EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION POLICY
The Dallas Museum of Art fosters equity, celebrates diversity, and supports inclusion. We acknowledge that diverse backgrounds and voices of visitors, volunteers, trustees, staff, and communities represented in the collection make us stronger and better equipped to make positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally.
Equity
Society’s historical legacies and systemic barriers have created disparities in the communities we serve. Knowing this, we strive to expand and enhance arts opportunities for all.
Diversity
Many factors—including but not limited to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetics, economic backgrounds, and experiences—make individuals and groups unique. Our goal is to ensure visitors, volunteers, trustees, staff, and collections reflect this diversity.
Inclusion
We commit to listening to and learning from diverse voices and perspectives. We create a vibrant and accessible social space that encourages dialogue and the exchange of ideas through arts and culture.
The Dallas Museum of Art commits to advancing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion by focusing on key goals throughout the organization.
Strategic Plan
The DMA has worked to produce a strategic plan that will shape the organization and its activities through 2025. During these years we will be guided by the following central ideas about our work and the communities we serve:
Our Work
We pursue art at the center, equity at the core; these dual ideas are supported by a strong, flexible, and fluid institutional backbone and manifested in a constellation of physical and digital spaces.
Our Communities
We focus locally, building relationships with an ever-growing group of constituents who increasingly reflect the multiplicity of communities in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, and believe our approaches will resonate globally, amplifying our presence and our impact.
Until the final plan is complete, the DMA is committed to reviewing these goals annually and updating, as necessary or desired.
We commit to the following goals for increased equity, diversity, and inclusion:
- Increase BIPOC staff diversity in professional and leadership roles by 10% by 2025.
- Support a staff-led EDI Committee to provide equitable and inclusive change recommendations to policies, processes, and procedures.
- Facilitate an annual EDI training series for staff including at least 2 sessions a year.
- Commit to BIPOC Board diversity of more than 30% percent by 2025.
- Implement annual Board training around EDI practices.
- Build a Board of Trustees that is increasingly representative of the geographies, group identities, skills, and perspectives of the communities we serve.
Demographics and Progress
Below are self-reported staff and board demographics collected since 2016. This data allows the DMA to review our progress year-over-year, in line with the Museum’s 5-year strategic plan for which there is “art at the center, equity and community at the core.” We are encouraged by the progress that has been made in diversifying our board and staff, but recognize the need for ongoing improvement. The Museum is committed to increasing BIPOC staff diversity in professional and leadership roles by 10% by 2025.
Since 2020, the Museum has implemented several internal processes to further our efforts in advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion. These include mandatory diversity and inclusion training, racial equity training, pay transparency, diversification of job posting sites, a robust onboarding program paired with a tenured onboarding partner, and professional development opportunities for all employees, among other initiatives. A selection of these milestones is highlighted below, and will continue to be updated as more progress is made.
We acknowledge this is an ongoing effort and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where a diverse group of voices are represented and heard.
The Dallas Museum of Art, by Race and Ethnicity
The Dallas Museum of Art, by Gender
Progress in action
