements and legal obligations.

Page Not Found may take immediate measures when this is reasonably necessary to protect someone's safety or wellbeing.

Our response should be proportionate to the circumstances and should prioritise preventing further harm while treating everyone involved fairly.

9. Responsibilities of Page Not Found

A Code of Conduct creates responsibilities for Page Not Found as well as for the people with whom we work.

We commit to:

Communicating expectations, responsibilities, budgets, fees and relevant working conditions as clearly as possible.

Respecting agreed fees, payment terms and working arrangements.

Providing collaborators with appropriate information and points of contact.

Taking concerns seriously and responding within a reasonable timeframe.

Avoiding retaliation against anyone who raises a concern in good faith.

Recognising our own institutional power and being open to criticism of our decisions and practices.

Reviewing our own conduct when difficulties arise rather than assuming responsibility lies solely with an external collaborator.

Applying this Code as consistently and fairly as possible.

10. Relationship to other policies and agreements

This Code complements Page Not Found's general Code of Conduct and other organisational policies.

It does not replace employment agreements, collaboration agreements, applicable collective agreements, legal rights or statutory procedures.

Where relevant, agreements with artists, freelancers, contractors and partners may refer to this Code. Serious or repeated breaches may affect the continuation of a collaboration where this is consistent with the relevant agreement and applicable law.

11. A living document

Professional relationships and working practices evolve. We therefore consider this Code a living document and welcome feedback on how it can be improved.

Comments or concerns about this Code can be sent to:

board.secretary (at) page-not-found (dot) nl