Our Values

‘TRADFEST STANDS WITH WOMEN’

‘TradFest stands with the growing number of women performers risking their livelihoods and privacy to speak out against harassment, assault, abuse, coercion, and exclusion in trad and folk. We commend them for their courage in standing up against this violence and acknowledge the pain, frustration, and anger they have experienced at the hands of perpetrators.

As a festival, TradFest is committed to supporting and protecting women performers. We call on all trad and folk organizations, industries, workers, artists, festivals, and educators to join us in establishing a code of ethical practice where all performers are treated with the dignity and respect, they are due. We call on them to ensure safety and support for women performers with a zero-tolerance policy towards perpetrators. We call on them to speak out and speak up against power imbalances. We call on them to promote a culture of equity and trust for all.

To be silent is to be complicit. The responsibility for protecting our diverse musical community belongs to us all. In enacting this ethos, we can work together to make trad and folk safe spaces for all who love and are moved by the music.’

‘Zero-tolerance Policy for Assault and Harassment’

‘TradFest is committed to ensuring a safe, inclusive environment for all artists, audience members, staff, and organizers regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, age, race, or religion.

To protect our diverse festival family, TradFest has a zero-tolerance policy for assault and harassment. This includes:

• – Harassment and assault including verbal, written, and/or physical behaviour that disparages, expresses hostility, or antagonizes an individual or group based on race, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, ability, citizenship or national origin, age, or any other characteristic protected by law that has the purpose of intimidation, hostility, and/or offense. This includes, but is not limited to epithets and slurs, negative stereotyping, threatening or hostile acts, denigrating ‘jokes’, written or graphic materials which depict these actions against individuals or groups, etc. This also includes any unwanted and/or violent physical behavior, threats of physical violence, and all other forms of intimidation and harm.
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• – Sexual harassment and sexual assault, which includes but is not limited to unwelcome, non-consensual sexual advances, requests for sexual favours, sexual innuendo or ‘jokes’ of a sexual nature, verbal abuse of a sexual nature, unwelcome commentary about individuals’ bodies, leering, whistling, unwanted touching, insulting or obscene commentary or gestures, sexual coercion, violent acts of a sexual nature, as well as any other unwanted verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, both implicit and explicit.

TradFest is committed to upholding best practice to address issues of harassment, assault, sexual harassment, and sexual assault to ensure the safety of our festival community. Every allegation is taken seriously and TradFest will work with survivors to ensure complaints are acted upon and investigated swiftly.

If you or someone you know sees or experiences harassment, assault, sexual harassment, or sexual assault as well as any other anti-social behavior please alert a member of staff or security immediately. Staff and security are licensed to take any action they deem appropriate including expulsion from the event and notifying authorities.

To report instances following the festival, please contact [email protected] and we can help report your complaint to Gardaí.

TradFest is committed to facilitating an open-minded and safe atmosphere for all while actively disabling destructive behaviours or attitudes. Mutual respect underpins our organization, and it is our expectation that all those who participate in our festival also participate in our goals.’