REBOUND: WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT EXCELLENCE

OF/BY/FOR ALL CEO Courtney Harge will be delivering a talk to the Association of British Orchestras this month on the topic of Excellence:

“Excellence” is both required and elusive. Excellence is also where many prejudices and biases thrive. Who determines what is excellent and why do they get to decide? How do we engage with “excellence” without replicating oppressive systems and practices? What does a reimaged, inclusive excellence look like? Is it attainable? How do we adjust our view of excellence to become more inclusive, expansive, and accurate? At OF/BY/FOR ALL, we reimagine how cultural institutions can work by offering practical tools and resources to help organizations become more of, by, and for diverse communities. One of the ways that can happen is to reevaluate our evaluations: are we measuring quality in ways that promote inclusion? By unpacking what we mean when we say “excellent,” we can build a more inclusive—and exceptional—cultural sector. Reimagine excellence and build a beautiful, revolutionary future. OF/BY/FOR ALL CEO Courtney Harge will talk about practical ways to engage with bias, oppression, and prejudice and how the obsession with excellence limits our potential.

Learn more about the Association of British Orchestras Annual Conference here.