JazzDanmark's work on diversity and inclusion

Every one of JazzDanmark’s projects are run with a focus on diversity to the extent of our abilities. Hiring processes and open calls involve processes of anonymization to avoid bias. The Danish Music Awards Jazz nomination process consists of several rounds of “blind listening” - again to avoid bias based on identity groups, the previous reputation of the musicians, etc.

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Why are women grossly underrepresented in the music industry?

A study of the consequence of gender for performing musicians and
composers. Carried out in spring 2022. Find the full analysis on musikdata.dk

 

Method

32.000 members of rights holders organisations KODA and GRAMEX received the survey. 6.000 musicians and composers of all genders filled out the survey1.500 of them wrote their individual stories17 interviews across the music industryA comprehensive literary study on the subject

Main conclusions:

 

Unregulated working conditions are harder on women
• Women often experience exclusion from private networks intertwined with crucial
professional networks
• Lack of rights and safety net hit women harder - i.e. maternity leave
• Jobs are harder to get based on a preconception that “female artists are harder to make
money on”.

Prejudice stand in the way of recognition for female and non-binary artists
• Stereotypical notions negatively affect the assessment of womens musical abilities
• More than one in three women and almost half of the non-binary participants
experience that their gender and appearance have a high or very high degree of
significance for the assessment of their abilities.

Women and non-binary people experience more transgressive behaviour
• Respondents were asked about their experiences with 12 types of unwanted behaviour
ranging from inappropriate remarks to physical sexual assault.
• Within the last five years, 70% of the non-binary people, 64% of the women and 44% of
the men in the study experienced one or more forms of transgressive behaviour in
their work as composers and performers.
• While the number of men experiencing transgressive behaviour is sadly also very
high, a higher percentage of non-binary and female respondents have these
experiences. The latter groups are also more likely to experience several different
types, as well as the most severe types, of transgressive behaviour.

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Balance within Arts and Cultures

Balance within Arts and Culture is an initiative within the creative sectors - it unites music, theater, museums, visual arts and more as one strong voice. Balance within Arts and Cultures trains and educates the entire cultural sector of Denmark (organizations, companies, associations, independents and executives) by providing them with expert knowledge and tools when working with unconscious bias and in order to prevent transgressive behavior. By now, more than 300 professionals from more than 35 different organizations of the Danish creative sector have undergone our training.

 

Back in 2020, many testimonies saw the light of day in the Danish media when people from the creative sector shared stories they never had the courage to tell before. Stories of transgressive behavior, prejudices and exclusion etc. Calling out the gatekeepers and stepping up as gender minorities within art and culture. 
 

We are a collective of organizations that are behind this initiative. On a day-to-day level, the project is run by the project manager who develops the project with a strong working advisory board.

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Kunst & Kultur i Balance works with the following focus points

 

• Education, knowledge and tools to start the process of changing the structures within creative industries - both online and offline

• Network and sharing experiences both within Denmark and across borders 

• Lobbying for the politicians to create change from top to bottom

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More info about the initiative

www.kunstogkulturibalance.org

 

Partnership for Sustainable Development in Music

JazzDanmark is a part of the Partnership for Sustainable Development in Music, which is based on a code of conduct to which the entire Danish music industry has been invited to sign. This code of conduct states that an organization commits to working based on six principles:

1. Bias-conscious managers and employees.

2. Broad representation in gatekeeper roles.

3. Role models and idols.

4. A safe, inclusive culture.

5. Professionalization of the organization or enterprise.

6. Data and transparency.