Diversity at the Nursery

We make top quality work, and we recognise that diversity is to the benefit of that work.

We create a safe and supportive environment where everyone has a chance to thrive.

We are flexible and responsive, both as individuals and as a company; we are happy and able to adapt to individuals’ needs where possible.

The Nursery does not tolerate discrimination on any grounds, including but limited to gender, colour, race, nationality, ethnic origin, class, sexuality, disability, religion, politics, age or appearance.

Our Code of Conduct specifies further our behavioural expectations for everyone under our care or in our employment, and includes both an anonymous feedback form and channels to make escalate complaints about anyone in the Nursery community.

Read the Code of Conduct here.

What we do to promote diversity

The Nursery Theatre’s objective is to further the art of improvisation and to use improvisation to enrich the lives of others. We do this by hosting a wide range of diverse and accessible classes and events, including women’s workshops, audio-only workshops, youth programming, free and reduced class and course fees, jams, and scholarship places on all of our longer courses. We also support the development of new shows and artists through our Nursery Originals Programme, provide affordable rehearsal space (in the past, and we will do once more when it is safe to do so), host social events, and provide online content including video, audio, and blogs. Once we go back in real life, we commit to our spaces being wheelchair accessible and having gender-neutral toilet facilities.

When casting shows we are committed to continuing to increase our diversity. All decisions to cast shows are based on the quality of the applicant and decisions are made by a committee of three to minimise unconscious bias. This is balanced with a strong commitment to providing opportunities to create improvised work and to diversify the people making and supporting it.

In addition, our staff and teachers receive training in diversity-related issues, including neurodiversity, people with disabilities, crisis response, gender, and LGBTQIA+ concerns. Our staff has an even balance of genders, and we will work to improve our balance of LGBTQ+, neurodiverse and BAME individuals.

We are also partnering with the Black Improv Alliance to commit the mission of 100 black performers in Improv 101 courses by July 2021. Learn more about the initiative here.

Contact

If you have any questions about this Policy or feedback on this Policy, please contact us via mail@thenurserytheatre.com or fill out our feedback form.