CODE OF CONDUCT
CODE OF CONDUCT
Talisman Theatre Code of Conduct
The Talisman Theatre & Arts Centre is a warm and welcoming community of creative people supporting the Theatre’s artistic endeavours in many ways.
We have a range of policies and procedures which detail how we work within the Theatre and cover everything from looking after the vulnerable among us, such as children, to how we look after data, health and safety and much more.
Where a specific policy is relevant to work you do at the theatre, whether acting, volunteering or being part of the technical crew, we expect you to familiarise yourself with the relevant policies and procedures and adhere to them.
The following Code sets out, at a high level, the key themes of those policies so that everyone in our Theatre community can work positively within together.
We treat each other with respect
We value everyone who is a member, volunteer or supporter of the Theatre. This means:
- We are respectful of people’s time and commitment
- We maintain a positive theatre environment that is supportive and welcoming
- We don’t tolerate bullying, harassment or intimidation in any form
- We’re thoughtful and considerate in our direction of physical and intimate scenes within productions.
We are accepting of everyone
We are committed to maintaining an environment free from discrimination. This means:
- Everyone is treated equally regardless of gender, race, background, sexuality, religion, personal characteristics or age.
- Actors who audition will be cast on ability and suitability for a role, regardless of the above characteristics (unless the play is specific in this regard)
- We will challenge language, attitudes, and behaviour which contradicts these values
For more information, please ask for a copy of our Diversity Policy and Action Plan.
We look after the vulnerable among us
We are committed to keeping children and vulnerable adults safe. This means:
- The Theatre’s Safeguarding Policy and Procedures are designed to protect both children and adults
who are part of the Theatre - The Theatre has a dedicated Child Safeguarding Officer who is in charge of ensuring our child
safeguarding policy and procedures are followed - All children will be treated with respect and dignity
- Anyone involved in the Theatre, has a role to play in safeguarding and protecting them
- Adults involved in the Theatre are expected to be positive role models
- We carry out appropriate checks on all adults who supervise children
All adults, regardless of personal characteristics which may indicate additional vulnerabilities, are
welcome in our Theatre and will be treated with respect, protected from harm and enabled to thrive
For more information, please ask for a copy of our Child Safeguarding Policy and Procedures and Vulnerable Adult Safeguarding policy.
We act with honesty and with integrity
We expect everyone involved in the Theatre to act in good faith. This means:
- We expect everyone involved, in any way, to avoid bringing the Theatre into disrepute
- Actors who accept roles are expected to meet the commitment of attending all rehearsals and being
punctual, following direction and learning lines within timescales set by the director. - Volunteers honour commitments made to support departments of the Theatre they work with
- Volunteers and members act honestly regarding money taken for the sale of goods, the claiming of
expenses, the Theatre’s assets, etc.
We keep ourselves, others and the Theatre safe
We expect everyone involved in the Theatre to act in a safe manner whenever and wherever they are in
the theatre, (on stage, back stage or front of house). This means:
This means we will be safety conscious in the following ways:
- We will complete risk assessment, maintain alarms and emergency systems
- We expect everyone to act responsibly by not drinking alcohol or taking drugs when rehearsing for,
performing in or crewing (including technical) a performance - We expect actors to follow instructions given by the director and production manager
- Those involved in set building or Theatre maintenance are given appropriate training – this included
working at height, manual handling and lifting, lone working, hazardous substances, asbestos awareness and electrical safety. - We will provide personal protective equipment for those involved in such activity
- We will train our front of house teams and Duty Managers to be able to look after the safety of our
patrons
We will protect customer and member data and images:
- We will only seek data we need, keep it safely for the appropriate amount of time and delete it when
no longer required - We will always seek your consent to use your image to promote the work of the Theatre and we’ll make patrons aware when we are filming or taking photos they might be included in
For more information please ask for a copy of our Health and Safety Policy, Data Protection Policy or our Media Consent forms.
We treat the Theatre with respect
We treat the Theatre with respect. This means:
- All volunteers and members are respectful of the Theatre premises and property by helping to keep
its appearance clean, tidy and professional - We expect everyone to be careful of costumes, properties, staging, etc.,
- We don’t expect anything to be removed from the Theatre without permission of the relevant
Department Head - We look after our own personal property and that of others
We hope all members, volunteers and actors will find this Code easy to understand and to follow.
The Theatre’s Executive Committee and Trustees may end the membership of anyone who
behaves in a manner inconsistent with the Code.
Approved at the Executive Committee Meeting on 13th October 2024.
