Guiding Principles

The Glass Art Society, Inc. is an international organization whose mission is to encourage excellence, to advance education, to promote the development and appreciation of the glass arts, and to support the worldwide community of artists who work with glass.

The bylaws of the Glass Art Society (“GAS”) provides that GAS supports the principle and spirit of equal opportunity for persons based solely on individual qualifications and fitness, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

In furtherance of the bylaws, GAS adopts this diversity policy and commits that the same shall be followed in connection with all internal matters of corporate governance and operation as well as its external dealings with artists, collectors, curators, and others involved in the glass art world.

At GAS, all employees and volunteers, whatever their gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation or identity, education, or disability, shall feel valued and respected.

We are committed to a nondiscriminatory approach and provide equal opportunity for employment and advancement as well as in all programs, conferences, and other events undertaken in furtherance of GAS mission to promote excellence in the glass arts. We respect and value diverse life experiences and heritages and ensure that all voices are respected. We are committed to diversity and inclusion for the entire glass arts world and to maintaining an inclusive environment with equitable treatment for all.

To provide informed, authentic leadership for cultural equity, GAS strives to:

• Recognize diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and equity as connected to our mission and critical to ensure the well being of our staff and the glass art community we serve.
• Acknowledge and dismantle any inequities within our policies, systems, programs, or services.
• Explore potential underlying, unquestioned assumptions that interfere with inclusiveness.
• Advocate for and support board-level thinking about how systemic inequities impact our organization’s work and how best to address that in a way that is consistent with our mission.
• Practice and encourage transparent communication in all interactions.
• Commit time and resources to expand more diverse leadership within our board, staff, committee, and advisory bodies.
• Lead with respect and tolerance. We expect all employees and volunteers to embrace this policy and to express it in both public and workplace interactions and through everyday practices.

The Glass Art Society abides by the following action items to help promote diversity and inclusion in our workplace and in carrying out our mission to promote the glass arts and to encourage and promote glass artists:

• Pursue cultural competency throughout our organization by creating substantive learning opportunities and formal, transparent policies.
• Improve our cultural leadership by creating and supporting programs and policies that reflect the diversity of artists.
• Pool resources and expand offerings for constituents by connecting with other arts organizations committed to diversity and inclusion efforts.
• Develop and present sessions on diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and equity to provide information and resources internally and to our members and the glass arts community.
• Advocate for public and private sector policy that promotes diversity, inclusion, and equity. Challenge systems and policies that create inequity, oppression, and disparity.