Our Stories

Meany Center for the Performing Arts stands in solidarity with BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) staff, artists, students, colleagues and community members in the fight for justice by dismantling the endemic structural racism that underlies social, economic and educational inequity. We invite you, whatever your understanding and knowledge of structural racism is, to join us and others in your communities in learning, conversation and action. 

The arts have proven to be powerful tools for illuminating injustice and igniting calls for change. Meany Center is proud to participate in that legacy as well as continue to be a place to celebrate and uplift the cultural diversity of our city, country and world. As a highly visible, white-led arts organization with considerable access and infrastructure, we recognize our complicity, influence and privilege and understand it is our responsibility to utilize and strategically prioritize our resources to engage in this struggle. 

We have significant work ahead of us and we commit to critically examine all aspects of our organization as we come to:

1. understand the truth of our internal, historical barriers to equity;
2. listen and hold ourselves accountable to BIPOC voices;
3. redistribute resources, including money, time, power, attention and decision-making, to prioritize initiatives aimed at dismantling institutional racism and related systems of oppression; and
4. be transparent in our decisions and actions as we make them.

We stand with the recent statements of change by the University of Washington leadership and our city’s arts & cultural leadership:

• President Ana Mari Cauce
• Vice President for Minority Affairs & Diversity Rickey Hall
• Seattle Office of Arts & Culture 
• the Seattle Arts Commission.

Questions regarding Meany’s responses can be addressed to Executive & Artistic Director, Michelle Witt.