Learn to See Clearly: Removing Blind Spots from Organizational Behaviors

Increasing diversity within audience and staff is crucial to the sustainability of all arts and cultural institutions. The decision to be more inclusive often requires fundamental changes in organizational policies and procedures. Examining organizational culture for systemic bias helps remove barriers to creating inclusive workplaces that value diverse perspectives from everyone. This workshop focuses on understanding the relationship between organizational culture and unconscious bias and how this relationship can derail inclusion efforts within institutions. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of organizational culture and how blind spots have become embedded in our behaviors, practices and organizational policies. Participants will have time to examine bias within their own institutions and learn ways to move unconscious bias to conscious bias in an effort to mitigate effects on inclusion efforts. This is a hands-on, participatory learning opportunity. Participants are encouraged, but not required, to bring current organizational policies with them to the workshop to examine during afternoon group discussions.

Two representatives per organization is highly encouraged.

Presenter: Chris Taylor, Chief Inclusion Officer, Minnesota Historical Society

Workshop 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (registration is at 9 a.m. and lunch is provided)

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This program is a collaboration between TAM (Texas Association of Museums), THC (Texas Historical Commission) and the Houston Endowment.