Vermont Cultural Leaders to Plan Joint Action to Promote Inclusion and Respect


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 6, 2018

Montpelier — In response to an increase in hate crimes in Vermont, nearly 60 cultural organizations in the state have signed a statement promoting inclusion, respect, and change in their communities. “As cultural leaders, we stand against hate and violence and we will take action,” the statement reads in part. “We invite other cultural organizations across the state to join us to reject bigotry, work for a kinder and more thoughtful Vermont, and build creative, healthy, welcoming communities for all.”

The statement reads in full: 

“Last month, the FBI reported that hate crimes in Vermont increased for the second year in a row and are now at their highest level since 1995. The evidence of escalating hatred and bigotry is right here in Vermont. There are dozens of examples from Burlington to Brattleboro, St. Johnsbury to Bennington. As cultural leaders, we stand against hate and violence and we will take action.”

“We have come together to commit our cultural organizations to the vital work of promoting inclusion, respect and change in Vermont communities. We know that the arts and humanities have the power to create and nurture empathy, promote critical thinking and thoughtful reflection, offer healing strategies and advance understanding across differences such as race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability and age. In 2019, each of our organizations will undertake programming that advances dialogue and healing in our communities. We invite other cultural organizations across the state to join us to reject bigotry, work for a kinder and more thoughtful Vermont, and build creative, healthy, welcoming communities for all.”

Although other organizations are expected and encouraged to join the effort, here are the organizations that have signed the statement as of December 5, 2018:

Bennington Museum

Big Heavy World

Brattleboro Museum & Art Center

Brattleboro Music Center

Burlington City Arts

Cabot Arts

Catamount Arts

CERF+ - the Artists Safety-net

Circus Smirkus

Clemmons Family Farm

Community Engagement Lab

Flynn Center for the Performing Arts

Grass Roots Art & Community Effort (GRACE)

Helen Day Art Center 

In-Sight Photography Project

INSPIRIT, a dance company Inc.

JAG Productions

Jeh Kulu

Judi Emanuel Family and Friends

Kingdom County Productions

Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival

Lake Champlain Maritime Museum

Latchis Arts

Lost Nation Theater

Lyric Theatre Company

Main Street Arts

Music For Sprouts

New England Youth Theatre

Old Stone House Museum

RETN

River Arts Center

Rockingham Arts and Museum Project 

Rokeby Museum

Say It Forward Productions 

Shelburne Museum

Sundog Poetry Center

The Carving Studio and Sculpture Center

The Paramount Theater

University of Vermont Lane Series

Vermont Arts Council

Vermont Arts Exchange

Vermont Center for Independent Living

Vermont College of Fine Arts

Vermont Community Foundation

Vermont Folklife Center

Vermont Historical Society

Vermont Humanities Council

Vermont International Film Festival (VTIFF)

Vermont Performance Lab

Vermont Stage

Vermont Symphony Orchestra

Vermont Youth Orchestra Association

Vermont's Cartoonist Laureate

Vermont's Poet Laureate

VSA Vermont

WonderArts Vermont

Young Writers Project

Organizations who have signed the statement will be invited to nominate representatives to join a planning committee for a meeting in early 2019. We anticipate that this meeting will be one of a series of coalition-building meetings across the state by Vermont’s arts and culture leaders who represent a diverse and broad-based community. Organizations who wish to add their voices to the project are encouraged to visit www.vermonthumanities.org/inclusion

For more information about the statement and the participating organizations, please contact:

  • Lydia Clemmons, Clemmons Family Farm, (802) 310-0097

  • Christopher Kaufman Ilstrup, Vermont Humanities Council, (802) 262-1351

  • Karen Mittelman, Vermont Arts Council, (802) 828-5420

Press ReleaseBob Colquhoun