Key Findings

KEY FINDINGS & RECURRING THEMES:

• Systemic issues in the sector
  
  Power imbalances
  NDAs present an unbalanced bargaining environment for arts workers. In such conditions, employees often have little leverage to negotiate fair terms or assert their rights. With the increasing pressures to perform under strained circumstances, workers are placed in vulnerable positions where the fear of losing their jobs or facing retaliation outweighs their ability to challenge unfair practices. This imbalance in power and resources creates a climate of tension and insecurity, where workers may feel coerced into signing NDAs as a condition of keeping their employment or receiving financial settlements.
  
  Contradiction of industry values & censorship
  The arts industry is fundamentally rooted in principles of open dialogue, creative freedom, and the exploration of diverse perspectives. It is a space traditionally intended to encourage critical engagement, challenge the status quo, and amplify voices that provoke thought and innovation. However, within many arts institutions, these values are undermined by practices that stifle discussion and suppress critical voices, through mechanisms like NDAs and other restrictive measures. This creates a paradox where institutions designed to champion artistic expression and open conversation become environments where silence and complacency are imposed.
  
  Institutional censorship has become rampant since Silencing in the Arts began in 2023. NDAs have been used as a tactic to prevent artists and arts workers from expressing their views on their own social media channels and within their own networks—specifically regarding solidarity with Palestine or anti-Zionist criticism—that conflict with the views of leadership, board members, and high-profile donors.
  
  Post-lockdown restructuring, financial strain and burnout
  The COVID-19 pandemic led to significant instability in arts organizations, with restructuring causing overburdened, under-resourced professionals. Diminishing budgets, high inflation, and reduced funding have further strained the sector, leaving workers overworked and underprepared. In this precarious environment, workers fear speaking out or pushing back for fear of losing their jobs.
  
  Ineffective diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) efforts
  While many arts institutions have introduced DEIA strategies in an effort to address systemic inequities and create more inclusive environments, these efforts often fall short due to a lack of proper funding and prioritization. In many cases, DEIA initiatives are treated as secondary or supplementary, rather than integral components of organizational strategy. Moreover, DEIA goals are sometimes deprioritized in favor of other operational concerns, such as budget cuts or short-term financial goals. As a result, these initiatives can become performative or superficial, failing to address the deep-rooted issues of inequality and exclusion that persist within the sector. Ultimately, the lack of investment in DEIA efforts undermines their effectiveness, leaving arts organizations unable to create truly equitable and inclusive spaces for all workers.
  
  Barriers to entry and precarious employment
  The arts industry is known for its high barriers to entry, making it difficult for many artists and arts workers to gain access to meaningful employment. These barriers include limited access to funding, competitive selection processes, and a lack of institutional support for emerging talent. As a result, many in the arts face extended periods of unemployment or underemployment, where they struggle to find consistent, stable opportunities that align with their skills and aspirations. Even when new opportunities do arise, there is often a significant risk of entering toxic work environments characterized by poor management, power imbalances, discrimination, and unhealthy workplace dynamics. These environments can be emotionally and mentally exhausting, further discouraging individuals from pursuing long-term careers in the sector. This cycle of instability and uncertainty makes it difficult for artists and arts workers to build sustainable careers and can exacerbate feelings of burnout and frustration.
  
  Inadequate leadership, board governance, and/or human resource personnel
  Arts institutions, particularly smaller organizations with limited staff and artist-run boards, often lack the professional training or personnel to support a healthy working environment. Regardless of size, many institutions were reported to have inadequate leadership and board governance, and a lack of HR departments or representatives. When human resource representatives were present, they were often serving the interests of those in positions of power (e.g. leadership, board), leaving junior and mid-level employees feeling unsupported.
  
  Measures of effective leadership are often based on fundraising targets over employee satisfaction. Additionally, there are not clear definitions of what constitutes effective leadership and board governance in the arts, nor are there formal consequences when these structures break down.
  
  Countless systemic issues in the sector can also stifle career growth and even discourage qualified junior and mid-level arts professionals from advancing into leadership roles. This in turn limits the pool of qualified candidates who are rooted in regional and/or national arts communities.
  
  Toxic and/or inadequate leadership structures are protected and reinforced through mechanisms such as NDAs, which prevent artists and arts workers from speaking about their experiences; this feeds a vicious cycle that keeps bad actors in positions of power and subjects a new pool of artists and arts workers to harmful work environments.
  

• Substantial personal and professional impacts of being silenced
  
  Feeling of pressure
  Participants often felt rushed to make a decision when asked to sign an NDA, and didn’t fully understand their rights at the time.
  
  Regret in hindsight
  Many participants later realized they could have refused to sign, asked for more time to consider, or negotiated the terms to better align with their situation.
  
  Devastation upon leaving
  Participants experienced deep emotional distress from the loss of their role, community, and professional identity, especially when leaving a position or the sector entirely.
  
  Impact on career trajectory
  This often led to a sense of alienation and, for some, a permanent exit from the sector. Many interviewees, particularly those identifying as women and/or Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour, resigned from the arts at pivotal moments in their careers, hindering their career progression and contributing to the lack of diversity in institutional leadership roles.
  
  Shift to independent work
  Those who remained in the arts made a vow to never work within institutions again, instead pursuing independent practices outside of institutional structures.