It is a collection of resources that are aimed at helping festival organisers make their event more diverse and inclusive for visitors, artists, and staff.
It is part of the organisation’s three-year project ‘Future-Fit Festivals’ which includes guides, tests, checklists, databases, action plans and more to help achieve the aim.
“When we talk to festival organisers about diversity at their events, we sometimes hear that they would like to do more, but they don’t know where to start,” said editor of the Toolset Katharina Weber.
“They’re afraid of doing something wrong, saying the wrong thing, and the potential backlash that might cause, so they don’t touch the topic.
“With this toolset, we give festival organisers a chance to fight this insecurity.
“It’s a place to start their diversity journey. Our project team did the research and assessed many resources on accessible, diverse, and equal events, so festival organisers don’t have to do it. On top, we hope to inspire them with our stories about good-practice examples from festivals that show how more diversity and inclusion can be achieved.”
The Toolset features chapters dedicated to accessibility and inclusion, anti-racism and diversity, gender and sexual equity, consciousness and responsibility, and allyship.
It has taken on feedback from experts at festivals around Europe such as Primavera Sound, Flow Festival, OpenAir St.Gallen, and Roskilde Festival.
“This is the main goal of our toolset: if your festival is already doing great, but you’d like to get inspiration and ideas to do even better, this is for you,” said Yourope board member Marta Pallarès.
“And if you want to start somewhere but you don’t know how… this is for you as well.”