Updates on NCC's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access Work

We at NCC are on a continuous journey to develop programming initiatives and employ metrics that are fundamentally rooted and aligned in anti-racist practices and anti-oppressive principles in all areas of our internal and external work.

We commit to provide pathways that advance ceramic joy for individual and collective accountability towards the betterment of our clay community. This commitment is grounded in our belief that change is possible, and that our work—and that of the artistic community as a whole—will grow stronger as oppression is eliminated.

The following actions are a snapshot of where we are, and by no means a finish line. Rather we offer them here as benchmarks of how we are moving towards a more inclusive, equitable, and just organization.

ORGANIZATION-WIDE

• Beginning February 2021, NCC staff has dedicated 20 minutes to 1 hour of our bi-monthly staff meetings to a continued process of revelation that centers anti-racist, anti-oppressive, and anti-exclusionary practices in our operations as individuals and as an organization.

• In December 2021 and January 2022, NCC was guided by Courageous Change Collective’s team of practitioner consultants through two training sessions with teaching artists and staff. The focus for these facilitated sessions was what does it mean to be actively anti-racist and understanding white supremacy cultural norms in nonprofit organizations

• With new staff joining NCC, and a recognition that much of the previous training efforts needed to be revisited, a formal Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access (DEI+A) committee was formed to assess current and historical initiatives, goals, and action steps as well as create a strategic and actionable plan for building a framework and accountability into every program area and staff roles.

Education

• NCC has implemented Education Access Scholarships options for our adult ceramics programming. We offer two scholarship options—a half-tuition scholarship open to artists and learners with financial need, and a full-tuition scholarship open to artists and learners who identify as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color.

• For scholarship students wishing to remain in the program, we have created a Studio Monitor Mentorship program. This program acts as a work/trade agreement and creates a path to ownership and leadership in the studio community.

With time, it will evolve and improve representation in studio leadership roles.

• We have opened early registration for students on class waiting lists from the previous term to increase accessibility for adult class registration.

• Created accessible equipment and processes for students of varying abilities stemming from neuro abilities, physical limitations, and age.

• Added Wheel 101 for BIPOC Individuals teaches the basics of wheel throwing in a space dedicated to individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or a Person of Color and is intended to foster a safe, creative environment and introduction for BIPOC folks.

Artist Opportunities

• Jury panelists are invited and included to ensure diverse representation on each panel.

• Panelists are publically shared to increase transparency and trust and eliminate possible power dynamics.

• An internally-funded year-long BIPOC Emerging Artist Residency was created to replace the previous Jerome Foundation-funded “Artist of Color” Residency program that ended in 2017.

• Expanded the types of accepted resume and professional information that can be used to apply for grants and residencies in an effort to reach a broader audience while expanding inclusivity. Additionally, we have begun accepting submissions as spoken narrative audio files to further expand the inclusivity of our application and jury process.

Community Engagement

ClayToGo

NCC’s community engagement program for youth and families.

• Whenever possible, we place priority on populations who reside in lower-income brackets and who do not have the same access to creative experiences as others. Our work in this area relies on strong partnerships with Twin Cities schools and community organizations serving youth in need.

• With generous funds from several foundations and corporate gifts, NCC was able to meet demand for new and returning partnerships with local schools, community organizations, and service agencies in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the surrounding suburbs. During the calendar year 2022, NCC’s teaching artists led 69 new and returning partnerships, with over 2,660 individuals, including students in Pre-K through twelfth grades. An additional 16 public clay