Publications → Fair Practice Culture
In 2024, Hande Dogan and I contributed to a report exploring the Fair Practice Code and its potential to create fairer and more sustainable working conditions in Denmark’s cultural sector. Rooted in our thesis research, our work examines how this framework can serve as a moral and practical guide for cultural workers, institutions, and policymakers.
Graphic design: Hanna Bergman.
The report Fair Practice Culture - A Study of A Code of Practice for Art and Culture, published by The Council of Danish Artists, brings together key insights from workshops and meetings with over 100 artists, researchers, and industry stakeholders. It highlights the urgent need for structural change and offers concrete recommendations for implementing fairer labor practices in the arts and culture field. The conversation doesn’t stop here.
Phase 1 was developed and realized by the Danish Composers' Association and UKK - Organization for Artists, Curators and Art Mediators led by Sine Tofte Hannibal & Maj Horn. The report is a stepping stone for further dialogue and action.
Graphic design: Hanna Bergman.
Given the longstanding challenges faced by the Cultural and Creative Sectors (CCS)—including job insecurity, financial instability, exploitation, inequality, power imbalances, and limited access to social benefits—Hande Dogan and I dedicated our master's thesis in the Leadership for Sustainability program to exploring how to navigate and address these complex dynamics.
Our research examines how the principles of the Fair Practice Code and sustainability leadership can deepen the understanding of social sustainability within the CCS, offering insights that support more sustainable development in these industries.
Ensuring a safe and healthy working environment is not just a matter of policy—it's a fundamental human right. In Article 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it's stated that every individual has the right to freely choose their job and be safeguarded against unemployment. The declaration also underscores principles like equal pay for equal work, just compensation, the right to form and join trade unions, and access to social protection, emphasising the need for fair and ethical treatment of all workers.
Opening up this dialogue in the CCS, the Fair Practice Code serves as a moral compass emerging with the potential to lead the future direction of these sectors. It engages the entire ecosystem by empowering individuals to collectively create better working conditions. In this way, the Code embodies a paradigm shift, challenging ingrained narratives and systemic issues. By embracing core values like trust, transparency, diversity, solidarity, and sustainability, the Code has the capacity to cultivate a more interconnected and resilient landscape.
Improving the working conditions within the CCS is crucial for the immediate well-being and security of workers, unlocking the full potential of these sectors and strengthening their preparedness for future crises. Fair Practice Code can guide this transformation, steering policies and practices towards a more equitable, sustainable and inclusive work climate within the framework of human rights and planetary boundaries. By embracing its principles and values, stakeholders can collaborate to create a thriving ecosystem that benefits artists, cultural workers, and society as a whole.