Code of Conduct for the Festival of Regions:
Background and Statement
A multifaceted, sometimes contradictory, yet always vibrant artistic exploration of the present and future in rural areas. A contemporary art festival that places a strong emphasis on collaboration with local initiatives and communities: an invitation to participate, help shape the event, join in the dancing, and celebrate together.
A multifaceted, sometimes contradictory, yet always vibrant artistic exploration of the present and future in rural areas. A contemporary art festival that places a strong emphasis on collaboration with local initiatives and communities: an invitation to participate, help shape the event, join in the dancing, and celebrate together.
Art festivals are temporary, project-based work environments characterized by complex hierarchies, diverse international teams, intense time pressures, and often precarious employment conditions. Artistic and organizational directors, curators, production managers, and invited artists hold structural power over emerging artists, assistants, volunteers, and freelance and volunteer staff.
During the festival season, many different venues host events and attract diverse audiences. These situations carry an increased risk of abuse of power and exploitation of power imbalances, sexual misconduct, discrimination and bullying, informal pressure during the selection and production process, as well as assaults of any kind.
As a publicly funded festival, we see ourselves as a responsible institution that ensures safe working conditions, transparency, and protective measures.
The Festival of the Regions is committed to being a safe, respectful, and non-discriminatory space.
We do not tolerate: abuse of power, sexual violence, discrimination, or any form of harassment.
The Festival of the Regions is inclusive, integrative, multi-perspective, and diverse. We are committed to the principle of the greatest possible artistic freedom. Artistic freedom ends where boundaries are violated.
The Festival der Regionen Association is committed to the Fairness Codex for Art and Culture in Austria. The Association’s governing bodies—the Board of Directors and the Executive Board—are committed to a culture of vigilance and responsibility and pledge to create, at all levels and in all areas of the Association’s activities, the framework conditions, structures, and prerequisites that enable prevention, protection, and confidence in taking action.
Compliance Officer
Ulla Steyrleuthner (Head of Outreach)
Email: steyrleuthner@fdr.at
Anonymous Whistleblower Channel (Effective April 1, 2026)
www.machtmissbrauch.help
Code of Conduct for the Festival of the Regions
Applies to staff, artists, volunteers, partners, and the public.
Preamble
The Festival of the Regions is committed to being a safe, respectful, and non-discriminatory space. We do not tolerate abuse of power, sexual violence, discrimination, or any form of harassment. Artistic freedom ends where boundaries are crossed. This Code of Conduct applies to everyone who works, performs, or participates in the festival.
Definition of Abuse of Power
Abuse of power occurs when a person uses their formal or informal position of power to advance their own interests at the expense of others, exploiting relationships of dependency, hierarchies, or structural inequalities in the process.
It is not decisive whether the action is explicitly ordered—even subtle pressure or implicit expectations can constitute abuse of power.
Our Principles
We are committed to respectful, professional conduct, transparency in decision-making processes, mindfulness regarding power and dependency relationships, and the protection of particularly vulnerable individuals. We take a clear stand against sexual harassment or assault, unwanted physical contact, inappropriate comments (sexualized, racist, sexist, ableist, transphobic, etc.), intimidation, humiliation, or psychological pressure, the exploitation of dependency relationships, and discrimination based on gender, origin, skin color, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation, or social status. The same rules apply at events, openings, parties, or informal gatherings as they do in a work context. Alcohol or working late do not justify crossing boundaries.
Complaint Procedures
Those affected or witnesses can contact the on-site Awareness Team at events, or the festival’s Awareness Officer (www.fdr.at)
You can also file a complaint through the anonymous digital reporting system. This is currently under development. All reports will be treated confidentially.
Consequences of Violations
By participating in events at the Festival of the Regions, I agree
to the Code of Conduct in its current form as a condition of participation.
Depending on the severity of the incident, we may take steps such as scheduling a meeting to address the matter, issuing a written warning, barring the individual from events, terminating the contract, imposing a ban on entering the premises, and, if necessary, pursuing criminal charges.
Linz, March 2027.