Code of Conduct

Introduction

This code of conduct applies to anyone working within Nieuwe Vide, or representing Nieuwe Vide externally. This includes studio makers, the Nieuwe Vide team, volunteers, freelancers, and board members. The code of conduct also covers workshop participants, visitors, guests of studio makers, freelancers hired by studio makers, and interns.

Purpose of the code of conduct

Nieuwe Vide aims to create an inviting, positive, and safe working environment for everyone. This applies to anyone connected with Nieuwe Vide in any capacity: studio makers, artists, freelancers, participants, volunteers, interns, and visitors. Nieuwe Vide ensures a community where everyone looks out for each other and fosters a pleasant and safe environment. The code of conduct also applies to the entire Nieuwe Vide organization, including the team, board, indoor tenants, visitors, interns, and freelancers.

 

Our identity

Nieuwe Vide is an art platform and breeding ground where experimentation and talent development are central. We are thus building on the activist ideals and DIY mentality that formed the foundation of our institution. We do this through our exhibition space and activities. In addition to an exhibition space, Nieuwe Vide has 26 studio spaces housing 35 artists, a workshop space, a weekly community canteen, and soon a library. Our artistic program is expressed through exhibitions, educational programs, film evenings, and workshops. In addition, we support the development of new work with our residency programs. Our mission is to offer Haarlem a unique place where exciting, innovative art is given a stage and where plenty of experimentation can take place. Nieuwe Vide is a place where diverse artists, creative makers, and communities come together, collaborate, and where visitors experience contemporary art.

 

Our Principles

Nieuwe Vide strives to be an inclusive and safe organization, free from any form of structural oppression, including racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, and age-related discrimination. Nieuwe Vide aims to provide a positive, safe working environment, allowing individuals to pursue their work as they see fit, as long as it does not infringe on the rights of  others.

Both within and outside of Nieuwe Vide, such as at events at other locations,  we expect respectful behavior by those representing Nieuwe Vide. Any form of undesirable behavior, such as but not limited to verbal or physical bullying, intimidation, aggressive behavior, or discrimination, is not tolerated. Our definitions of undesirable behavior will be clarified later in this document.

It’s important for everyone associated with Nieuwe Vide to identify and address undesirable behavior. This may involve speaking to the person exhibiting such behavior, discussing the issue with the Nieuwe Vide team, or consulting a confidential counselor. 

It is important to report any unwanted behavior to the Nieuwe Vide team or the confidentiality counselor. by having open lines of communication in different ways, we would like to actively foster openness and accountability within our community. Together, we ensure a safe and welcoming environment by supporting each other and addressing any concerns or problems that may arise.

Application of code of conduct

This code of conduct applies to everyone working within Nieuwe Vide, or representing Nieuwe Vide externally, including studio makers, the Nieuwe Vide team, the board, volunteers, and freelancers. It also applies to workshop participants, visitors, guests of studio makers, freelancers hired by studio makers, and interns. The code of conduct is applicable both online and offline.

Nieuwe Vide expects everyone who collaborates with our organization or works within the Nieuwe Vide building (and all groups described above) to treat each other respectfully so that everyone can work in a pleasant and safe environment. We believe it is important to recognize and appreciate everyone’s similarities and differences. We ask everyone to respect each other in personal interactions. We also attach importance to professionalism within interactions.

Undesirable forms of behavior

The starting point are provisions laid down in Dutch law:

• the Civil Code;
• the General Equal Treatment Act (Awgb);
• the Equal Treatment of Men and Women Act, the Working Conditions Act;
• the Risk Inventory & Evaluation and Action Plan.

For more information about undesirable behavior, see www.szw.nl then choose topics and click on aggression and violence, bullying or sexual intimidation.

By ‘undesirable behavior’, Nieuwe Vide means the behavior – regardless of whether or not there is a hierarchical difference in function or position between those involved – that leads to psychosocial work burden, insofar as it concerns:

Definitions

• SOCIAL UNDESIRABLE BEHAVIOR; in the form of offensive actions or statements, or the omission thereof, that have negative physical, psychological and/or social consequences.
• INTIMIDATION, AGGRESSION & VIOLENCE; physically intimidating behavior or (non-) verbal expressions such as swearing and/or insulting, with the aim or consequence of violating the dignity of a person and creating an threatening, hostile, insulting, humiliating or hurtful environment or feeling. Incidents in which a person is psychologically or physically harassed, threatened or attacked

Article 1a paragraph 2 of the Equal Treatment of Men, Women, Persons Act and Article 7:646 paragraph 7 of the Civil Code

• SEXUAL HARASSMENT; Any form of verbal, non-verbal or physical conduct with a sexual connotation that has the purpose or effect of violating the dignity of a person, in particular when creating an threatening, hostile, insulting, humiliating or offensive environment. Examples of sexual harassment include: 

• making ambiguous comments;
• telling cool stories about sex exploits and funny jokes;
• unnecessary and unwanted touching or roadblocking;
• written approach with a sexual connotation;
• displaying or sending offensive images or videos in the workplace;
• sexual assault and rape.

Article 1a paragraph 3 of the Equal Treatment of Men, Women, Persons Act and Article 7:646 paragraph 8 of the Dutch Civil Code

• BULLYING; This means: all forms of intimidating behavior of a structural nature, by one or more persons directed against another or group of persons who cannot/do not want to defend themselves against this behavior. An important element regarding workplace bullying is the recurrence of the behavior over time. This may include:

• Derogatory comments, such as criticizing someone’s work or repeatedly criticizing them unproductively;
• Comments on someone’s appearance;
• Intentionally ignoring someone;
• Making it impossible for someone to work;

The power or power relations between the attacking party and the person being bullied are unbalanced, for example because someone occupies a higher position hierarchically or someone is verbally or physically stronger. This means the victim cannot defend himself.

