PS1 Community Agreement
Public Space One is committed to making our spaces, resources, and programming welcoming, safe, and accessible to individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and needs. We are also committed to being a progressive art venue for pushing boundaries and culture forward. These two ideas need not be paradoxical: our shared intention for creative risk informs our virtue for social courage. We aim for these guidelines to encourage community members to deepen their practices and relationships with each other.
PS1’s Community Agreement is intended to create a supportive environment in which no one is mistreated because of ability, race, religion, gender, sexuality, physical appearance, nationality, socioeconomic status, or any other aspect of their identity. We encourage everyone to proactively create an environment that values the safety and inclusion of others.
By entering PS1’s facilities and/or participating in PS1 activities, or interacting with PS1 participants, you agree to abide by these guidelines:
Commit to mutual respect, mutual aid, anti-oppression advocacy and supporting the empowerment of each person and group. Are you sustaining opportunities for all voices to be heard? Are you demonstrating active listening? Are you making space for others’ thoughts and opinions?
Be responsible for your own actions. How is your behavior affecting others -- directly or indirectly? What broader values and beliefs are you communicating with specific words and actions? How is your body language shaping and occupying space?
Honor everyone’s physical and emotional boundaries. Are you asking before touching, offering assistance or advice? Do you listen and change your behavior if someone tells you that you are making them uncomfortable?
Respect everyone's pronouns, names, and identities. Do not assume anyone’s gender identity, sexual preference, survivor status, economic status, background, health, etc.
Respect people’s opinions, beliefs, experiences and differing points of view. Are you leaning into what is challenging with respect for caution around what is triggering? Sharing a dialogue around differences is also a way of creating alignment with one another.
Acknowledge that people make mistakes. Are you open and accountable? Are you maintaining commitment to our mission of solidarity and mutual understanding?
Adhere to safety practices. Have you been properly trained with the tools you are using? Are you maintaining awareness of the people and the space around you?
PS1 staff, organizers, and hosts are empowered to enact and implement these guidelines. If you cannot abide by the above, PS1 staff reserves the right to ask you to leave or cease participation in an activity.
If you experience inappropriate or unsafe behavior during your time at PS1, please approach staff or a board member with whom you feel comfortable. We are here to help with any conflicts arising from the violation of our policies. You can call/text John at 319.499.8336 or email info@publicspaceone.com.
We welcome the continuing discussion about and improvement of this agreement. Suggestions will be attended to via info@publicspaceone.com. This agreement will be reviewed and updated by the PS1 board at least once per year.
updated 2023