 

• DISCRIMINATION; Insults directed at individuals working at, being present at, or representing Nieuwe Vide, including interns and participants, based on their religion, political beliefs, background, origin, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, age, or any other personal characteristics, are strictly prohibited. Discrimination can take the form of bullying, non-verbal intimidation, or violence.
• RACISM; Racism manifests itself in different ways: through actions, statements, writings or discriminatory behavior. Nieuwe Vide prohibits behavior that offends or treats certain persons or groups of persons negatively on the basis of their nationality, so-called ‘race’, skin color, descent, or national or ethnic origin.  We acknowledge that this can sometimes take the form of subtle and/or unspoken expressions and try to make this explicit and mention it in conversations, even if it is not intended that way; we will not shy away from this conversation.
• STALKING OR INVASIVE BEHAVIOR; photographing people without permission, (repeatedly) not respecting someone’s personal space.
• ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE; At Nieuwe Vide, the use of hard drugs is strictly prohibited. The use of alcohol and soft drugs is allowed as long as it does not exceed legal limits and does not lead to disruptive behavior that affects the well-being and safety of others. During events, Nieuwe Vide representatives will consume minimal or no alcohol, with exceptions made for social and networking events and team drinks after finishing events. Those in charge and emergency response personnel must remain sober. Alcohol will not be served to individuals under the age of 18, and Nieuwe Vide adheres to legal regulations regarding responsible alcohol service. Additionally, Nieuwe Vide reserves the right to deny access to alcohol to any individual within its premises.

 

The following behaviors are not allowed and create an unsafe working environment, whether inside or outside the Nieuwe Vide building. Consequences can be unintentional or deliberate. Even indirect consequences are considered to be significant. Certain behaviors such as black humor, playing devil’s advocate, or teasing might sometimes cross the line of what is considered appropriate. Vigilance is advised. Ignoring issues, striving to maintain harmony, and downplaying reports, complaints, and negative experiences can lead to larger problems and escalation.

Failure to comply with the code of conduct

It is important to remember that if anyone displays undesirable, intimidating, or deliberately disruptive behavior, they will be asked to stop immediately. If you are being harassed at Nieuwe Vide, please contact the Nieuwe Vide organization. Also, contact us if you believe that someone else has been or is being harassed.

The appropriate procedure, measures, and/or sanctions will be considered in consultation. The confidential counselor is available for ‘minor’ conflicts. People experiencing mutual struggles or disagreements can also seek our help. The confidential counselor can assess how the conflict can be resolved, perhaps through mediation, and work to restore trust between people. Smaller conflicts are significant because they can contribute to a culture where transgressive behavior is perceived as normal without consideration of its impact on others.

If someone exhibiting undesirable behavior does not stop after a warning, the organization will take appropriate action.

In situations involving odor and/or noise pollution, or failure to keep shared areas clean, we expect that these issues will first be addressed among the parties themselves. If you disagree with how these annoyances are being handled, talk to each other. It can be difficult to address these types of irritations, but it is important to do so, as it will benefit not only the individual but the entire community in the long term.

Sanctions

In the case of violations such as:

• not cleaning the communal areas after use;
• repeatedly cause nuisance;
• not adhering to agreements in the code of conduct or applicable protocols;
• repeatedly ignoring instructions and warnings from the Nieuwe Vide work team;

In the instances mentioned, Nieuwe Vide reserves the right to impose a fine for minor violations, deny access to the building, or terminate the contract without notice and/ or financial consequences.

 

Confidential advisors and procedure

Please keep the following information in mind:

If you encounter any issues at Nieuwe Vide, you can reach out to our confidential counselor, Anne Mul, at curator@nieuwevide.com. Anne, who is a curator-director, has extensive experience in mediation. If Anne is unavailable, feel free to contact another team member for assistance.

We will assess the appropriate procedures, measures, and/or sanctions in collaboration with the confidential counselor. You can also approach the confidential counselor for “minor” conflicts. If there are mutual struggles or disputes, seeking help from the counselor is encouraged. Through mediation, the counselor can help resolve conflicts and rebuild trust among individuals. Addressing smaller conflicts is crucial to prevent a culture where transgressive behavior is normalized without considering its impact on others.

For issues like odor and/or noise pollution, or failure to maintain shared areas, we expect the parties involved to address the problems among themselves initially. If you disagree with how these annoyances are being handled, don’t hesitate to communicate with each other. While it may be challenging, addressing these irritations will benefit not only individuals in the long term, but the entire community.

Mores:

We are a member of: Support and advice center for cross-border behavior for the cultural, creative and media sector: Mores. In the event of a conflict where an external confidential counselor appears to be necessary, we will contact them and follow Mores’ procedures. 

https://mores.online/

 

Feedback

Do you have any questions regarding the code of conduct? Let us know via administratie@nieuwevide.com

Sources

When drawing up this code of conduct, we have derived content from the code of conduct of the Rijksakademie Amsterdam and Het Nieuwe Instituut in Rotterdam. Het Nieuwe Instituut, in turn, has also consulted various sources, visit their website if you want to know more about this

https://hetnieuweinstituut.nl/gedragscode

https://www.rijksakademie.nl/en/rijksakademie-principles-of-community-and-code-of-conduct

De zaak Nu – https://www.dezaaknu.nl/downloads/211203_Fair_Care_Gedragscode_en_protocol.docx.doc

Effectiveness of this code of conduct: July 5, 2024